First chicken coop - going Barn style!

[ColoradoMike]

Quote:
I concur with Ed. I picture all the litter/poop just dropping down into the run once you pull the panels out - making a big mess in the run. You may want to consider more of a 'deep drawer'-type pullout mechanism... Or, alternate cleaning procedures - I just open the doors of our coop and sweep it out...

Good luck!

 

[benandbobbi]

Have you thought about how easily the boards will slide out once there is litter and poop covering it? I would think you would want the slot in the side to be deeper so that you can remove the boards with litter/poop intact. A wider slot with a door over it?

- been thinking little more about this. my intention was not to have anything on the board, so it would pull out fine. Then through more reading, i see it is almost a necessity to put stray or wood chips down. either way, at some point, the floor would need cleaning and this will make that WAY easier. I will have a big door on each end to gain interior access and sweep it out.

Are you planning on extending the run area? I'm sure you've read the minimum recommendations using the 4'/10' "rule" (it's really not a rule but it seems to work well for people) is to have 4 sq ft per large fowl chicken in the coop and 10 sq ft per large fowl chicken in the run. It looks like with your 8 proposed chickens that you are sitting on 4 sq ft of space per chicken inside your coop, but if the area below the coop is intended to be the entire run area it is going to be the same square footage as your coop space and will be too small.

- i did read this, and as you mentioned, this is intended to be a "tractor". i say intended, because they cement board is pretty heavy, and i am looking at 6 sheets! The intention is to close the chickens up in the barn at night, closing the ramp, and they will be inside. During the day, while we are not at all home, i will open the ramp and they will have access to barn and run. We will open the run when we are home to keep an eye on them. If it turns out to need more, or too much a PITA, it will be pretty easy to add a premanent run beside or around the barn.

It appears that you attached the hardware cloth with staples. You're not gonna want to here this but if there is a chance of having any predators as big as a small raccoon or small dog then you need you need to go back over the wire and fasten it using screws and fender washers. A determined predator will pull/push the staples loose fairly easily.

- didn't think about that, so that is why i see lots of penny washers!

You stated in an earlier message that you were building a "tractor", thus, you intend on moving the structure around, correct? Do you think the bottom of the structure might need some more bracing/framing to make it more rigid? And maybe some wider runners under the long side pieces to keep it from digging into the ground too much? It would also be a good time to design in a couple of places to attach a tow rope. Remember, too, that if it gets too heavy then you'll definitely need motorized assistance to move it.

- i will have to figure out how to attach the wheels, that will reqiure addition diagonal bracing to the rear legs where the wheels will be attached, the rest will be fine, since the front would be lifted up.

Your building a nice coop and I like the use of the cement board (might have to consider using some of that). With what I've written please don't think that I'm bashing your coop...just wanted to point out some things early into the project for you.

- not a problem at all Ed, really appreciate the detailed look and great information.

 

[benandbobbi]

Quote:
very cool looking birds, the chicks are cute now, and glad to see they will still be colorful when they get older.

speaking of hawks, they are already on the prowl. The day we finished the run and put the chicks in, it couldn't have been 30 minutes and we here a bird calling, look up and there it is circling our back yard - a hawk. we are building the coop under a large oak tree, so they must have good sniffers! Monday my wife calls me, tells me the chicks were making all kinds of racket in the coop, she walked over and there was the hawk sitting on top of their cage! good thing it we put a plywood cover on it. Now the final panels are in place and he can't move them!

 

[Intheswamp]

Ditch the penny idea...I suspect there will be some corrosion there, use regular fender washers. Ya know, it's a shame that a piece of galvanized metal is worth much more than a good ol' American penny.

Some people use wheels under their tractors and some people use skids. I guess it depends on the weight and what you want.

I would definitely put in some bracing to keep it from racking/twisting just to be on the safe side.

Best wishes...watch out for those hawks!
Ed

 

[benandbobbi]

little progress this weekend.

instead of washers, we got 1x2 and framed the inside of the screen, so now it is sandwhiched between 2 boards and screwed together - hopefully that holds.

did run into one little issue, one side is going to be the nests, and i am able to read down to the bottom, however, my wife and kids will have a bit of difficulty reaching down there, so now i have to figure out how to make side access!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Many people, myself included, use natural tree limbs as roosts. The key is to match the width of the tree limb to the size of your bird, and to make sure there are no rough bark edges or other sharp spots on the branch. A 2 by 4 works fine, too, although you also need to make sure there aren't any splinters or rough edges on the board.

 

[littlestars17]

were building our coop as well and are curious how you have your roof framing braced together?? Where the 2x4s in the barn shape roof meet what is holdin them together?? Also just wanted to add, out a stool or bucet next to the coop for your wife and kiddos!!

 

[benandbobbi]

Quote:
we had a little issue getting the angles correct. i designed it perfect (of course) on the computer, except i didn't look to see how i was going to cut a 51 degree angle! meaning 51 degree from perpendicular across 4" flat. my miter saw only went to 47. so we had to make a few changes, and as you can see, didn't all line up perfectly. i don't think the chicks will mind.

as far as putting them together. house trusses use flat plates of thin metal with bunch of spikes punched in them, Lowes carries them. they seemed too pricey, so we pre-drilled and counter sunk a screw on top of the 2" flat, and a second diagonally through the 4" face into the other board. I also plan to put spacers inbetween them.

still flip-flopping on the roof material, so i might need to add other bracing. i think the cement board is just going to be way heavy, so i am looking at the Opaque White Corrugated Plastic Roof Panels. They say they will let light through, UV protected. i just need to figure out how to deal with the peek, and how to make it work on the side roofs.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
You could use a ridge cap like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...splay?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053

And as far as the sides, it would be fiddly but you could build two overlapping layers with the top one overhanging 6 inches or more, something like that.

I have the Suntuff panels on my winter coop, and I like it, but with this caveat. The inside of the coop heats up during the day but loses heat fast at night. If you insulate under it, you'd be losing the light.

 

[benandbobbi]

been a long day. i am ready to get this thing done!

this is the jist of what it will look like. We decided to make a little change to the vent area between the 2 roofs. Appears the upper roof would have to be way too long to block the rain, so we are going to fill it in and use the roof panels as vents, with the ridge vent.

most of the interior is complete, need some more roofing supports and that ill be done. Tomorrow will be more cement board cutting and then studying for a final!