First time coop. Critique my plans.

[paintedChix]

I ended up using a different kind of steel roofing that has less places for rats to get in. For the channels above the eaves where a rat could slip in I added rolled up hardware-cloth, held in place with some deck screws:

View attachment 3866926

Along the ridge I was a bit more lazy and just have one or two screws blocking the channel:

View attachment 3866927

The picture makes the gaps look bigger than they are, but I'm still not 100% sure that this will keep out the rats.

Anyone have a good rule of thumb to decide if a gap will fit a rat? A quarter sized gap? Smaller?

So, you've already built it?

Can we see pictures? I love to see finished builds!!

 

[MrRaccoon]

Well, I wouldn't call it finished yet. The exterior still needs to be painted (just partially primed now), and I need to add the pop door and nesting box exterior access. Oh, and a ridge-cap for the roof.

However it is habitable and hopefully reasonably secure against raccoons, rats, and even our resident toddlers.

Inside we have the lovely ladies themselves:

We have a Rhode Island Red, Lavender Orpington, Barred Rock, Ameraucana, and two Isa Browns. The Barred Rock was the runt when we got them, but now she rules the roost.

And speaking of the roost, I had to install a support wire when making the coop. When I was putting it in, I figured that the chickens would try to roost on it, but I didn't know how hilarious that would be. The Bard Rock flew up there and spent many minutes trying to balance on the wire as it vibrated back and forth. Eventually she figured out that she could balance better if she stayed close to one end.

I'm removing the wire, and will add some plywood to keep the birds off of the rafter truss. I want them to stay on the main roost, below drafts and above the poop board.

Oh, and I will be removing the feeder from the coop when I get the pop-door and run in place. I don't want to let the chickens into the open yard yet, because I know they are light enough to easily clear our fence (and they would).

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well, I wouldn't call it finished yet. The exterior still needs to be painted (just partially primed now), and I need to add the pop door and nesting box exterior access. Oh, and a ridge-cap for the roof.

However it is habitable and hopefully reasonably secure against raccoons, rats, and even our resident toddlers.

View attachment 3872869

Inside we have the lovely ladies themselves:

View attachment 3872873
And speaking of the roost, I had to install a support wire when making the coop. When I was putting it in, I figured that the chickens would try to roost on it, but I didn't know how hilarious that would be. The Bard Rock flew up there and spent many minutes trying to balance on the wire as it vibrated back and forth. Eventually she figured out that she could balance better if she stayed close to one end.
View attachment 3872881

Wow that's some balancing act!

I had a chain that hung in the rear of my coop to hang decorations on, that had been there for years (long enough that I more or less forgot it was there), and then hubby recently found a pullet roosting on it. Welp, chain finally had to come down.