New chicken family....new coop

[Chitown_Mike]

Between a crazy work schedule and crappy weather the build has crept along.

Also I have learned HWC on the floor of the run is a horrible idea AFTER I started to line the floor of the run with HWC.....

So I'll be snipping that floor out and using it later. Going to have to bury some along the perimeter so that will get used there.

Finished framing out the roof line and uprights. Have the OSB for the inside of the coop walls and going to use something a bit nicer for the exterior, like a beadboard or something. It has rained the last 2 days so the ground is super soft. So that has made working a mess.

Tomorrow hopefully I can get the floor out and finish the HWC along the sides of the run and then onto the coop. I already have HWC between the coop and deck and going to pour some stones in there.

Who knew there is so much to learn about chickens and coops and runs!

 

[pennyJo1960]

between the fence and yard leave that wire if you put inside yes not good perimeter is good then gravel or dirt over it now go to do that do not have birds out they will dig up anything you put down

 

[aart]

Who knew there is so much to learn about chickens and coops and runs!

Many do not know this...it's all in the details, and there are quite a few of them
Kudos for reworking your errors!

 

[Chitown_Mike]

Finally finished the coop, got the HWC buried for predator proof and just need a couple bags of rocks to fill in on top of the HWC between my deck and that side of the coop to keep anything from digging over there.

Had to get creative with the hen house door because I realized that the window above door wouldn't open if I did a pull up style door. So I had to build a side sliding door, operated by some rope, and "locked" open or shut by hooking the roop on some screws.

Went with straw for now, chickens only had pine shavings but over the last 3 days so far they are getting used to it. Had to create a block for the nesting boxes because they all kept cramming in there to sleep and pooping, so those get blocked at night.

I didn't insulate between the outer siding layer and inner plywood, but it is a nice thick air gap. I put foam window seals around all the doors and installed some rubber flapping around the bottom hen house side door. Keep the drafts out and the straw in.

I enjoyed spending a lot of time reading others complaints or good ideas on here, as well as a lot of youtube videos.

Right now the girls are being kept in the coop only but soon I'll build a short fence to let them out and about in a small area around the coop to free range. Just want them to get used to their new digs.

Over all I would have changed only a few things:

Mainly used some clear roofing over the run instead of tin all the way across.

I would have set predator wire in first and buried it between the coop and deck instead of it being an after thought.

And I bought too much straw....holy cow. But its halloween and we will use it for something around here.

I want to add a roosting bar in the run area at some point, but for now they are happy.

 

[ValerieJ]

IMHO there is no such thing as too much straw. Great coop!