Drawn idea of coop, etc WOOhoo…

[Saltlifexo95]

I saw "heater" on your list of supplies. You will never need that in GA.

The windows need to be fully functional so you can open them for lots of summer time ventilation in your hot weather.

I would consider making the wind shielded side of your coop open air with just 1/2" hardware cloth for the wall. If you need to cover most of that side in the winter you could attach a clear shower curtain or reinforced poly sheeting to block the wind.

You do not need to bury the HC apron. Just secure it to the bottom support of the kennel and lay it out over the ground, pin the far side with HD landscape pins and let the grass grow through it. It's the gaps between the kennel door that you will need to worry about.

I would run 1/2" HC around the bottom 2' of the kennel walls.

I did not use linoleum for my coop floor. I just painted it with 2 coats of Behr Porch and Floor paint and it's holding up just fine. I use hemp and/or pine shavings for bedding and clean out once a year.

You will also want litter in the run and if there is any way you can get a roof over it, that would help immensely. I like wood chips. Will the entire setup be in the shade? Also make sure you build on high ground all the way around. You don't want water pooling in the run at all.

I wouldn't waste money on the chicken toys and swings. Put some branches in the run for them to perch on and lots of litter to scratch through. I pick up wood stools or chair and put them in the chickens pen. They love to perch on the seat, back and leg rungs of them.

Thank you, I kept getting told that we needed to bury the HC.. I’m glad I started to plan/research/ask questions because this would of been a real headache had we already had chickens. We planned on doing the HC 2’ up, & where we planned to put the coop it’s higher ground & kindof slanted. I am so extra when it comes to heaters, toys, etc. My thoughts are “I just want my sweet fluffy butts to be happy.” Sometimes it does get below 30 but I’m a big baby all of the sudden when it comes to the cold, I’m also from Florida, so.. We have been back & fourth on the deep litter method, honestly I’m terrified to clean it once a year. I did see someone do a cool compost bin near the coop- that might be ideal. Also thinking about using sand/grit for run & coop & sift it.. this is making my head spin.

 

[aart]

this is making my head spin.

There's a ton of options, take your time planning.

 

[Saltlifexo95]

This looks good. I second the notion that you may need a heater, but the chickens will not, .

The nest box, I have a minor suggestion. Ours has a top lift to access the eggs. The top is heavy. We had to add struts to hold them up. I recommend side access doors. This also would help with little ones helping to get the eggs. Here is a post we did on the subject a while ago.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/gas-struts-for-nesting-box-lid.1494041/post-24923319 A picture from that post.
View attachment 2994560

Good idea! Wanted to do door in the front, then my bf said top access, now im screenshotting this to save it so I can show him that the doors are best plus gotta be easier for clean out! Thank you!

 

[Saltlifexo95]

from Central NC.

You've gotten great advice so far.

I agree that there is no way that any part of Georgia will ever need heat in the coop. Chickens are able to handle temperatures down to and even below 0F easily because they have built-in down parkas. It's out steamy, southeastern HEAT that causes problems.

Do consider an Open Air design -- a wire box with a 3-sided shelter at the windward end.

This is my build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

And here are some links for other open air designs:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-positive-local-action-coop.72804/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/california-living.68130/

Also,

I noticed that your design was 5x10. Since lumber comes in multiples of 4 feet, it's better to design in those dimensions so that you don't have to make so many cuts and have so much waste.

Awesome build!!

 

[Saltlifexo95]

Looks great so far. One thing I would do is move the pop door (chicken door) and ramp away from the outside run wall. If something gets after them, their line of escape to the safety of the coop will be "cut off". If you can't do that, put up a solid color panel so whatever is after them can't see them running up the ramp.

Good idea!! I knew I didn’t feel right drawing the ramp/door that close to the edge.

 

[Saltlifexo95]

Great advice above - front open egg access, not a top hinge. Easier for you, much lighter, less prone to leaks.

You are on a budget. SKIP THE WINDOWS. Instead, extend the overhangs, and open up ventilation along the whole of the top, under the roofline. Sure, its less attractive, but its ultimately more effective, and certainly cheaper.

You are in hot and humid. Check your prevailing winds, then consider making the side that opens into the run wide open - no point in adding $100 - $150 in plywood if there's no severe weather to shelter the birds from.

Go with the ground as your floor and deep litter method (make sure to adjust the geography of your yard so that rainwater folw away from the coop and run, not towards it.

I don't see any discussion of roof - but your building size is "odd" for off the shelf solutions. Since you are on a budget, I suggest metal roofing - its cheapest per sq ft right now, and easiest for a novice to install correctly. If you want passive light inside the coop (assuming you don't delete one wall as an open air design) you can sub in one or two panels of polycarbonate in place of metal to let light thru from above.

I would give a lot of consideration to "turning" your building 90 degrees so its the width of the kennel, and altering its dimensions to something that will require fewer cuts - then use the savings on the deleted floor and "front" wall to make it 6' deep, and use 8' roofing panels to ensure a good overhang.

These are awesome ideas, thank you so much. I asked about a roof, but yeah not much idea on that but we did discuss metal. Would shingles be better? (I know, more expensive) BUT- if it helps with heat it’ll be worth it. He’s been watching a lot of videos on YouTube of peoples coops. I just drew this up so I had something to post & interact with everyone & get ideas. He does contracting for a living- first time coop though!!

 

[Saltlifexo95]

There's a ton of options, take your time planning.

We are so excited!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

These are awesome ideas, thank you so much. I asked about a roof, but yeah not much idea on that but we did discuss metal. Would shingles be better? (I know, more expensive) BUT- if it helps with heat it’ll be worth it. He’s been watching a lot of videos on YouTube of peoples coops. I just drew this up so I had something to post & interact with everyone & get ideas. He does contracting for a living- first time coop though!!

In my view, NO, shingles would not be better. I'm south of you , in FL, but similar weather conditions, and have shingled a few roof in my day. MUCH less likely people will do it correctly, but as importantly, galvanized metal reflects a lot of solar radiationm and has very little mass, so it doesn't act like a heat sink, either. You can't find shingles light enough in color to work as effectively in reducing heat gain from the sun. Anyone who thinks otherwise should lay insulation in their attic in July. (mine was 145 degrees, under pale grey shingles, with 2" of blue foam insulation, then 3/4" plywood decking, 5:12 pitch with gable venting and multiple turbines (yes, the house was built late 70s).

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So with open air design, I reckon you would just wrap it in the colder months?? & I know it looks plain, I just kept the open space for suggestions. We plan to spoil them a bit.

Nope.

You don't get cold. OK, you get cold for humans. You do not get cold for CHICKENS. No reason to wrap the coop with an open air design in your climate. At most, you might want a shallow "wall" or wind break on the far side of the run, but that depends entirely on the orientation of your coop and prevailing winds. I try to orient so the coldest, wettest seasonal winds are blocked by walls.

 

[Saltlifexo95]

In my view, NO, shingles would not be better. I'm south of you , in FL, but similar weather conditions, and have shingled a few roof in my day. MUCH less likely people will do it correctly, but as importantly, galvanized metal reflects a lot of solar radiationm and has very little mass, so it doesn't act like a heat sink, either. You can't find shingles light enough in color to work as effectively in reducing heat gain from the sun. Anyone who thinks otherwise should lay insulation in their attic in July. (mine was 145 degrees, under pale grey shingles, with 2" of blue foam insulation, then 3/4" plywood decking, 5:12 pitch with gable venting and multiple turbines (yes, the house was built late 70s).

Shewww ok. Metal it is! So he’s saying we probably won’t even use the kennel, with having to already build a frame for that to attach to the coop, we may as well build one. I said budget which yes we can’t go absolutely crazy, but we are expecting atleast 1,000$ for this coop.