Making a 3 sided shed a coop

[black_cat]

I was thinking I would have a smaller run area attached to the coop and then have a big area they can roam around which will be moveable.

Predators, potentially foxes. Don’t think local hawks/eagle are likely to go for them. Although neighbours say Ravens go for the eggs. Kangaroos breaking the fencing and rabbits going for the feed also a factor.

You need to make sure that a run is big enough to confine them in full time, if you go away for the weekend, have predator issues, etc. You definitely need some sort of roof or netting on the top. Hawks will take and eat your chickens.

 

[black_cat]

I take my feeder (which is usually in the run) and put it in my feed bin (metal trashcan with bungee corded lid) every night to stop things from trying to eat the food. That coop should be big enough to keep the feeder inside. My current coop is embarrassingly small which is the root of the issue.

 

[black_cat]

Are kangaroos carnivores? Would they try to eat chickens? Why would they break the fencing?

 

[Monty B]

You need to make sure that a run is big enough to confine them in full time, if you go away for the weekend, have predator issues, etc. You definitely need some sort of roof or netting on the top. Hawks will take and eat your chickens.

Okay, will do.

 

[black_cat]

How many birds are you aiming to have? What are the dimensions of the shed thing?

 

[Monty B]

Are kangaroos carnivores? Would they try to eat chickens? Why would they break the fencing?

No mate, kangaroos won’t eat chickens. But they can jump 2 metre fences and knock stuff over.

 

[aart]

Yes, it is metal sheeting. What’s the best way to insulate?

Might be good to put some foam board under the roof to help block heat gain.
But the walls I'd open up at the tops with mesh for air movement.
Would be good if it was situated under some deep shade for most the day.

Do you get a lot of rain?
Too bad the roof overhang isn't large all the way around to protect added ventilation.

Might need an apron all around to keep diggers like fox out.
Use smaller mesh if you have rats or other rodents.
Good examples of anti-dig apron installation.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[Tre3hugger]

You definitely need some sort of roof or netting on the top. Hawks will take and eat your chickens.

Although I agree with you that hawks can and will eat a chicken, I'd choose my words a little more carefully. Instead of "You definitely need" try "some people choose to use." I don't have a covered run. I often see circling hawks. My rooster warns my girls and they all run under their coop and hide until he says come out. People often utilize raised coops, chicken arcs, pallets on cinder blocks or other ways to offer their chickens protection from aerial predators. I believe the more bare one's run (aka the less stuff to hide under) the more necessary a top is.

If one can afford it and it makes sense to them, a covered run is the way to go sure. But it is not a need for chicken keeping. There is more than one way to protect against a hawk.

 

[3KillerBs]

I was thinking I would have a smaller run area attached to the coop and then have a big area they can roam around which will be moveable.

A mobile tractor-run is a nice accessory, but usually proves less than practical to use every single day without fail no matter what else is happening. Your permanent run needs to be big enough for all your birds full-time, which should be a minimum of 10 square feet per chicken.

Yes, it is metal sheeting. What’s the best way to insulate?

The most critical thing is to ventilate it. If I'm doing the climate zone conversion between US and Australia correctly, you have hot summers and moderate winters with temperatures rarely dropping below freezing?

If it were me, I'd take 6-12 inches (15-30cm?), of the siding off the short wall and replace it with wire, and build a mainly-wire wall to fill in the tall side. Then I'd open large triangles on the sides directly under the roof at the highest point and fill that with wire.

That will allow constant airflow in the optimal, above-the-birds'-head position.

Chickens are notorious for eating foamboard insulation, so it can only be used on the roof and when covered by something impervious to chicken beaks. If you search these boards for metal shed conversions you'll be able to see how different people handled the problem.

Good luck with your project!

 

[Matejka]

Chickens can handle cold better than hot. I personally would do as others suggest and add ventilation, but not insulate. Chickens already have insulation, their down and feathers. Hardware cloth front, run, and over openings for windows/ventilation. If the cold gets consistently below 0f I would put boards/shutters over windows that can be propped open/closed tight. My 2 cents worth might not be worth 2 cents.