How big of a run for 10-12 chickens?

[TxChick77]

New question....since I'm planning on using the poop board, do you think i can get away with not putting flooring down?

We already have the plywood and vinyl but if I can get away from dealing with having to cut the sheets...that's less my honey has to do.
I can work many power tools...the skill saw freaks me out.
My honey works hard during the week and I'm trying to do as much as I can by myself. He seems more accepting to my crazy ideas when he can reep the rewards...hehe

 

[Sonya9]

New question....since I'm planning on using the poop board, do you think i can get away with not putting flooring down?

We already have the plywood and vinyl but if I can get away from dealing with having to cut the sheets...that's less my honey has to do.
I can work many power tools...the skill saw freaks me out.
My honey works hard during the week and I'm trying to do as much as I can by myself. He seems more accepting to my crazy ideas when he can reep the rewards...hehe

Edit...just realized you are debating flooring.

Personally I am very glad I have a floor in my coop. The only predator problem we have had was a black ratsnake that ate a few chicks and killed a couple of adult bantams. Without flooring it is pretty much impossible to keep something from digging in the coop.

Instead of vinyl you can use blackjack57 roof sealant, you could easily do that yourself in less than an hour, just spread it all over the floor and it seals every gap, is waterproof and super easy to clean.

I clean the poop shelves daily when I go into collect eggs, the flooring is also nice for me as if we had heavy rains I am sure the ground inside the coop would become uneven and with a dirt floor how could you ever really clean it?

 

[PapaChaz]

is there a way to open the nest boxes and hinge it so you can access it from outside?

as for the floor, did you mean just put the roost and poop board in, over the ground with no floor at all? yeah that will work. As someone else mentioned, a lot of people don't have 'floors' per se, just the dirt! I've had a few of those myself and it will work. After having a few that way, I found it a lot more work involved shoveling out than just having a real floor. I have built my last two coops, current included, so that I can open the doors, push the yard cart right up to it and sweep/rake it right in. Easy to move to the compost pile and then put new bedding down

 

[Sonya9]

TxChick my advice is do this right the first time. Don't skimp in order to save a couple of hours work now and pay for it later.

If you feel bad asking hubby to do a bit more work then think of ways to reward him kwim? Tell him how great is he at building, how he is so knowledgable....and throw in a reward that makes him feel very appreciated.

 

[PapaChaz]

TxChick my advice is do this right the first time. Don't skimp in order to save a couple of hours work now and pay for it later.

If you feel bad asking hubby to do a bit more work then think of ways to reward him kwim? Tell him how great is he at building, how he is so knowledgable....and throw in a reward that makes him feel very appreciated.

totally agree, it's always faster and easier to do it right the first time than it is to do it over

 

[TxChick77]

Thanks for the great advice on the floor. Hubby completely squashed the idea of not adding a floor. He cut the pieces for me tonight and I'll had them tomorrow.
I like the idea of the blackjack 57. Off to research some more.

Here's what I got accomplished today. I'm using as much reclaimed wood Ive been able to collect. Angle cuts make me want to drink..ha

 

[TxChick77]

....and the rain starts... sigh. Talk about antsy.
Since I can't do much work on the coop, figured I would work in the garage on doors and framing the run.
I had ordered 100ft of 24" hardware cloth which would have been easy peasy with the original idea of enclosing the coop/run combo and laying around the perimeter (the 24" width, less cutting. The studs were placed 24" apart.
Now I'm trying to determine if it's an over kill to do the whole run - sides and top - all in hardware cloth? Keeping in mind I'll be working with "only" 24" sections.
Thoughts?

 

[aart]

If your run is going to be large, and the coop is secure for night, you might get away with using larger mesh fencing for the run and use the HC for an anti-dig apron around coop and/or run...or save it for another application.

I used 2x4 welded wire for my run, roof included, to keep hawks out, which is does very well......bent it down along the ground for an apron.
Run is not predator proof, but it'll slow most thing down a great deal.

Apron, mesh at corners is out of scale in the graphic but you get the idea, don't forget the corners:


Hawk proof run:

 

[Percheron chick]

My belated observation: Why even build a traditional coop? You live in hot, muggy south Texas. I would be looking at an open sided coop to maximize comfort. You need a roof and a wall to the prevailing wind but the other 3 sides can be open. Small coops in the south become unhealthy in the summer and your chickens might not want to use it period.

 

[TxChick77]

My belated observation:  Why even build a traditional coop?  You live in hot, muggy south Texas.  I would be looking at an open sided coop to maximize comfort.  You need a roof and a wall to the prevailing wind but the other 3 sides can be open.  Small coops in the south become unhealthy in the summer and your chickens might not want to use it period.

This is something I gave a great of thought about last night. I've decided to make the long wall with the nesting box "open" 24" down at the top with the hardware cloth. The entry door which is 24x60 will be all HC, also on this same wall.
I might do the same on the opposite wall as well to make sure there is good ventilation. I had already planned to run electricity (aka an extension cord from adjoining garage) to hang a box fan.
My thoughts were I could easily close off these sections during the winter. While it doesnt get freezing here but a handful of nights, I had options when it does..