do I need siding and more plywood?

[momofpets]

I picked up some shipping crates from a computer company for free. These things are built pretty solid. Not sure what kind of wood but I know it isn't pine. They are only 3.5 feet high but the dimensions on them are 3 ft by 3.5 ft. The plywood is only 5/16" but has 1"x2" framing the edges. I was planning on combing 2 of these crates and making 1 coop. I was going to make the top of the roof go up another foot by adding 2x4 as support framing and stapling hardware cloth for ventilation. the roof will also have a very large over hang so that rain won't get through th. Do I need to add an extra layer of plywood on the floor to add strength? I don't want to make the coop higher than my fence line because I am within city limits and don't want my neighbors to get too nosy. My lot is only 6000 sqr ft. Luckily I am only 5'3". Do I also need to add t-1 siding or would several coats of exterior paint be good enough? I found 5'x16" hog panels and am planning on using them for my run. The squares on the panel are 4"x4". I know that I will need hardware cloth or welded wire on the first 2 feet all around to keep the baby ducks and chicks inside the run. If this matters, the biggest predator would probably be my dogs, oppossums, raccoons and owls. The oppossum and raccoons do know to stay out of my yard because of my German Shepherds. I also live near a creek so there are always field mice and rats around. I was also planning on using the deep litter method since I am an avid gardener. Any suggestions? Flaws or things I have overlooked? Thanks a bunch!

 

[spotstealer]

First, welcome! Ths site will answer all your questions, and a ton that you wouldn't think to ask. A couple things, is it legal in your town to have ducks/chickens? It could be trouble if not. Next, the answer to your question about the coop being adequate. That depends. The reason I say that is, I don't know what climate you are in. Up here in snow country, that would protect well at all in warmer climates it should be fine. Also, paint would be ok. Pictures would help us give you a more precise answer also.

 

[farmer_lew]

I agree with spot. A lot will depend on your climate. Once we know this, we can better answer your questions. And pics would also help us to help you.

 

[momofpets]

I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. And yes, I checked with the code enforcement officer in my town, he said that because this area use to be all farming, way back when, the city ordinance says that as long as animals are purchased at pet store then I can have them on my property. The local feed store sells chicks and ducklings. There is no limit to the number of chicks and ducks that I can keep. But he did say that I would be asking for trouble if I got a Rooster because its almost a 100% chance that the neighbors would complain. He said that I just needed to make sure to keep the smells down and keep the chickens off the shared fence. As long as I do that, I should not be hearing from him at all. I got the shipping crates off craigslist and had to disassemble them in order to get them home. I will take pictures tomorrow and post them. But all you will see are the 6 walls of the crate broken down in panels. Thanks for all your help!

 

[momofpets]

Here are the pictures of the crate panels and the 2x4s I got off Craigslist. I am trying to make 1 duck coop (mayber another one down the road) to hold 15 ducks and 1 chicken coop for about 6 chickens. I live in an area that gets a handful of frost a year. Summer's can get into the 80s and occasionally into the 90s during the day but that is maybe 10-20 days at most. It always cools down to a reasonable temperature at night. Winters can get into the 40s at night. The plywood is only 5/16 thick. I have some 1/4" plywood that is leftover from a project that I can use to shore up the floor. Or I could go scrounge for pallets and use that as my floor with the 1/4" plywood sandwiching the pallet. I am wondering if the panels would be okay as walls of the coop with several coats of paint or would I need to get t-1 panel for the exterior wall and use the crate panel as the interior wall? If I could draw, I would submit a draft but I can't. I plan on having a very large overhang on the slant roof coop because I am planning on having hardware cloth running above the panels for about 1 ft before the roofline on all four sides. I am trying to save money because the hog panels are costing me an arm and a leg. Of course i am going crazy designing this and trying to get my garden ready. I have really heavy clay soil in my backyard which absorbs all kinds of odors. I have excavated about 8-12 inches of the heavy clay soil and am planning to put a layer of compost and a heavy layer of wood chips on top. I plan on putting a raised garden bed next to each of the runs. The run for the duck is going to be about 8'x16' and the chicken run is going to be 7'x12'. The ducks and chickens would be allowed to free range through the rest of the yard for about an hour a day (while my dogs are locked up in my house). Suggestions, please! Help! Thanking you in advance!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Not with a plain ol' staplegun, though, right? Just checkin'

That is not secure enough. You either need a pneumatic stapler with those extra-long thick staples; or hammer-in galvanized fence staples; or screw thru fender washers or a wood batten.

Do I need to add an extra layer of plywood on the floor to add strength?

If the coop will only be like 3.5 x 3.5 feet, and reach-in rather than walk-in, 5/16" ply is fine for the floor IF a) it is exterior grade not interior grade -- with small scraps you might not be able to tell and in that case it would be smart IMO to buy a piece of *known* exterior-grade and if you do that maybe go 1/2" instead too -- and ALSO b) you do not expect very serious predators trying to get in at night, like big tough hungry raccoons.

Do I also need to add t-1 siding or would several coats of exterior paint be good enough?

Paint is totally fine IF the plywood is exterior grade. If it's interior ply, though, it will last better if you put on siding rather than just paint. (Exterior plywood has waterproof glue holding the thin plies of wood together; the glue that makes up interior-grade plywood goes "spluh!" when it gets damp)

I found 5'x16" hog panels and am planning on using them for my run. The squares on the panel are 4"x4". I know that I will need hardware cloth or welded wire on the first 2 feet all around to keep the baby ducks and chicks inside the run. If this matters, the biggest predator would probably be my dogs, oppossums, raccoons and owls.

Honestly with 4x4 holes I'd be real inclined to put something smaller-holed on the WHOLE fence... possums and coons can certainly go thu that size hole (and raccoons do sometimes hunt during daytime - and unless your dogs are out there every moment of every day and AWAKE all the time, I personally would not count on them as the only meaningful thing standing between your flock and a raccoon), as can your smaller sizes of peoples-loose-dogs.

FOR SURE if you have any thought of leaving the popdoor open at night, or sometimes not shutting it til after dark, I would say you REALLY oughta put something smaller-meshed everywhere (including a top).

I also live near a creek so there are always field mice and rats around.

Yeah, you're not going to keep them out unless you really go full-bore gonzo on it, and maybe not even then.

I was also planning on using the deep litter method since I am an avid gardener.

What most people mean by "the" deep litter method (there is no such thing as "the", there are all sorts of different approaches, each with their own idiosyncrasies and pros and cons) does not work well in a small coop like that. I am also not sure of the connection with "avid gardener", since if you want compost the fastest way to make it is to have a droppings board that you clean every morning and mix the resulting pure poo with a controlled amount of other material (such as mostly-shavings floor cleanings, or whatever else) to achieve close to optimal C:N ratio for rapid hot composting. "the" deep litter method that people tend to be referring to when they use that phrase a) does not work the way it is touted to, except in a relatively small and restricted set of circumstances, and b) is BY FAR not a quick route to good compost, its value is more in low labor and thriftiness.

So I would suggest planning for a droppings board if you are a serious composter; and expecting to be FLEXIBLE about litter management systems, and experiment til you find what works best for you in your particular circumstances.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​