Helpful hints for building coops

[CapricornFarm]

Careful if you just use staples to secure the chicken wire or mesh because racoons can rip it off. We've learned the hard way to use screws with washers.

I think he is talking about those poultry wire staples you hammer in or the pneumatic staple gun staples. I have found that both of those work well. Or some people screw boards on over the sides of the wire to secure it. Certainly regular staples with a hand held little staple gun will not foil a predator

 

[CapricornFarm]

Another set back, the roof is leaking around the skylight . Likely because the caulk took so long to cure in this humidity. Rats! More work to do. No flooring will get put down in this rain. I did sweep out the dirt and leaves though. Hopefully the paint i put on this morning was dry. Sigh. Darned rain.

 

[aart]

screw boards on over the sides of the wire to secure it.

Screws would be key to attaching boards, and they must go thru the holes in mesh.

Another set back, the roof is leaking around the skylight . Likely because the caulk took so long to cure in this humidity.

Arrrghhh!! Skylights are hard.
I'm guessing the way you installed it will hold water,
gonna be hard to make it water tight

 

[CapricornFarm]

Screws would be key to attaching boards, and they must go thru the holes in mesh.

Arrrghhh!! Skylights are hard.
I'm guessing the way you installed it will hold water,
gonna be hard to make it water tight

Yeah, i am thinking maybe a board over the seam to divert the water and more caulk inside. It seems to be leaking where the boards join together. Curses!

 

[NancyNurseCxMama]

You can get 1.5" staples and put them in with a compressor-driven gun every inch or so with hardware cloth.
I'm not sure raccoons would be able to pull them out.
If you are using a manual staple gun I think the longest staple you can get is only 1/2" and lightweight and I could see a raccoon yanking that off. Plus you need strong hands that don't get tired easily. Putting those in every inch or so would be tough.
But yes, screws and washers are really good.

Careful if you just use staples to secure the chicken wire or mesh because racoons can rip it off. We've learned the hard way to use screws with washers.

 

[User395221]

You can get 1.5" staples and put them in with a compressor-driven gun every inch or so with hardware cloth.
I'm not sure raccoons would be able to pull them out.

You can also get plug-in electrical ones, I have one. There are certainly grades of staple - the heavy ones are hard to remove, even by people. If you've got heavy grade mesh as well, I think it would foil racoons - it would foil people like me who have tried to remove it to change something. Lighter grades, not so much...

The difficult part with fortifying an enclosure is knowing that you've done enough or that there's no point of weakness. Often, finding that out involves a "baddie" explaining it to you with a practical example.

 

[Bobby Basham]

Yeah, i am thinking maybe a board over the seam to divert the water and more caulk inside. It seems to be leaking where the boards join together. Curses!

WOW!!! you folks are really on the ball. It's amazing how we design for different regions of the country. Chickens are hearty creatures, and just survive about everywhere. Just amazing critters.

I live in an HOA, so gotta keep things low. My enclosure is four 8x8 squares, and reserved a small 4x8 section for my observation deck. Minus the deck, the entire run will be enclosed with 1/4" hardware cloth, including the top, and will be surrounded with at least 18" of hardware cloth and planter boxes around the bottom surrounding the perimeter for veggies. No wild birds or rodents should get in. For the AZ 100+ degree temps, I also have a 12' x 20' tarp which I will fasten with a gazillion huge eye bolts.

The coop is in constant modification, so that will be the icing on the cake after the run is completed. Have a look see. I'm only 5'8" on a good day (LOL) so there shouldn't be any trouble with me walking through there. I do have to take into consideration using a deep litter method so as not to trip over those 2x6 boards at the base.

You can see from all the houses that I live in an HOA and have to be considerate of anything that may offend the neighbors. I live on a double coldesack, peninsula, so you're seeing the back one from the back yard.

I don't know where the hell I came up with this design. Just started from scratch with a 4x4 post and expanded out from there like the spokes of a wheel. The design doesn't make any sense, but it's very sturdy. And again, all screened in with 1/4" hardware cloth from top to bottom. The tarp is only for shade and some of those violent rains we have in Arizona. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona

 

[CapricornFarm]

WOW!!! you folks are really on the ball. It's amazing how we design for different regions of the country. Chickens are hearty creatures, and just survive about everywhere. Just amazing critters.

I live in an HOA, so gotta keep things low. My enclosure is four 8x8 squares, and reserved a small 4x8 section for my observation deck. Minus the deck, the entire run will be enclosed with 1/4" hardware cloth, including the top, and will be surrounded with at least 18" of hardware cloth and planter boxes around the bottom surrounding the perimeter for veggies. No wild birds or rodents should get in. For the AZ 100+ degree temps, I also have a 12' x 20' tarp which I will fasten with a gazillion huge eye bolts.

The coop is in constant modification, so that will be the icing on the cake after the run is completed. Have a look see. I'm only 5'8" on a good day (LOL) so there shouldn't be any trouble with me walking through there. I do have to take into consideration using a deep litter method so as not to trip over those 2x6 boards at the base.

You can see from all the houses that I live in an HOA and have to be considerate of anything that may offend the neighbors. I live on a double coldesack, peninsula, so you're seeing the back one from the back yard.

I don't know where the hell I came up with this design. Just started from scratch with a 4x4 post and expanded out from there like the spokes of a wheel. The design doesn't make any sense, but it's very sturdy. And again, all screened in with 1/4" hardware cloth from top to bottom. The tarp is only for shade and some of those violent rains we have in Arizona. --BB

Bobby Basham
Tucson, Arizona
View attachment 1114751 View attachment 1114752

I love it! Would love to build something like that to fence in my garden to keep out the varmints. Garden fencing is not working. I have already spent a small fortune with t posts, fencing, solar charger, wire etc. What the bugs have not eaten, the critters have. Very disheartening.
Good luck to you on your coop build.

 

[jvls1942]

I worked for a large window company.
we finally decided that there is not enough of any kind of caulk that will seal a skylight.
what you need is a mechanical sealant like what they use on metal roofs to flash around plumbing vents etc.
I don't know of anyone who makes such a device for a skylight, though.
I recommend, take the skylight out and fix the roof. the hassle in a chicken coop,
(or house) just isn't worth it..

I prefer concrete floors in all 3 of my large coops. nothing tunnels in through concrete.
also I ran a course of concrete block all around the slab. then built my walls on top of that. In 40 years, I have never lost a chicken to preds inside my coops.

 

[CapricornFarm]

Aw, i have got to try to fix it. It lets in so much light and looks really awesome.
I agree, concrete is awesome for floors for chicken coops. Sounds like you have it down pat. But i am 60 and am not going to invest in a concrete mixer at this point. We are way out in the woods, don't know if a concrete truck would be able to get where i want my next building. We wanted a concrete pad for our garage and the quotes we got to have it done were so high you should have had a full basement for that price. Crazy.