First time buildimg

[5 Points Wingfeather]

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I need some advice. I’m in Mississippi and plan on having 5-8 hens. I will do a 8x16 run. .

1. How does it look so far? Have I made any major mistakes? I still have to add a small door going to the run and need to put on a roof and finishing touches on the inside.

2. Where should I put the roosting bar and what type should I use? If it were you where would you put nesting boxes and where would you arrange the food and water?

 

[Silexian]

I need some advice. I’m in Mississippi and plan on having 5-8 hens. I will do a 8x16 run. .

1. How does it look so far? Have I made any major mistakes? I still have to add a small door going to the run and need to put on a roof and finishing touches on the inside.

2. Where should I put the roosting bar and what type should I use? If it were you where would you put nesting boxes and where would you arrange the food and water?

I built a coop similar to yours. I used 2x4s for roost. I put them 16 inches high in front of the windows. That way they get a breeze in the summer and radiant heat in the winter. I placed my nest boxes outside the coop. A lot of people have problems with the cover leaking. My coop is over ten years old. It has never leaked. I have one coop with the nest boxes close to the floor. No matter what material I put in the nest boxes. The hens always scratch it out. Usually the same day. They don’t scratch the nesting material out of any of my other coops, nest boxes. Which are at least 12 inches off the floor.

 

[MTR]

Do you have ventilation?

I use 3” round trees for roosts. Free and natural. Especially considering lumber costs can save you.

 

[rosemarythyme]

What are the measurements?

I don't see any ventilation - what are your plans for that? If it's 5-8 standard hens you'd want at least 8 sq ft open 24/7, and given that you're in a hotter climate, more than that would be advisable.

I don't do water inside the coop but I do put feed in mine. Depending on your coop measurements you may or may not have room inside for food, water, nests. Nests should probably be external in a build like this, for your convenience. For roosting I just use straight-ish tree branches, 2" diameter or more - plan on 12" per standard hen in roost length.

 

[3KillerBs]

In a hot climate like yours you're going to need a LOT more ventilation and you need it at the top of the coop -- because heat and ammonia both rise.

It wouldn't hurt to pull the siding off an entire gable wall and replace it with wire -- extending the roof to keep the rain out.

 

[Sally PB]

I'll second, or third, or fourth the need for the ventilation.

If at all possible, add some generous overhangs to your roof. As I sit listening to pouring rain, I'm VERY glad we did that on our coop.

Dimensions on your coop? Figure 4 square feet, minimum, per chicken for useable floor space.

For roosts, figure they need at least as much horizontal space as you have in height to get down. For example, if the roosts are 16" high, they need at least 16" clear "landing zone" where they won't crash into nesting boxes, feeders, waterers or walls. A nice soft landing spot will help prevent foot and leg trouble too, especially for large birds.

The roosts should be higher than the nesting boxes; chickens want to roost on the highest point in the coop. If the nests are external, the roosts need to be higher than the floor of the nest. If the they're internal, angle the top of the box so that they don't want to roost on those. They poop a lot while they sleep.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I see zero roof trusses, wall studs or ventilation.

You need to pull the roof decking and add trusses for structure stability and roof support.

Same with wall studs. You NEED wall studs.

Ventilation is an absolute must.

If you need help with those things we can walk you through it.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I am also wondering about floor structure....

While the roof decking is off and you build rafters it would be a great time to add BIG roof overhangs so all that rain y'all get is directed out from the coop walls to help avoid serious run flooding.