Oh boy, Pricing materials tomorrow! Will it work?

[kealalegacy]

After a month of reading through the coop designs here I sketched and came up with a plan that works both for our mild weather, and location. But I have a question I didnt find an answer to yet...

Hardiplank for the exterior of the coop... can i use this without having to put plywood on the interior walls? Like, can I leave the frame exposed on the interior?

We dont have winters here... what I mean to say is we dont have COLD winters here... Lucky us! No insulation would be needed at all and I feel like putting ply on the interior walls is a waste of money, time and space. Has anyone used Hardiplank siding for their coop? Would expose framing be okay for the chickens?

Also, I have 4 girls... should I have a nesting box for each?

Just wanted to thank everyone for the amazing advice thus far and for the fantastic coops you have all shared! Have a lovely evening!!

<3 Keala

 

[gryeyes]

I can't answer the "handiplank" question, but I can tell you I made my coops out of 2x4s and 3/8 inch plywood, with no studs and also with no "interior walls."

And with 4 hens, you only NEED one nest, but two would be better. The usual number ratio is one nest for every 4 hens.

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

hardi board is expensive here, I get used tin, or old fence pickets. The 1/2 price bin at the lumber yard, i use old doors for walls, anything really. exposed boards are fine, its exposed nails and screws to watch for. You might want to paint the interior of any exposed wood that the chicken will be near to aid in the cleaning process later. By using scrap materials, I spend a little more time trimming boards and i have to make diminsions based on what i have and not what the plans call for. Are you trying to be cost effective or just build ur ideal coop? remember to ventilate for summer also.

 

[kealalegacy]

@gryeyes... i think that sounds about right for me! Thanks so much!!!

@flipflopfarmer... well im in hawaii very close to a beach so metal is out for me cause it will rust through in a couple years time. Same with recycled wood... termites here are horrible and relentless! i figure with hardiplank, i have a product that can stand up to the salt air and is impervious to termite damage. saving on cost would be nice, but i would rather spend a little more and have something that lasts than make short cuts and spend more money later trying to fix it.

yall are wonderful!!! thank you for your responses!

coop is 4'x4'x4' and run is 4'x4'x6' with an additional 4'x4'x2' space below the coop. Im hoping this space is sufficient for the girls... im trying to stay witin the standard sizes of material lengths to make it a little easier to build. i definitely DO NOT get chicken math! LOL

 

[mgw]

You don't have to sheet the inside walls, but you do need sheeting under the hardi plank. Good luck with the project!

 

[kealalegacy]

Hmmm... now i have a question about ventilation. Because I live in Hawaii our winters are mostly wet, and may get down into the low 70's. But its very humid here even in the winter. Would a 3 wall coop be better for ventilation purposes? maybe the front wall can be a half wall instead of fully closed?

im thinking more ventilation because of the high humidity... right? that would save me some money on material too!

 

[kealalegacy]

Quote:
So I will still need to do the plywood... shucks. LOL! I was thinking I could attach the hardiplank right to the frame...

 

[FlipFlopFarmer]

huh! i thought hardiboard what that compressed cement stuff that looks like grey sheetrock? i would think it could be screwed to the frame? but... ive only ever used it under floor tile and im not a contractor, just a die hard DIY'er! Have u looked at anyone around ur areas coops? What about that industrial plastic sheeting that is built like industrial tin, only its clear or colored plastic? u surely wouldnt have to put plywood behind that. Its the stuff people put on green houses.

 

[kealalegacy]

@flipflop... the coops in our area are very small or non existing. alot of people have teepees for their roosters... not many raise hens in my area so i dont have much to go off of. and the man i could have asked is no longer here (my papa passed on years ago). hardiboard and hardiplank are different things i think. hardiplank is a siding material that has a finished exterior...

 

[elmo]

Quote:
So I will still need to do the plywood... shucks. LOL! I was thinking I could attach the hardiplank right to the frame...

Here are some instructions I found on the internet:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4798139_install-hardiplank.html

You can put the hardiplank up over studs alone structurally, but you need a water barrier, apparently. That's the issue, not that the planks aren't rigid enough...they sure are. They're heavy, too.

There is also a product called Hardiepanels, but they also need a waterproof barrier over the studs.