How big of a run for 10-12 chickens?

[TxChick77]

this is looking really nice! I like the big roof overhangs

Thanks. I walked out to this morning while is was still raining and front and back were bone dry. Including the (external) nesting box. Don't know how it will fair with gusting rains but it didn't leak in the inside. I've been holding off of the nesting box lid because i worry about water leaking in at the joint (hinged on the top).

 

[PapaChaz]

Thanks. I walked out to this morning while is was still raining and front and back were bone dry. Including the (external) nesting box. Don't know how it will fair with gusting rains but it didn't leak in the inside. I've been holding off of the nesting box lid because i worry about water leaking in at the joint (hinged on the top).

I've seen people talk about using the stick on foam type weather stripping like you can get to put on your doors and windows to help with that. Never tried it myself, but it seems like a good idea

 

[Finnie]

this is looking really nice! I like the big roof overhangs

Me too! I wish I had made mine overhang that far.

If you haven't started making your nest box yet, you might want to consider this one. The front hinges down, instead of the roof hinging up, so no worry about leaks. And, what I like best about it, is when you want to clean bedding out of the box, you just scrape it right out. You don't have to scoop it. I made mine from these plans, and they were very easy to follow: http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2011/03/10/external-nest-box-plans/ That site expects that you are retro-fitting their nest box onto their own coop design, but it can be fitted to any type of coop construction. (So their first step of removing the walls and framing the opening, might not be necessary.)

And speaking of weather stripping, I actually put some around the door of my nest box to stop cold drafts in the winter, but you probably won't need to worry about that. Looking at how the foam sticks and squishes down, it does seem like it would stop water leaks. It's pretty cheap stuff, so it wouldn't be a big loss if it didn't work. I have seen other people asking about how to stop the hinge of the nest box lid from leaking, so if you search around the forum, you might come up with what worked for them.

 

[TxChick77]

Break time. Thought I'd show some progress pics. I'm excited for hubby to get home and see what I did. He couldn't "see it".



Not sure how this window is going to work with the rain. I'll keep an eye on it before move in and might make a shutter for it. The other side, I'm going to close in. I think....

It isn't perfect, but I have to keep reminding my OCD self, I'm not a master carpenter and these are just chickens...hehe

 

[aart]

Make a shutter...hinged at the top, so it can left propped open during a rain

 

[PapaChaz]

Make a shutter...hinged at the top, so it can left propped open during a rain

I was going to say this exact thing.

and I want to go on record as another OCD person, you may not be a master carpenter, but you do GREAT work!

one of the absolute coolest things is sitting back looking at it as you go along (and after you're finished) looking at it with a sense of pride and thinking "I did that"!

 

[TxChick77]

Awww..thanks. it does feel good when you accomplish what you set out to do. I get tickled every time the hubby sees something I make. I tease him that he doesnt have faith in me.

I was going to say this exact thing.

and I want to go on record as another  OCD person, you may not be a master carpenter, but you do GREAT work!

one of the absolute coolest things is sitting back looking at it as you go along (and after you're finished) looking at it with a sense of pride and thinking "I did that"!

 

[TxChick77]

Ohhhhh oh and I USED THE SKILL SAW! All by myself. It was just staring at me and I had one weird corner to cut.
Felt good to concur that fear.

 

[Finnie]

 
Make a shutter...hinged at the top, so it can left propped open during a rain

I was going to say this exact thing.

X 3!

I tend to have a little OCD too. I remember getting stressed out over tricky details when I was working on mine. I kept repeating over and over to myself "It's only a chicken coop. It's only a chicken coop." But of course you know, it isn't just a chicken coop. It's a testimony of all your hard work and accomplishment. Like PapaChaz said, it's your ability to look at it and say "look what I can DO!"

It looks great!

 

[Finnie]

Ohhhhh oh and I USED THE SKILL SAW! All by myself.
Felt good to concur that fear.

I know! I was so afraid to use the mitre saw, and I put off starting a whole day while I read the manual, of all things, and psyched myself up. But it wasn't hard after all. And then I learned the circular saw!! Man, I think I could learn to use any power tool now! I told my husband I wanted a table saw for Christmas, lol. But it was out of our budget this year.