GARDEN COOP - anyone familiar with this design?

[smithhouse]

We are planning to use the Garden Coop plans to build our coop and may make a couple modifications (larger size, nest box on outside). I am also considering modifying the roof. The design calls for framing the coop and covering both the sides and the entire roof with hardware cloth. Then rafters are placed and the roofing panels are secured. I am thinking that the reason for the top to be entirely covered with hardware cloth would be ventilation. But that would mean almost 70sqft more hardware cloth to buy, and it is not exactly cheap.

Is the design like this for ventilation purposes only? And is it going to make a significant difference? We are in Georgia, so staying cool is more important to staying warm. My coop will also not reside under a tree, at least not until I can plan one and have it grow ; )

Thanks for sharing your thoughts

 

[greenpeeps]

That is sort of what were doing with the new coop. Garden anyway. The coop won't be very big, large enough to hold about 8 chickens, but the yard will be on one side of the coop/run and the garden will be on the opposite side. These will change each year. Can't wait to see how yours turns out.

 

[elmo]

It's probably for security, mostly.

There was a thread here recently discussing whether a racoon could bite/tear through those polycarbonate panels. The consensus was that it was certainly possible if the critter could get its teeth onto an edge to start gnawing. My winter coop has only polycarbonate on the roof, but the edges are all well covered. It's probably a low risk, but still a potential one.

If you didn't cover the roof with hardware cloth, you'd need to cover the gaps in the eaves with hardware cloth, and that could be a fiddly little job because of all the angles and odd shapes.

In your climate, I would definitely not use a clear polycarbonate. It'll be too hot in there. Use white. It will let in light but reflect some of the heat.

The other suggestion I'd make is to plan to use the hardware cloth in as few pieces as possible. In other words, wrap your wire from one side all the way over the top, down to the other side. Not only does that mean you have to make fewer wire cuts (saves your hand if you're using wire cutters), but the more connections there are, the more places you'll have to worry about securing from predator access. I even extended a single piece of hardware cloth down from each of my panels onto the ground for my apron.

I connected the hardward cloth to wood with Teks screws (large head that grabs the wire pretty well). When I had to splice wire to wire without a wood support, I overlaped the wire at least 4 inches and used Loxit clips every few inches.

 

[fiberart57]

I did a similar coop, a playhouse coop and left the run open at the top. During the winter, I had some extra plastic lattice panels that I placed on top, wired down, and put a tarp over it. It did the job of keeping moisure out of the run.

I live in the city, but very near the Colorado River so I've had racoons in the yard; one time I even had a bear. They mostly come at night so I lock the girls up securely in their house. I'll probably either leave the lattice up on top of the run or put something more secure because in the summer I want them to be able to sleep in the attached run. I don't believe that a racoon can bite it's way through the plastic lattice and the gaps aren't wide enough to admit a 'coon, and it's tall enough that the coon couldn't reach it's paws in to grab one of the girls. The rest of the run is enclosed in hardward cloth and very secure.

However, I doubt if it's bear-proof.

Mary

 

[mikecnorthwest]

Maybe you could use standard chicken wire for the top as it's less expensive and doubtful that predators would climb to the top and attempt to get through.