First time: dog pen turned coop

[Lydiaclackum]

Living in Ga, don't bother with a coop. That dog pen is all you need with a little bit of work. It will be spacious for 4-6 hens. Because it's on a concrete slab, you don't need an apron. Nothing can get past the slab. I would run at least 2' of hardware cloth around the lower part. Fill in the area below the peak of the roof with more hardware cloth. The fabric roof will be a security weak point. Remove it and build a wood or metal panel roof. For the "coop" put up 3 walls open to the front and top for maximum air flow. 10x4x4. Enough for 2 nest boxes, a roost and some protection from the 5:00 downpour. Raccoon will be your biggest threat. Don't leave any gaps that they can grab a chicken and try to pull her through the fence. Secure all the latches.

Do I need to do anything to the bottom of the fence? Will anything be able to reach under? And how do I secure the door when it’s for gaps between the door and the rest of the chain link?

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Do I need to do anything to the bottom of the fence? Will anything be able to reach under? And how do I secure the door when it’s for gaps between the door and the rest of the chain link?

You can skirt it with hardware cloth. Just make like an 'L' with it so you can attach it to the chainlink. You can use landscape staples to attach it to the ground and just let the grass grow through it to firmly anchor it. I'd have it go out at least a foot.

As for the gaps between the door and the chain link, I'd just make a lip to cover the gap, and attach it to the door OR the door frame depending on which way you like to open the door (door for outwards, door frame for inwards).

 

[bill3607]

I used those dog panels for a run. They are normally 10' x 10' just like yours is. I had 2 of them so I made mine 10' x 20'. I then decided to use hardware cloth around the bottom but once I got started I decided to hardware cloth the entire thing because the dog pens have huge gaps where the sections connect together. Plus, you have the big holes in the fencing itself. Raccoons can easily reach through and of course weasels can get through easily as well as snakes. You may not think you have weasels but you could find out later that you do and the way you find out will not be nice. Then I took some 2" x 4"'s and framed out the top and put hardware cloth on that. It got to the point that I had to question myself for even using the dog pen to start with. But, I had them and I was not using them for anything else and I guess with the hardware cloth you are getting double protection. As far as the door is concerned, it also has huge gaps. So, I also put hardware cloth on it and let it run past the door about a foot or better so that when it is closed it seals the gaps. I still feel that could be a weak spot. I used large zip ties (a lot of them) that are resistant to ultraviolet rays to fasten the hardware cloth to the fencing. The zip ties of course could be gnawed into but there are a lot of them and then you still have the other fencing behind that. On one end I left a 10' section of the pen out and that end is fastened to a large coop with a pop door. I also was planning on running a couple of strands of electric wiring around the bottom for added protection, but still have not did it. I probably will since I have a couple of charges and wire already and I feel security is a lot like what people say about size of coop and run. You know, bigger is always better. Well, more protection is always better, too. We all know everything wants to eat chicken.

 

[Malkaris]

I'm definitely coveting that dog kennel!
Had the opportunity to get one a while back and didn't take it... still kicking myself!

They do have some sneaky gaps but there's a lot there to attach hardware cloth to in various ways - zip ties as mentioned, or metal clips etc.

 

[Lydiaclackum]

I used those dog panels for a run. They are normally 10' x 10' just like yours is. I had 2 of them so I made mine 10' x 20'. I then decided to use hardware cloth around the bottom but once I got started I decided to hardware cloth the entire thing because the dog pens have huge gaps where the sections connect together. Plus, you have the big holes in the fencing itself. Raccoons can easily reach through and of course weasels can get through easily as well as snakes. You may not think you have weasels but you could find out later that you do and the way you find out will not be nice. Then I took some 2" x 4"'s and framed out the top and put hardware cloth on that. It got to the point that I had to question myself for even using the dog pen to start with. But, I had them and I was not using them for anything else and I guess with the hardware cloth you are getting double protection. As far as the door is concerned, it also has huge gaps. So, I also put hardware cloth on it and let it run past the door about a foot or better so that when it is closed it seals the gaps. I still feel that could be a weak spot. I used large zip ties (a lot of them) that are resistant to ultraviolet rays to fasten the hardware cloth to the fencing. The zip ties of course could be gnawed into but there are a lot of them and then you still have the other fencing behind that. On one end I left a 10' section of the pen out and that end is fastened to a large coop with a pop door. I also was planning on running a couple of strands of electric wiring around the bottom for added protection, but still have not did it. I probably will since I have a couple of charges and wire already and I feel security is a lot like what people say about size of coop and run. You know, bigger is always better. Well, more protection is always better, too. We all know everything wants to eat chicken.

Thanks! It sounds like you’ve had to think through a lot of the same things we are thinking through now! Do you have a picture?

 

[Percheron chick]

You will wrap the lower 2-3' with hardware cloth running it down to the concrete. You will add 3-6" of bedding material on top of the concrete so the gap at the bottom will be covered up. Place a 2x6 or taller board on edge inside the door to hold back the bedding.

Do I need to do anything to the bottom of the fence? Will anything be able to reach under? And how do I secure the door when it’s for gaps between the door and the rest of the chain link?

 

[3KillerBs]

Place a 2x6 or taller board on edge inside the door to hold back the bedding.

I'm considering using Hardie Planks or metal siding for this because the combination of termites, carpenter ants, composting run litter, and my climate EATS WOOD -- even treated wood.

With the current price of treated wood it's more cost-effective than it would have been a few years ago.

 

[Lydiaclackum]

I think we’re going to construct a coop inside the run, here’s my preliminary plans for it. There will be a roof over the top. Any ideas on best material to build the walls of the coop with? Plywood? Sheet metal?

 

[Percheron chick]

I think you're going to find the 7' wall problematic. It will need to be braced so it can't flop over. Where are you putting the roost for the coop? Height? Chickens need twice the height to fly down. Say your roosts are 3' high, you need 6' of clear space for them to dismount. Roost placement is important as it is a major PIA if you don't tuck it against a back wall. Allow 1' roost space per hen. If the roosts in the front are what roosts you are offering, your hens will only use the "coop" to lay. You're dedicating 1/2 the available space for a 30 minute activity. Reduce the number of nesting boxes to 1 for 3-4 hens. Building with wood will go up faster, need less tools and cost less.

 

[Appalachickens]

This.

Here in the steamy southeastern US, our chickens don't need a fully-enclosed structure, just shelter from rain and a barrier on the side of the prevailing winds.

Check out the Open Air Coop concept.

Unless you are in the north Georgia Appalachian mountains, which isn’t quite as steamy. My neighbor has an open air coop (in the TN mountains) but we do get snow several times a winter and I want an enclosure.