Help! Need to refurbish inherited coop!

[Logan160]

I just purchased this house, and it came with a coop! I am already familiar with chickens, as my mom has them, and I am friends with the previous owner that had "no issues" with her chickens being in this coop, only lost a few chickens to hawks. The coop seems EXTREMELY drafty considering its basically an open concept coop... I have a local guy building a 8x12' run with a matching slanted metal roof (but way nicer than the coop) and the coop itself is 8.5x14' so its quite large! She successfully had chickes in here for 2 years with tarps to winterize. I want to use whats already here and not build a new coop at this time, and just enjoy the large new run! Additionally, all the galvanized metal seems like it wouldn't be the best? I plan on adding plywood to the hardware cloth areas and along the walls a bit to help insulate it, or just leave it as is?

I have 10 chicks coming 3/9 so I have some time, but wanting to go ahead and start doing what needs to be done prior to the run being constructed in early February.

I live in Statesville, NC which has a very mild climate and it barely snows nowadays here. Summers do get very hot and I planned on putting a fan out there. The coop gets okay shade during the day.

Any help is appreciated

 

[chickengr]

you are lucky! your coop looks fine. with mild winters tarps will do. you can put plywood if you prefer. I did put plywood on the lower part of hardware cloth but left enough uncovered for ventilation. our summers are brutal but I don't have a fan (I also keep ducks and geese).

galvanized metal can get too hot in summer. if those big trees are on the western side they should make enough shade.

 

[Logan160]

you are lucky! your coop looks fine. with mild winters tarps will do. you can put plywood if you prefer. I did put plywood on the lower part of hardware cloth but left enough uncovered for ventilation. our summers are brutal but I don't have a fan (I also keep ducks and geese).

galvanized metal can get too hot in summer. if those big trees are on the western side they should make enough shade.

Thank you so much! Thankfully the area looks to be shaded all summer, as we have a ton of mature trees behind the coop and on the west side!

I was considering covering the lower parts (the left side has a tarp but it matches the other sides) with plywood, and leaving ventilation basically accross the entire top of the coop and the door, the roosting bars are on the far left side, and I feel like with the current set up it is practically an open air coop without any tarps. The winter will be easy enough to tarp up to prevent drafts, and lately NC doesn't even get snow lol

 

[chickengr]

Thank you so much! Thankfully the area looks to be shaded all summer, as we have a ton of mature trees behind the coop and on the west side!

I was considering covering the lower parts (the left side has a tarp but it matches the other sides) with plywood, and leaving ventilation basically accross the entire top of the coop and the door, the roosting bars are on the far left side, and I feel like with the current set up it is practically an open air coop without any tarps. The winter will be easy enough to tarp up to prevent drafts, and lately NC doesn't even get snow lol

sounds great. what breed of chicken are getting?

 

[Logan160]

I ordered 10 chicks and they are all different I chose all friendly chicken breeds from mypetchicken and thankfully a mild climate does help make most varieties work!

I know I got a special large silkie that is the same size as an Easter egger (their special breed) and a Houdan and I even got a Brahma so we shall see what kind of misfit flock I end up with

Thankfully they will have a large coop, run, and will free range while I’m home and being born the same day and raised together I am hoping everyone gets along. My mom lives close and only has larger chickens so if I get any bullies they can live with her

 

[SourRoses]

One thing I would definitely do with any inherited coop is paint inside and out, thoroughly.
That helps with any lingering pests or pathogens. Mites tend to hide in the woodwork, emerging to bite birds at night, and they can stay dormant a long time.
I would also address the floor. If it's just dirt, put a solid floor in (same sealing-out reason). If it has a floor already, paint / laminate / black jack.
It's not a guarantee they won't catch anything lingering in the soil, but it's a good precaution to reduce risk.
A large portion of chicken keepers are less-than-aware when it comes to health status of their birds. If they get eggs, all is well. Owing mostly to the idea that keeping poultry is a basic, simple task their ancestors did. Many never read a book, or even a social media post if it runs too long.
I digress.
Even the metal is paintable if you get the right product, and you might appreciate less reflected shine coming from that direction, especially in summer. Not that the metal itself will harbor any pests, but the connection with the wood frame can, and it would be easier to address with both surfaces being painted.

It looks to me from the picture that the back half is more enclosed?

 

[Logan160]

One thing I would definitely do with any inherited coop is paint inside and out, thoroughly.
That helps with any lingering pests or pathogens. Mites tend to hide in the woodwork, emerging to bite birds at night, and they can stay dormant a long time.
I would also address the floor. If it's just dirt, put a solid floor in (same sealing-out reason). If it has a floor already, paint / laminate / black jack.
It's not a guarantee they won't catch anything lingering in the soil, but it's a good precaution to reduce risk.
A large portion of chicken keepers are less-than-aware when it comes to health status of their birds. If they get eggs, all is well. Owing mostly to the idea that keeping poultry is a basic, simple task their ancestors did. Many never read a book, or even a social media post if it runs too long.
I digress.

I planned to do a deep clean and paint everything inside and out, so that’s perfect!

As for the floor, it is dirt but I am friends with the previous owner of the coop (family friend) and she only kept 3 chickens in here and she was extremely diligent other than the tragic hawk attack I am not the most handy person and with the way the door is built in I worry about constructing a floor, I planned to scrape out everything I can and really disinfect everything then cover with lime. I know she was very diligent with using lime and left me lime in the shed!

Not sure the best way to handle the floor, but I am ripping out the roosting bars and replacing them with all new 2x4’s (I can handle that much lol)

Thank you so much for your advice I want to make sure my first coop is perfect and safe!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Your plan seems to have covered the spaces well enough.
Hardware cloth will keep pests at bay.

 

[chickengr]

One thing I would definitely do with any inherited coop is paint inside and out, thoroughly.
That helps with any lingering pests or pathogens. Mites tend to hide in the woodwork, emerging to bite birds at night, and they can stay dormant a long time.
I would also address the floor. If it's just dirt, put a solid floor in (same sealing-out reason). If it has a floor already, paint / laminate / black jack.
It's not a guarantee they won't catch anything lingering in the soil, but it's a good precaution to reduce risk.
A large portion of chicken keepers are less-than-aware when it comes to health status of their birds. If they get eggs, all is well. Owing mostly to the idea that keeping poultry is a basic, simple task their ancestors did. Many never read a book, or even a social media post if it runs too long.
I digress.
Even the metal is paintable if you get the right product, and you might appreciate less reflected shine coming from that direction, especially in summer. Not that the metal itself will harbor any pests, but the connection with the wood frame can, and it would be easier to address with both surfaces being painted.

It looks to me from the picture that the back half is more enclosed?

I have had both dirt and solid floor. in mild climates dirt floor is fine as long as the coop is predator proof. it is easier to maintain it and chickens like to dustbathe all over the coop. that way they "clean" their coop themselves, lol.

 

[saysfaa]

Just leave it.

The airflow is what you need in your climate. Fans will not do nearly as well even if you don't consider their downsides.

Is that the roost in the front right corner? If so, you might add a second roost in the back or the right side so they have the option of the more sheltered area during storms. Leave the roost in the front for the rest of the time.

Metal can be problematic when it is enclosed too much. In that case, moisture can condense on the inside and/or the building can get much hotter than wood. Open like yours, especially in the shade in the summer, it doesn't have any downsid

I think a dirt floor is better than a solid floor in a space as open as yours is. If you pile mixed organic matter in there and water the parts that dry out too much, you will have the ideal environment from the chickens' point of view.