Newbie build...

[smokinjay]

Ok trying to get the build finsh by labor day weekend. What all do I need to know. Have lots of scrounge 2x4's and I can mill my own siding (black walnut going for an awesome looking and usable coop). I live in Indiana with lots of wind. Any help before I get started? I looking to be able to handle 15 birds.

 

[ladyride]

Very top of page lot's of coop designs check'em out lot's of ideas

 

[smokinjay]

Yea I kinda got the idea of building it. Now my issue is with eletric insultion and size of the coop? Will be getting 20 one day olds late Aug. winter is coming on! Like should I use a corrigated cardboard sandwich inside the wall? is it worth the effort? How big should it be for 20 chix? Want it very user friendly and bullet prof.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I'm in Kansas- also, lots of wind! Our wind storms easily hit over 70 MPH without even trying. You can look at my BYC Page and see what I'm building. But honestly, I just did what everyone else said to do-- I went to the Medium coop section, picked out a couple of coops I liked, and figured out how to design my own with the materials I gathered (windows and such). I have combined a couple of coops I really liked and hope to have the looks and function of them both. I made sure to sink my 4X4X8's down 3 feet with 40 lbs cement and then have been using screws on everything and just trying not to make anything flimsy that will be torn down by our winds. We had a tornado a few days ago- passed close, but didn't hit (however the winds were HIGH!) and the current standing structure was fine. The lumber I had piled on the ground, however, was tossed everywhere and I found debris in the front yard! So far, so good! I think you just need to build with heavy lumber and be sure you sink everything deep and secure, secure with hangers, screws, etc. I'm going to use hurricane clips on my roof to attach the trusses. I'm building this myself and I just keep asking people on here when I get stuck, or my Lowes has been very helpful also. This is my first time using power tools and building ANYthing! I'm sure you can come up with something awesome!!!

PS- don't use nails on ANYthing. Screws only!

 

[smokinjay]

Should insulation be added? Eletric be added ?

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
I have an 8X8 that should handle 16 birds. You might want to do a 10X10 or something along those lines. I am going to cover my framed walls with plywood and then put siding over that (much more sound and strength for wind). I am planning on the pink fiberglass insulation in between the studs and then covering the inside of my coop with more plywood (covers the insulation and will add more soundness/strength). But like I said... I'm seriously building for wind here- because you'd think that tornados would be my biggest problem, but instead, it's the flat line winds that come across the prairie. Those are often a lot stronger winds than a small tornado. For electric, I'm lucky, I'm building it close to my horse pasture and I already have a water and electric line run out there and on the post by the stock tank. But you could run a long orange extension cord out in the winter for your water heater. I'm planning on making up an electrical outlet that I can plug the extension cord in and plug in a heat lamp and water heater if I need extra. I saw a really cool set up where other people have done that. Just ask how to do that in another post and I'm sure people will show you pictures of how they did it. My chicks are coming the first week of October... so I understand the concern with winter and making it warm enough.

 

[smokinjay]

Yea your winds are harder than ours. I thinking hard wireing for the water in the winter, and lights. You are buliding strong coops any pic's of yours? I have some nice 1/4 card board I was thinking of doubleing it up and sandwich it?

 

[Hummingbird Hollow]

Quote:
I would try to position my coop and run where there is some protection from the worst of the wind, perhaps against the side of an existing building, where there is wind break from trees or perhaps even up against a tall privacy fence. That way your chickens could enjoy themselves out in the run on a windy day and you might avoid tons of snow blowing into the run in the winter. I've read about people piling hay bales beside their runs to provide a wind break as well.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I think the trenching is the most expensive part of hard wiring! The machine we rented cost more than the electrician to come out and but in another box. The heaters draw a lot of current- and when i put in the stock tank heater in the winter, I can't add any other cords to that outlet- it will trip it every time and I end up with frozen water. I have no idea what the terminology is - but I'm going to need a separate circuit?? for the coop. Something not connected to the wiring out at my tank. I'm going to run extension cord this winter and plan on trenching and putting in real hard wiring next spring/summer for the coop. I'll be lucky to finish my coop and run I think! Since I'm working mostly by myself, it's taking a lot longer than i had hoped.

But I think you'll enjoy doing all of this! So far, I'm actually really having a lot of fun building! Of course- at this point, it's still very much a novelty for me! LOL!

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
Yeah- all of my pictures are under my profile picture. Just look at my name/picture and then click on the link that says "view my BYC Page" and there you will see my progress. I'm not very far along.

But I hope to kick it in high gear this weekend and get the plywood up. I have a good picture of what I did for my nest box. Like I said... I'm building for bear.