Finishing Up Coop, Could Use Advice. Pics

[JoieD]

Because we are not very good at building things, we purchased a bare bones 4x8 coop. Got OSB instead of T1 11 because we have some vinyl siding left over to put on. We also put the board on the roof to save money and will put left over asphalt on top.

This is a picture of it from the front. The front door faces South, to the right East. We built a platform with about 20 inches under to add a bit more run space. The front gabble vent is a 10" octagon.
There is no window on the east side.

This is the west side with a 10" hardware cloth window. It is just above the nesting boxes inside.

East side and future run area. Any suggestions here about how to go about adding the run. I would like to be able to walk in. From the ground to the bottom of the overhang is about 6'.

Inside to the left(westside) are the nesting boxes that came with the coop. I worry they are too open and being right by the door and window and across from the chicken door,maybe too drafty?

This is the back wall (north). There is a hardware cloth covered vent low on the wall. Anyone know the benefit of such a vent?
I have linoleum to cover the floor, but need to decide if I'm going to insulate the walls and cover them with paneling of some sort first. I do have paint.

This is the inside right side (East).

So some of my questions are: Do I have enough ventilation? Where the roof meets the walls on the east-west sides, it is open and I will be covering with the wire.
Where could I add vents and what kind of materials could I use?
Again what is the benefit of that vent near the floor? I had planned to put the roost there. Too drafty?

Will I need insulation? Walls? Ceiling? or will the vinyl siding be good enough? I live in Ohio.

Can you think of a better layout for the inside?

And what type of run would you add?

I appreciate any input and suggestions. Haven't had chickens since I was a kid and I now have some 10 day olds growing way too fast! After my sister takes her bunch I will end up with about 6. I can't wait until I get to the point where I can actually help people on this forum rather than asking a million questions. Thanks for looking!

 

[clairabean]

First, don't worry about asking a million questions. That is how we all learn.

I live up in BC. We get a few weeks of -25*C weather, and lots of snow. Our coop is designed for this, but we still have a few kinks.

Are the eaves open (but hardware clothed)? Usually that is enough ventilation during the cold winters. I totally glass over the windows and just use the eave ventilation during winter. A draft can kill, more so if it is a draft on the nest box or roost.
The vent near the floor is great in the summer, when the heat rises and the ammonia needs venting. Even with DLM a bottom vent would be useful.
A cross 'draft' is great for summer. Do you plan on keeping your door open in the summer? Maybe with a screen door? That one little window will not be enough.
It depends on how cold your winters are and how much wind you get if you want to insulate. (I insulate)

A run can be added but cutting a small pop door on one side. Many different ways to add a run, from a simple fence, to a fully enclosed area. It depends on your predator levels where you live.

You have a beautiful coop!

 

[JoieD]

Thank You.
Yes the eaves are open and will be covered with hardware cloth. And I hadn't thought about making a screen for the top half of the front door. Good Idea! The pop door is on the east side of the run. You can see a little of it in the east side indoor pic. For cross ventilation, should I try to add a window on the east side. It would be inside the run. Also please ignore the tree trunk planter. That thing has to go!

 

[Dooner]

Couple of questions:
what kind of climate do you have?
Do you plan on walking in to get your eggs each day?
Are you going to use poop trays?
Where are you putting your roosts?
Do you plan on having supplemental lighting to maintain egg production?
How many chickens are you planning on?
What is your plan for water and feeder and where will you locate?
Do you have power and water to the location?

Right off the bat, I would say you need a lot more light and ventilation. I would add another gable vent on the other end and a couple of windows. I used small double hung with screens and leave them open all summer. They are around $60 each and are only single pane. You have a big enough coop to have a nice roost arrangement. What are your plans in that regard?

I elevated my coop as well! 18in and wire meshed it on two side and a removable access panel on the end side.

You definitely want a chicken/ pop door that you open and close from your access side.



I am no expert by any means but I reviewed a lot of plans and got most of my ideas here.

 

[JoieD]

To answer your questions, Dooner
I live in central Ohio so usually at least a few weeks of around 0 degrees and the rest teens and twenties.

Eventually I wanted to either cut a door to gather eggs or add on an exterior box. For this coming spring ,I will be walking in.

Yes I had planned on at least a poop board. If I leave the nesting boxes where they are, I was thinking of putting the roost against the North wall. In that case I will be walking in to get it and clean it. Uhg

Not sure about supplemental lighting for egg production, but it does have a bulb fixture near the door.

I plan not to have more than 8 chickens.

Had planned to put food and water just inside the door to the right for the winter.Maybe hang it or raise it. Might make one of the 5 gallon jug waterers. I have several of those in the garage.

Power will be run from an extension cord from the back garden. About 12 feet.Probably run it through some sort of PVC, and water is located at the well or if it freezes..the house.

I am open to any suggestions. I can certainly change things around at this point.

You and I are on the same page with regard to the pop door and wire mesh. I hope I am handy enough to add windows. They may come out looking like windows from a Dr. Seuss book!

Thanks for the advice.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Your coop looks awesome!! You do NOT have to buy new materials to put in this coop. If you do add another window, check out your local Habitat ReStore. They have cheap windows- a lot of them are really nice! I bought two windows for $5 a piece! I do have to sand and paint them, but no biggie.

Vents can also be found there too- or you can go to Lowes and get them. Most people (including myself) use either floor vents or return wall vents. I got a really nice square vent that opens and closes to go on either end of my building up under the roof line. If your winters are really cold, you might want to insulate, but I know a lot of people don't and their birds are just fine. Especially since you will be putting on vinyl siding- that will be nice. So long as you don't have a draft blowing right on the roost where they will be sleeping, they will be fine. Just position your roosts higher and/or lower than your vents.

 

[mtnhens4]

I really like your coop! We have a run off the east side of our coop and it's roof is just under the eaves of the coop but I think that we have 6ft 4in. so my husband (who is 6ft 2in) can stand upright.
I think that you could put your roost across the back of your coop and it would give your girls all the space they needed. As far as the nesting boxes are concerned I would put a top and sides on them, hens like privacy when they lay so enclosing them would be good. Insulaton is a personal preferance thing, chickens have a built-in comforter made of feathers and down and if you have cold hearty breeds and your coop has good ventilation they will be fine if you have a way to keep down the drafts. Here is a pic of our coop and run. We are in WNC and do get winter weather, this is our first winter with chickens, I hope we're doing it right:/

I would also suggest reading the threadentitled "Woods Style Coop" it has great info about keeping chickens and winter. Have fun.

 

[Dooner]

Quote:
I live in southeast wi so I decided to insulate and used the rigid board under the floor, between the joists and the ceiling. Someone told me chickens will eat about anything so I covered the insulation with a cheap melanine paneling. I dont think I will be heating in any fashion. I agree that the roost would go good on the back wall. Be sure to put it out from the wall about a foot. You could do two levels easy, but put one farther out than the other. I used plastic boot trays on top of the poop board. I used inexpensive flooring and glued to the floor. I agree that if the soffit is wire covered you have good upper vent and would not need a gable vent. I would add some sort of window. They love to look out the window. My coop is 4 by 6 and I have three hens and one bantam I plan on getting rid of. I hope to add two low voltage deck lights to the inside and attach it to the existing landsscape lighting that is on a timer. I drag water out when I go to get the eggs or close their pop door at night.

 

[Dooner]

I forgot to say that I also agree you need to box the nest boxes in a bit. Milk cratesnmay work in your arrangement. I think they kind of like dark and private.

 

[JoieD]

Some great suggestions. And so far I can see using all of them.
I have in my possession, a roll of 25 feet of the fiberglass insulation and a roll of the foil bubble insulation, so i am thinking I will use at least one roll. But which one and where would it be most important to insulate? The ceiling or walls? I won't be heating unless it gets really cold -10 maybe, and I get it that ventilation is key.
I agree I need more windows.
Mtnhens4, I love your windows! Any chance i can get a close look at how those are attached? Also thinking the way you have done your run is the way to go.What did you use to cover the top?
Dooner, those are some beautiful chickens,what are they?