Florida coop rethinking help needed "Picture added"

[ChooksinChoppers]

Need some help guys and gals! I really want to build this

Picture is posted further down this thread

as it will look so nice in the backyard and provides ample ventilation in this hot climate...BUT being a tallish structure I worry about it blowing over in some of the severe storms we have in summer especially! And....I worry (a lot

) that it wont be suitable for silkies and the other bantam breed/s we have arrrgh! my tennant is going to help me this coming weekend cutting lumber and stuff but IF I need to do a quick rethink on the design then please let me know..... I want something big enough to go into and clean without stooping (bad back) and look nice for a snobby neighborhood whom I am bluffing into believing silkies are not really chickens

hey! the one old guy in his hoveround dragged his wife over to look at the exotic birds

so....should I build something closer to the ground so it won't blow over (I am not digging a foundation) or should I rethink the whole thing? help! have lumber and hardwire cloth and no coop

waaaaah! I want a coop i can walk into and clean, lots of ventilation, and suitable for bantam breeds plus looks nice. ( I know I know I want it all

 

[crossgirl]

Can you get some hurricane straps like they use on the older mobil homes?

 

[teach1rusl]

DRAT...for some reason your photo is not showing up for me...

 

[Caddy-Corner-Chick]

I think you could totally do that coop for SW Florida. I feel that if it is an open concept you won't need to worry about the wind toppling it over, Just need to provide something for the girls to get protection from the side flying rains we get here. I think it will be easy to build too!!

Post up pictures as you go along, I am interested to see.

 

[Judy]

Wish I could see the pic. A three sided design is great for your climate. Are you going to have something like 4x4 posts at the corners that you can drop in the ground and secure with some of that quick setting concrete? Seems like it would hold it down in anything but a hurricane.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

ok ..sorry about the pic...have teen DD working it on it for me LOL
yeah..hurricane straps...where would I find those? I got some for the roof....as for the rest

 

[SourRoses]

Picture of the coop by mother_hen6 's California Coop -

 

[patandchickens]

It is not the most obvious choice for silkies but as long as you provide a good ladder to the roosting area and train them to use it, or give them their own lower area, I don't see that it would be a problem (am not a silkie owner tho). Other bantams fly real well.

I agree with you that its tall narrow proportions make it a bit iffy for stability -- the fact that it is 3-sided mesh *helps* but with the kinds of storm winds you get down there it could perfectly well blow over. If it were me I believe I would build it with the four corner posts sunk like 4' into the ground into those "bigfoot" bases. With that plus hurricane ties attaching all the major structural parts together, I would feel good about it staying put and in one piece. Alternatively you can take the redneck solution of burying a couple cinderblocks next to each post (when the posts sit on the ground or are only shallowly sunk) with a really very heavy chain (like a tow chain) snaked around the cinderblocks and then bolted very securely to the base of each post. When buried, the only sign of redneckosity would be the tops of the chains sticking up where they attach to the posts.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:
Yep' have the treated 4x4's ready and waiting! not sure I will drop in the ground though....I mean whats the point? in the sand here everything sinks....including mulch and rocks...so why give it to china?

Becky /Squishy and I dug out the whole front flower bed and 3/4 of it was rocks

i say prop it on concrete pavers and call it a day.

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Quote:

redneckosity!!!

ps Thankyou Squishy!