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Thank you thank you thank you for the dust info! Ok there goes one idea I had rolling around in my head.. So that interior wall will be 100% sealed off. That firms up my location of feeders, and also locks in my idea of an exterior access door for cleaning being created in their run. *sighs* I was trying to avoid that. I have one other idea, but I think it might be challenging to build for my husband.
As of now here are my thoughts. Total structure size is 8x6. Hens will have 2x6 coop. Run size I would very much appreciate input on. If it's 2sqft per bird,then interior space equals 12sqft. That gives me the ability to have approximately six hens. I think we are hoping to get 5 hens, but I am worried that perhaps it's not truly enough space? Exterior space is important to me. How much will my ladies need? If all works out well with the neighbors, I'd occassionaly like to be able to let the girls out and about in the yard for a stretch of their legs. I was thinking 6x6 for their run.
Interior of coop. If you are looking at the front side of our structure. It will have 6 ft of it's width being the shed.. and 2 ft toward the right, running front to back (6' back) being the coop. Hub and I are planning to build the nesting box in that area, actually jutting out from the building, so that we have access to eggs without having to enter the coop or run. I would LIKE to try seeing if that two ft section couldn't be built into an access door as well.That way I could be outside the coop, with the door closed off and girls inside their run for cleaning purposes.
Also interior of coop I am planning to put their roost in the middle of the coop, with the access door to the outside directly in front of the roost. This way the back portion of the coop can have pvc pipe feeders which I plan to run up the back wall, cut out through the back coop wall and be accessed from outside the coop for filling. I am thinking the same thing with a pvc waterer.. BUT I question the ability to keep it from freezing in the winter. Thoughts on that?
It's going to be a keep it simple plan.. I hope anyways.. so that it functions well for the ladies, but is as easily accessible by our family as possible. I'd really like that access door on the front.. I'd hate to have to be in their run, walking around them while trying to clean out their coop. Grain will be stored in metal buckets on the back side of the coop under an overhang we are building. Kids bikes will also be hung up outside under that overhang! (gotta be a totally dual functioning structure here as we have such limited space).
Ventilation. Important question. If the interior wall is completely sealed off from the shed portion, how do I go about getting cross ventilation? I can make sure I have airflow access on the front and back sections of the coop and of course on the wall that exits into their run, but what about across the entire structure?
Thanks for the input.. It is very much appreciated!
Nancie
As of now here are my thoughts. Total structure size is 8x6. Hens will have 2x6 coop. Run size I would very much appreciate input on. If it's 2sqft per bird,then interior space equals 12sqft. That gives me the ability to have approximately six hens. I think we are hoping to get 5 hens, but I am worried that perhaps it's not truly enough space? Exterior space is important to me. How much will my ladies need? If all works out well with the neighbors, I'd occassionaly like to be able to let the girls out and about in the yard for a stretch of their legs. I was thinking 6x6 for their run.
Interior of coop. If you are looking at the front side of our structure. It will have 6 ft of it's width being the shed.. and 2 ft toward the right, running front to back (6' back) being the coop. Hub and I are planning to build the nesting box in that area, actually jutting out from the building, so that we have access to eggs without having to enter the coop or run. I would LIKE to try seeing if that two ft section couldn't be built into an access door as well.That way I could be outside the coop, with the door closed off and girls inside their run for cleaning purposes.
Also interior of coop I am planning to put their roost in the middle of the coop, with the access door to the outside directly in front of the roost. This way the back portion of the coop can have pvc pipe feeders which I plan to run up the back wall, cut out through the back coop wall and be accessed from outside the coop for filling. I am thinking the same thing with a pvc waterer.. BUT I question the ability to keep it from freezing in the winter. Thoughts on that?
It's going to be a keep it simple plan.. I hope anyways.. so that it functions well for the ladies, but is as easily accessible by our family as possible. I'd really like that access door on the front.. I'd hate to have to be in their run, walking around them while trying to clean out their coop. Grain will be stored in metal buckets on the back side of the coop under an overhang we are building. Kids bikes will also be hung up outside under that overhang! (gotta be a totally dual functioning structure here as we have such limited space).
Ventilation. Important question. If the interior wall is completely sealed off from the shed portion, how do I go about getting cross ventilation? I can make sure I have airflow access on the front and back sections of the coop and of course on the wall that exits into their run, but what about across the entire structure?
Thanks for the input.. It is very much appreciated!
Nancie
