Finishing Coop Build

[Aocskasy]

So I’m just finishing a six week coop build. I’m new to chickens and I decided I would build rather than buy. I live in the Northeast (Western CT). I posted a previous thread regarding ventilation a few weeks ago and got a lot of helpful comments. We have seven chicks that are 6-7 weeks old. 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Easter Eggers, 2 Buff Brahmas, and a Buff Orpington. They will be moved into the coop in the next day or two.

The coop itself is 4x8 and the run is 8x16. I still have to build a door to the run and enclose it with hardware cloth. The coop itself is completed (with the exception of nesting box roof). There is 2 sq. ft of ventilation in the rafters with an additional 7 sq. ft on the right side facing the covered run. The windows in the door and left wall can be opened in the warmer weather to provide additional air flow. The floor and 12” up the wall is covered in vinyl and rubber and will allow for deep bedding in winter months. Roost bars are approximately 26” off the bare floor.

I have learned so much these past six weeks and I think that I built the coop properly but since I’m new to chickens I wanted to post pictures of the coop in case anyone notices an issue that I might have missed. I appreciate any feedback that you all can offer. Thank you.

 

[Shadrach]

So I’m just finishing a six week coop build. I’m new to chickens and I decided I would build rather than buy. I live in the Northeast (Western CT). I posted a previous thread regarding ventilation a few weeks ago and got a lot of helpful comments. We have seven chicks that are 6-7 weeks old. 2 Barred Rocks, 2 Easter Eggers, 2 Buff Brahmas, and a Buff Orpington. They will be moved into the coop in the next day or two.

The coop itself is 4x8 and the run is 8x16. I still have to build a door to the run and enclose it with hardware cloth. The coop itself is completed (with the exception of nesting box roof). There is 2 sq. ft of ventilation in the rafters with an additional 7 sq. ft on the right side facing the covered run. The windows in the door and left wall can be opened in the warmer weather to provide additional air flow. The floor and 12” up the wall is covered in vinyl and rubber and will allow for deep bedding in winter months. Roost bars are approximately 26” off the bare floor.

I have learned so much these past six weeks and I think that I built the coop properly but since I’m new to chickens I wanted to post pictures of the coop in case anyone notices an issue that I might have missed. I appreciate any feedback that you all can offer. Thank you.View attachment 3547796View attachment 3547797View attachment 3547798View attachment 3547799View attachment 3547801

It looks great. Is there a skirt around the base to discourage digging predators?
You've followed the standard practice for coop and run building popular on BYC.
There is just one thing and it's no fault of yours. You've fixed the OSB on the wrong side of the frame.

Let me explain. I know your style of build is very common but it makes more sense in most circumstances to have as little frame work on the inside of the coop as possible. True, it won't look as nice but when it comes to cleaning and dealing with mites and parasites the less open woodwork with accessible endgrain there is in the coop the easier it is to keep mite free and clean.

 

[Lor]

It's a nice coop with lots of ventilation.

 

[mowin]

It looks great. Is there a skirt around the base to discourage digging predators?
You've followed the standard practice for coop and run building popular on BYC.
There is just one thing and it's no fault of yours. You've fixed the OSB on the wrong side of the frame.

Let me explain. I know your style of build is very common but it makes more sense in most circumstances to have as little frame work on the inside of the coop as possible. True, it won't look as nice but when it comes to cleaning and dealing with mites and parasites the less open woodwork with accessible endgrain there is in the coop the easier it is to keep mite free and clean.

I understand the concept, but I'd never build like that. Just doesn't look correct, and water will collect on the sill plates and seep into the coop.
Mites will still get into the nooks and crannies and will need to be sprayed regardless. I will agree cleaning/sweeping would be easier, but I've never had too many issues.

 

[Shadrach]

I understand the concept, but I'd never build like that. Just doesn't look correct, and water will collect on the sill plates and seep into the coop.
Mites will still get into the nooks and crannies and will need to be sprayed regardless. I will agree cleaning/sweeping would be easier, but I've never had too many issues.

The chickens don't care what the coop looks like. While understandable most coops like the OP's are built with human considerations as the primary consideration and often this is more about looks and ease of human access.

There are a few things that I've found become really important after a while, one is being able to move the coop to fresh ground. One doesn't learn this until one has to.

Another thing is coop cost. When ranging chickens the run doesn't really feature but if the chickens are confined for any length of time daily then the run gets stripped bare very quickly and that discourages the chickens from scratching around in the run because they know there is nothing worth scratching for.

My preference is to build a cheaper portable coop and spend the money saved on something like a secure chicken tractor that can be moved with the coop. This is far healthier for the chickens.

I've built quite a few coops over the years and the design shown below proved to be a good basic blueprint. You can see another accross the field.

Everything comes out of the coop leaving an empty bare box. This makes cleaning very easy. These are made from plywood with glued and stitched joins.
I realise people roll about laughing when I mention this but coops like these can be cleaned with a blow torch. The torch flame kills everything, mites and their eggs. No harmfull chemicals involved. No waiting for stuff to dry out. Job done in ten minutes.

 

[mowin]

The chickens don't care what the coop looks like. While understandable most coops like the OP's are built with human considerations as the primary consideration and often this is more about looks and ease of human access.

There are a few things that I've found become really important after a while, one is being able to move the coop to fresh ground. One doesn't learn this until one has to.

Another thing is coop cost. When ranging chickens the run doesn't really feature but if the chickens are confined for any length of time daily then the run gets stripped bare very quickly and that discourages the chickens from scratching around in the run because they know there is nothing worth scratching for.

My preference is to build a cheaper portable coop and spend the money saved on something like a secure chicken tractor that can be moved with the coop. This is far healthier for the chickens.

I've built quite a few coops over the years and the design shown below proved to be a good basic blueprint. You can see another accross the field.
View attachment 3547934

Everything comes out of the coop leaving an empty bare box. This makes cleaning very easy. These are made from plywood with glued and stitched joins.
I realise people roll about laughing when I mention this but coops like these can be cleaned with a blow torch. The torch flame kills everything, mites and their eggs. No harmfull chemicals involved. No waiting for stuff to dry out. Job done in ten minutes.
View attachment 3547935

I don't move my coops. Once they are placed, they stay put. I built my coops in my shop in the winter. I used my tractor to skid them into place. No racking of the walls or broken windows during the move.

You're correct that chickens don't care what the coop looks like, but I do, and having the sheathing on the outside isn't wrong, but makes sense.
Doesn't matter how much overhang the roof has, the wind will blow rain onto the coop walls and if the framing is on the outside, it's going to get wet and eventually rot.

As far as cleaning, I don't have any problems in my coop built for human consideration.

Telling the OP he put his sheathing on the wrong side of the frame is wrong in itself.

 

[Shadrach]

I don't move my coops. Once they are placed, they stay put. I built my coops in my shop in the winter. I used my tractor to skid them into place. No racking of the walls or broken windows during the move.

You're correct that chickens don't care what the coop looks like, but I do, and having the sheathing on the outside isn't wrong, but makes sense.
Doesn't matter how much overhang the roof has, the wind will blow rain onto the coop walls and if the framing is on the outside, it's going to get wet and eventually rot.

As far as cleaning, I don't have any problems in my coop built for human consideration.

Telling the OP he put his sheathing on the wrong side of the frame is wrong in itself.

Just a different way of building coops.

 

[Aocskasy]

The chickens don't care what the coop looks like. While understandable most coops like the OP's are built with human considerations as the primary consideration and often this is more about looks and ease of human access.

I understand what you’re saying about building a coop where looks are important but for some of us, that NEEDS to be a consideration. I live in a suburban neighborhood on around a half acre. The town only approved chickens on residential lots not zoned for agriculture a few years ago. There are strict guidelines that need to be followed and the opinions of my neighbors matter as well. If someone complains then the town gets even more involved. If I lived on a large plot of land I would have done a lot of things differently (and would have a lot more than 7 chickens).

There is just one thing and it's no fault of yours. You've fixed the OSB on the wrong side of the frame.

I get what you are saying from a cleanliness standpoint but the osb you see is the back of the T1-11 siding panels. I could understand putting sheathing on the inside also but to build a coop with the 2x4 walls on the outside makes no practical sense. If they weren’t protected the whole structure would simply rot from the outside in

 

[Shadrach]

I understand what you’re saying about building a coop where looks are important but for some of us, that NEEDS to be a consideration. I live in a suburban neighborhood on around a half acre. The town only approved chickens on residential lots not zoned for agriculture a few years ago. There are strict guidelines that need to be followed and the opinions of my neighbors matter as well. If someone complains then the town gets even more involved. If I lived on a large plot of land I would have done a lot of things differently (and would have a lot more than 7 chickens).


I get what you are saying from a cleanliness standpoint but the osb you see is the back of the T1-11 siding panels. I could understand putting sheathing on the inside also but to build a coop with the 2x4 walls on the outside makes no practical sense. If they weren’t protected the whole structure would simply rot from the outside in

No worries. It's a nice looking coop. Good luck with the chickens.

 

[Sally PB]

I realise people roll about laughing when I mention this but coops like these can be cleaned with a blow torch. The torch flame kills everything, mites and their eggs.

This would take a bit of skill, I'd think. But it definitely would work!

Wondering how I'd practice...