I Finally have a working coop. There are a few things that need to be finished off but at least the kids have bigger (12x12) digs to poop in.
I have an old barn on my property that was once, many years ago a hog confinement. At least that's what it smells like.
I figured that even with the years of neglect and damage from hogs it could still be turned into a nice coop. You can see some of the problems I had to fix. Missing/broken boards, hole big enough for me to crawl through etc
My first plan of action was to remove the metal siding and then grab a sledge hammer and start pounding all this old crap off the walls.
Then it I went back to work replacing the support beam, some of which have rotted off and no longer touch the floor. I'm surprised this building is still standing. Then I covered the sides with 1/2 in CDX plywood and framed in the inside for a second panel. This will give me a dead air space with out attracting mice to insulation.
Move to next sections and repeat.
I managed to get all three sections on the west side done a about week ago and to get the interior walls finished. Then this week end my Father in law was in town so we tore the North side off and got busy tightening things up.
We managed to get the roosts up and the door completed.
Things I still need to do....
I put vents in the Ceiling that will hinged lids to shut them down a bit in the winter for heat retention. In the summer they'll be left open for ventilation.
I'll eventually put nest boxes under the Hardware cloth next to the door.
And I'll add windows in the corner on the North and West walls. The pop door to an 800 foot+ run will be right under the future windows on the West wall.
For now the kids seem to like it.
I know my son and his favorite chicken are enjoying it.
I'll be redoing a second section on the East side for breeding pens later this summer. And then I'll enclose the "hall way" between the 2 sections to make it more predator proof.
Hope you like it
I have an old barn on my property that was once, many years ago a hog confinement. At least that's what it smells like.
I figured that even with the years of neglect and damage from hogs it could still be turned into a nice coop. You can see some of the problems I had to fix. Missing/broken boards, hole big enough for me to crawl through etc
My first plan of action was to remove the metal siding and then grab a sledge hammer and start pounding all this old crap off the walls.
Then it I went back to work replacing the support beam, some of which have rotted off and no longer touch the floor. I'm surprised this building is still standing. Then I covered the sides with 1/2 in CDX plywood and framed in the inside for a second panel. This will give me a dead air space with out attracting mice to insulation.
Move to next sections and repeat.
I managed to get all three sections on the west side done a about week ago and to get the interior walls finished. Then this week end my Father in law was in town so we tore the North side off and got busy tightening things up.
We managed to get the roosts up and the door completed.
Things I still need to do....
I put vents in the Ceiling that will hinged lids to shut them down a bit in the winter for heat retention. In the summer they'll be left open for ventilation.
I'll eventually put nest boxes under the Hardware cloth next to the door.
And I'll add windows in the corner on the North and West walls. The pop door to an 800 foot+ run will be right under the future windows on the West wall.
For now the kids seem to like it.
I know my son and his favorite chicken are enjoying it.
I'll be redoing a second section on the East side for breeding pens later this summer. And then I'll enclose the "hall way" between the 2 sections to make it more predator proof.
Hope you like it
