New to building coops..need advice from the seasoned chicken owners!

[CherG07]

M

If you are using something like T1-11 siding, an opaque stain looks just like paint & doesn't peel off in later years. You just have to clean & re-stain once in awhile. My grey stained coop has only been stained 3 times in 26 years. If you use something like OSB, this will not work.

I’m not putting in too much extra. The outside will basically be plywood. Here in a min I’m going to draw up the plans and post a pic for everyone.

 

[CherG07]

I have already drew up the plans for my coop. I actually put in a lot of thought to it and printed out an existing plan and made it my own. When I put my heart in to something I become obsessed with it until it’s all figured out. I have 3 pullets and a cockerel. This is an 8x6x4 coop with 8 nest boxes (for expansion). Yes I’m worried about paint! I want their home to last. Don’t get too caught up in my priorities. The size and location are number 1 and it’s already figured

Not the expense, but this...


It's too bad that look seem to be your number one priority. I hope for the birds sake that what you come up with functions well for the birds too.

 

[CherG07]

I have already drew up the plans for my coop. I actually put in a lot of thought to it and printed out an existing plan and made it my own. When I put my heart in to something I become obsessed with it until it’s all figured out. I have 3 pullets and a cockerel. This is an 8x6x4 coop with 8 nest boxes (for expansion). Yes I’m worried about paint! I want their home to last. Don’t get too caught up in my priorities. The size and location are number 1 and it’s already figured

Not the expense, but this...


It's too bad that look seem to be your number one priority. I hope for the birds sake that what you come up with functions well for the birds too.

 

[CherG07]

Just curious. How far are you in your build? I'd love to see what you've done and watch your progress. I'm sure I'm not alone. Of course we want to see your chickens! (*blatent plug begging for pictures*)
I'm so close to the point of putting my chickens inside that I can taste it! I need locks, and trim to keep out gap drafts, and need to snap off tips of screws and nails so the gals don't injure themselves. They can go inside for a week while we continue the build of the breezeway between the coop and the run. Then paint! I have a thread with my veeerrrry ssslloooww progress. Oh, and I also sealed my floor with blackjack 57. Good stuff.

I have my back and front wall framing, my “stand/floor” and parts of my nest box framing. Due to finances I can only buy a bit at a time. With 5 kids it’s a weigh game. I have to wait till all bills are paid per pay period which is fine. Gives me plenty of time to pay attention and get it right as I’m building. I have the frames fully painted and stand/floor minus the actual floor painted. It’s going to be a slow build but I will make sure to take pics of my progress for y’all.

 

[Cryss]

I have my back and front wall framing, my “stand/floor” and parts of my nest box framing. Due to finances I can only buy a bit at a time. With 5 kids it’s a weigh game. I have to wait till all bills are paid per pay period which is fine. Gives me plenty of time to pay attention and get it right as I’m building. I have the frames fully painted and stand/floor minus the actual floor painted. It’s going to be a slow build but I will make sure to take pics of my progress for y’all.

Mine has been painfully slow. Told my son in law we had a good 5 weeks for building because that was when I was getting the pullets. 4 weeks later I knew it wasn't happening so I let him know the little pullets would be in the introduction cage for a couple weeks once they arrived. 4 weeks later I let him know they were still small enough to not take up much room in the old coop. Ok....we're close now. But this started in the beginning of March!

 

[HopeSprings]

I hope it was a pneumatic gun with good long staples.
Hand powered staple gun staples can come out quite easily, not good for chickens to eat.

No, but they're holding!

 

[CherG07]

Mine has been painfully slow. Told my son in law we had a good 5 weeks for building because that was when I was getting the pullets. 4 weeks later I knew it wasn't happening so I let him know the little pullets would be in the introduction cage for a couple weeks once they arrived. 4 weeks later I let him know they were still small enough to not take up much room in the old coop. Ok....we're close now. But this started in the beginning of March!

Oh wow. I’m sorry to hear!! I can understand how that could be frustrating.

 

[CherG07]

Here’s the draw up.

 

[aart]

Here’s the draw up.

Looks like a decent rough sketch...can't see it all tho.
Floor space is 48 x 75"?
How many birds do you plan on keeping?

 

[CherG07]

Looks like a decent rough sketch...can't see it all tho.
Floor space is 48 x 75"?
How many birds do you plan on keeping?

Floor space total is 6x4 if you discount the nestboxes. 8x4 with nestboxes. The run is quite bigger...almost half our back yard. I’d estimate the space to be around 300 square feet or so. We have 4 chickens at the moment. The drawing was on crappy notebook paper sorry. It’s just a rough stretch so y’all could see the basic finished look and how it’s pieced together. I didn’t put in the details like ventilation windows, the legs, doors, or the ramp.

I already have clear corrugated plastic roofing. I forget if it’s poly of pvc. Got it Home Depot. If I paint it can it be used for the 3 roofs?