Madison, WI. I have nearly a month-old chicks, building my coop soon!

[GilbertMyLad]

Hello and welcome! Glad you could join us!

 

[Coopin Is a Habit]

There is so many of you!! Lol, I was not expecting this much response on just an introduction thread. This place is more than friendly, I love it haha

 

[swampfox440]

It's a pleasure to meet you and thanks for joining us. Welcome too BYC!

 

[DLA]

Welcome!
I'm in zone 5. I converted an 8x8 wooden shed that was on a cement slab for a coop. No insulation or heat and it wasn't ever needed for cold hardy chickens. You need lots of windows with hardware cloth that you can shut in the winter on super cold days to reduce drafts but that you can open to make lots of air flow as needed. I have an inner door with just hardware cloth over it then the outer solid wooden doors which gives additional ventilation in summer but a way to close it up more in bad weather. Dutch doors are good for outer doors. Sometimes I leave the top doors open even in winter. Put an awning over the doors to keep the rain out when the outer doors are open. The run is basically a wooden frame with hardware cloth and a metal roof painted light to reflect heat, it slopes slightly to let water run off and I put a piece of gutter on that lower end to carry the water away. I hung one of those porch shades to block the sun and rain on part of one side but air can still pass easily thru it. In the winter I put up plastic to block blowing snow and really cold breezes. I have hooks along the top edge holding the plastic so on warmer days in winter I can lower the plastic and get better ventilation. We had several times it got really cold -3 deg F. and with the plastic up it was more than warm enough inside. I know a lot has been said about poop boards but I just use a piece of cheap smooth plastic floor runner under the roost, easy to slide in and out, scrape off, rinse and put back before bedtime. It can accumulate a little moisture underneath but if you keep the coop dry I've never had an issue. Make sure you make your coop and run tall enough you can walk in without hitting your head. I'm short, my run is just a little shorter when the deep litter gets built up and that is my only regret in the design.
Hope these ideas help and if your chicks are a month old, they're going to be needing that coop soon! so good luck!!!

 

[sourland]

Hello, and welcome to BYC.

 

[DotToDot]

Welcome to BYC! The coop should have thin windows high up in the coop, covered with mesh (not chicken wire). This will create ventilation but not drafts, so there’s fresh air in the coop that won’t make a buildup of moisture that can cause respiratory issues and frostbite. Hope this helps, and welcome again to the community!

 

[Nomadicus]

Welcome to the BYC Family!

 

[Mallards and Quail]

Welcome to BYC! I hope you enjoy it here! Feel free to ask our experts anything.

 

[Coopin Is a Habit]

Wow people are still replying! What is this place? Lol
I am going Woods Open Air Poultry House 6 x 10
If you look at my first post I asked and was helped by Ted and Aart on where to place in location and they steered me back to the 1.6 ratio design as Woods intended for max airflow. I have acquired extra free lumber and will be sealing with TimberPro Internal Wood Stabilizer for at least the outside boards. I already have the metal roofing and solid oak pallets that I will be using for the base as well. Just need window frames, or I might build, not sure about that. Otherwise, all I really need is to rent or borrow an air tank and nail gun for when I want to staple the hardware cloth on the run and windows later on. Do you guys recommend I use a waterproof liner on the plywood? So I have 2x4s and 4x4s for framing, plywood 3/4", and then cedar boards I reclaimed from an old fence and I am sanding down which will be the outside natural look (also sealed with TimberPro IWS).