Moisture barrier under sand

[mossyoakpro]

Here's my article on hot climate chicken-keeping and my article on coop ventilation:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Those are great!! Fortunately my future coop is in the shade of a giant 100 year old pecan tree....I've been watching a thermometer inside and it has not gotten above 90 degrees in there yet....even on those 100 degree days we are getting on occasion. Thanks for sharing those articles!! I enjoyed reading them and gaining some knowledge.

 

[3KillerBs]

Those are great!! Fortunately my future coop is in the shade of a giant 100 year old pecan tree....I've been watching a thermometer inside and it has not gotten above 90 degrees in there yet....even on those 100 degree days we are getting on occasion. Thanks for sharing those articles!! I enjoyed reading them and gaining some knowledge.

You're welcome. Shade is a great asset for chickens.

I really think it's may be the humidity since it really doesn't get any sun to speak of.

You probably need to add more ventilation then.

Air flow directly under the roof is particularly useful for taking away moisture condensating due to high humidity.

I find that I need 2-3 times as much as the usual recommended minimums here in the NC Sandhills.

 

[mossyoakpro]

You're welcome. Shade is a great asset for chickens.



You probably need to add more ventilation then.

Air flow directly under the roof is particularly useful for taking away moisture condensating due to high humidity.

I find that I need 2-3 times as much as the usual recommended minimums here in the NC Sandhills.

Mine is a sloped roof as you mentioned in your article....I have a large window with horse panel wire and hardware cloth the entire width and on the high side the soffit is open and covered with hardware cloth. However, I did make a small error in the amount of overhang I have on the runoff side so I only have about 4 inches of overhang. I think instead of taking the brand new roof off and replacing it, I may just do as someone suggested and put in a trench on the runoff side to route the rainwater away from the structure....or install gutters if I can find some cheap somewhere?? Thanks again!!!

 

[SourRoses]

I feel ya, Floridian here. We get the steam too, plus being under trees can keep everything damper from transpiration and such (but the shade is SO necessary). On really scorching days that moisture evaporating in deep shade is the best thing for chickens (well, everyone).
In our Stall coop we just made the sand really deep. But I was able to get the straight sand right here by digging 3ft down in the yard, lol.
If I was bringing sand in, I'd follow the construction rule of starting with Coarse Gravel. Put Landscape Fabric (or Concrete) over that. Then the sand (a type that will stay loose).
The gravel separates your substrate from the ground, yet allows drainage from the coop.
If no water comes from above, you barely have to mess with it except for occasional raking.

 

[mossyoakpro]

You're welcome. Shade is a great asset for chickens.



You probably need to add more ventilation then.

Air flow directly under the roof is particularly useful for taking away moisture condensating due to high humidity.

I find that I need 2-3 times as much as the usual recommended minimums here in the NC Sandhills.

Picture for reference...the run will attach to the front. My plan is to put the nest boxes under that square window and the roost on the other end which faces W...We get most of our bad weather from the W so I was gonna leave that wall solid unless you think it should be ventilated too? Also the S facing front wall has to be replaced so I could do an open front kinda like you have yours??

 

[mossyoakpro]

I feel ya, Floridian here. We get the steam too, plus being under trees can keep everything damper from transpiration and such (but the shade is SO necessary). On really scorching days that moisture evaporating in deep shade is the best thing for chickens (well, everyone).
In our Stall coop we just made the sand really deep. But I was able to get the straight sand right here by digging 3ft down in the yard, lol.
If I was bringing sand in, I'd follow the construction rule of starting with Coarse Gravel. Put Landscape Fabric (or Concrete) over that. Then the sand (a type that will stay loose).
The gravel separates your substrate from the ground, yet allows drainage from the coop.
If no water comes from above, you barely have to mess with it except for occasional raking.

Reckon I could put the hardware cloth down....then add some of those big square pavers and then sand on top of those??

 

[3KillerBs]

Picture for reference...the run will attach to the front. My plan is to put the nest boxes under that square window and the roost on the other end which faces W...We get most of our bad weather from the W so I was gonna leave that wall solid unless you think it should be ventilated too? Also the S facing front wall has to be replaced so I could do an open front kinda like you have yours??

A solid wall against your prevailing storm winds is a good idea.

I am a great advocate of open air coops for those of us in hot climates.

How deep is it from the south wall to the north wall? It's no big deal if a *little* rain gets into an open-air coop because the ventilation lets it evaporate quickly -- and if you're using Deep Litter over a dirt floor you need a little moisture to keep the composting working.

But you'll probably need to add some roof overhang. Like this:

Or attach a covered/partially-covered run.

 

[mossyoakpro]

A solid wall against your prevailing storm winds is a good idea.

I am a great advocate of open air coops for those of us in hot climates.

How deep is it from the south wall to the north wall? It's no big deal if a *little* rain gets into an open-air coop because the ventilation lets it evaporate quickly -- and if you're using Deep Litter over a dirt floor you need a little moisture to keep the composting working.

But you'll probably need to add some roof overhang. Like this:

View attachment 3204163

Or attach a covered/partially-covered run.

It's 7 feet deep...and the way the front is I could add an overhang like the R picture fairly easily. We have a metal roofing sales place in our county so getting some of their "surplus" metal won't be a problem, they even cut it to your length for you. This shed has been on our farm for 50 years or more...my father in law built it for a lawnmower/work shed out of rough cut lumber from our farm but most of that heart pine lumber is not very good anymore. I plan to salvage as much as possible to use in other places on the coop. I couldn't bring myself to tear it down and I've been wanting some chickens so a light bulb came on one day and I decided to take on the rehab of it so I could become a new chicken owner!! LOL

 

[SourRoses]

Reckon I could put the hardware cloth down....then add some of those big square pavers and then sand on top of those??

It would be overkill to use both HW Cloth and Pavers. It's fabulous you are thinking of predator protection so thoroughly. If you want a solid floor for security, concrete is probably your cheapest option. Provided you have the wherewithal to mix it yourself. It doesn't have to be as thick as most other applications. Without gravel under it, you would have damp concrete though.
I just lost a juvenile the other day to a rat, of all bloody things. It came in through a very small gap, not up through the ground, and we do have wire skirts AND a concrete apron thing. My dreams are full of concrete pouring from all directions (maybe a concrete coop?).
But most people get away with less. Putting HW Cloth across the whole floor may be quite expensive. Most do a skirt or apron. But some critters, rarely, can tunnel all the way under and come up in the middle of a coop.
I would think the gravel would be hard to dig past because it would cave in any tunnel.
In the end it's just about what would make you happiest and what's within your means to do. It's a bit painful to overbuild or overspend, but it's also awful to lose birds.

 

[mossyoakpro]

It would be overkill to use both HW Cloth and Pavers. It's fabulous you are thinking of predator protection so thoroughly. If you want a solid floor for security, concrete is probably your cheapest option. Provided you have the wherewithal to mix it yourself.
I just lost a juvenile the other day to a rat, of all bloody things. It came in through a very small gap, not up through the ground, and we do have wire skirts AND a concrete apron thing. My dreams are full of concrete pouring from all directions (maybe a concrete coop?).
But most people get away with less. Putting HW Cloth across the whole floor may be quite expensive. Most do a skirt or apron. But some critters, rarely, can tunnel all the way under and come up in the middle of a coop.
I would think the gravel would be hard to dig past because it would cave in any tunnel.
In the end it's just about what would make you happiest and what's within your means to do. It's a bit painful to overbuild or overspend, but it's also awful to lose birds.

This will be my first time with chickens since I was a kid(I'm 55 now) so it's been awhile...I want to try and head off any issues before hand if possible. Unfortunately for the varmints I am a licensed trapper so I hope I can keep some of them at bay but living in the country it's always some kind of different critter giving trouble. Thanks!!