Working on a new coop and need to make a decision on an area before I continue. Once I close off this area, it makes it much harder to work on the area in question.
The coop is elevated and enclosed in a predator proof, covered run. The original plan I'm working off of calls for a HWC ceiling over the coop and run. I thought that was a waste of space, lumber and HWC, so instead I closed off the exterior areas under the roof. It was more tedious to work with the small cuts of HWC, but I like the way it turned out. Doing it this way also prevents wild birds from hanging out under the roof/above the coop/run and pooping on my chickens.
However, because there is no "ceiling" over the coop section now, there's a gap between the top of the front coop wall and the ceiling, and I can't decide if it's an issue.
The photos show the framing - no coop walls or floor yet. Red = coop walls. Blue = coop floor. Green = area in question. Obviously the back wall would be covered, but if I shaded red you wouldn't be able to see the interior markings.
From inside the run, facing the coop.
From back/outside the run, looking towards the inside of the coop.
It's 40" from the coop floor to the top of the coop wall.
The roosting bar will be about 20" above the coop floor or so.
If a hen were to reach the top of the coop wall, there's 16" of space between the coop wall and the roof. The rafters are about 30" apart.
There's a 6-7' drop from the top of the coop wall to the floor of the run (if they were to fly up from inside the coop and then down from the coop wall to the run floor).
Should I find a way to block access to the vertical space between the top of the coop wall and the roof? Or am I overthinking it? If needed, I would use something like chicken wire, HWC, bird netting, etc (to preserve ventilation). If I need to, I would either put a "ceiling" over the coop or run the material vertically, to basically extend the coop wall to the rafters so the gap is too small.
In case breed matters, I have 3 orpingtons (not worried about them), a barred rock (no way she can make it), 2 EE (one has flown over a 4' fence a few times, but doesn't normally try to perch up high), and a leghorn (who is the main one I'd be worried about, if any of them). I am adding a welsummer, australorp, legbar, and 4 swedish flowers this fall.
The coop is elevated and enclosed in a predator proof, covered run. The original plan I'm working off of calls for a HWC ceiling over the coop and run. I thought that was a waste of space, lumber and HWC, so instead I closed off the exterior areas under the roof. It was more tedious to work with the small cuts of HWC, but I like the way it turned out. Doing it this way also prevents wild birds from hanging out under the roof/above the coop/run and pooping on my chickens.
However, because there is no "ceiling" over the coop section now, there's a gap between the top of the front coop wall and the ceiling, and I can't decide if it's an issue.
The photos show the framing - no coop walls or floor yet. Red = coop walls. Blue = coop floor. Green = area in question. Obviously the back wall would be covered, but if I shaded red you wouldn't be able to see the interior markings.
From inside the run, facing the coop.
From back/outside the run, looking towards the inside of the coop.
It's 40" from the coop floor to the top of the coop wall.
The roosting bar will be about 20" above the coop floor or so.
If a hen were to reach the top of the coop wall, there's 16" of space between the coop wall and the roof. The rafters are about 30" apart.
There's a 6-7' drop from the top of the coop wall to the floor of the run (if they were to fly up from inside the coop and then down from the coop wall to the run floor).
Should I find a way to block access to the vertical space between the top of the coop wall and the roof? Or am I overthinking it? If needed, I would use something like chicken wire, HWC, bird netting, etc (to preserve ventilation). If I need to, I would either put a "ceiling" over the coop or run the material vertically, to basically extend the coop wall to the rafters so the gap is too small.
In case breed matters, I have 3 orpingtons (not worried about them), a barred rock (no way she can make it), 2 EE (one has flown over a 4' fence a few times, but doesn't normally try to perch up high), and a leghorn (who is the main one I'd be worried about, if any of them). I am adding a welsummer, australorp, legbar, and 4 swedish flowers this fall.
