Lightweight materials and ideas please!

[ASchreffler]

The whole thing will be 6x6 or just the house part?

6x6 coop might be tight quarters for 12 birds.

I question whether the run will be predator proof,
but kinda hard to see from the screen shot.

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View attachment 2717725

I thought they needed a house to keep out of the weather! That’s a game changer there. I wanted the pull out tray so I could use the droppings for compost. The whole thing is going to be about 16-18 ft by 6 ft and about 5 ft tall. The house was going to be 6x6ft. We are in north Florida so it gets pretty hot and our winters will be in the high 20’s at it’s coldest. The hens free range during the day as well.

 

[ASchreffler]

I would do that, except I would probably use hardware cloth instead of chicken wire.
The hardware cloth keeps out the predators, the tarp keeps out the wind and rain, and the whole thing is as lightweight as you can get.


You said this will be a chicken tractor, right? Meaning a moveable pen?
I would just let the droppings falls on the ground, and move the pen regularly.
This saves effort (regular cleaning) and weight (tray).



Is there a reason for the "house" part?
If the whole pen is predator proof, and has a roof (tarp), you can just put in roosts and the hens will be fine all summer.

Whether you need anything more substantial for winter would depend on your climate. In northern Virginia, I found a tarp on the top and three sides was enough through several different winters. Of course I had to secure the tarp so it could not flap or blow away, and replace it every year or so.

I thought they needed a house to keep out of the weather! That’s a game changer there. I wanted the pull out tray so I could use the droppings for compost. The whole thing is going to be about 18 ft by 6 ft and about 5 ft tall. The house was going to be 6x6ft. We are in north Florida so it gets pretty hot and our winters will be in the high 20’s at it’s coldest. The hens free range during the day as well.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They need protection from driving rain, snow, burning sun but in your area they do not need a solid closed up sleeping space.

 

[NatJ]

They need protection from driving rain, snow, burning sun but in your area they do not need a solid closed up sleeping space.

Just what I was going to say!

 

[3KillerBs]

We are in north Florida so it gets pretty hot and our winters will be in the high 20’s at it’s coldest.

I third this.

In a hot climate an Open Air coop -- a run with a 3-sided shelter on the windward end -- is healthier than a closed up coop because they need airflow above all else.