Omak Chicken Coop by Dave

[6of6chicks]

This was fun to read! I personally love the "oops" blue color. And it sounds like you built your run VERY similar to how I built mine - LOTS of time just standing there staring at it, waiting for 'how-to-build' and 'what-to-do-next' inspiration to hit, lol!

My only two suggestions are more ventilation in the coop (I know it's maybe a bit late now but it doesn't seem like you have enough?), and I don't know if you painted inside or not? Highly recommend high-gloss paint. It makes cleanup so much easier.

Just one question - what are the trenches for? I thought it was to bury the wire, but the trenches are away from the posts (?). Drainage, maybe? Anyway - just for my own personal education!

Looks awesome!

 

[EastTXChickens]

Great project, and it's wise to do this before getting the chickens. I didn't have that much restraint and our coop took longer than expected, not too surprising, that's par for the course.

I second the suggestion to paint the interior. This is our 3rd go around with chickens over 19 yrs and I was amazed all over again with how dirty (these) birds are.
The dander from the feathers and feather sheaths create a big dusty mess. When one of our free range 15 week old chickens groomed herself on our porch recently, the pile of deterious was impressive.
The excrement can vary from liquid to neat moist bundles and if the poop deck is missed while they overnight on the roost, it would be a challenge to get off unpainted OSB. The crevices in that material make good hidey holes for mites, a potential problem.

Thanks for posting your build out and the pics, you're gonna have some happy chickens. I'm hoping you'll post them in the coop on their first day, such fun!

 

[DaveOmak]

Looking great! I like the color.

You might want to think about adding a few more windows.

This is the locks we use on our coop. Raccoons are really good with opening locks. Not sure your are safe enough. How many chickens are you going to have?

I can drop a bolt or padlock through the hole in the housing to make it "clever animal" proof.....

I know.... more windows and ventilation.... just waiting to see how things go and where to put them.... I'm thinking a "slot" air inlet in the bottom third or the door.... probably 3 x16"..... and the same on the opposite end of the coop.... and the pop door in the floor will remain open 24/7..... and a window on the run side of the coop about 8x24" screened and clear plastic that will open... I have 4 sq. ft. of ventilation now with the roof/soffit vents and window in the door and pop hole.... more is coming....

As far as critters...... dogs, coyotes, cougars and king snakes... eagles, hawks and owls... the coop will be electrified with a 7500 volt fencer.... probably a 3 or 4 wire setup with the wire fencing hooked to ground.....

 

[DaveOmak]

This was fun to read! I personally love the "oops" blue color. And it sounds like you built your run VERY similar to how I built mine - LOTS of time just standing there staring at it, waiting for 'how-to-build' and 'what-to-do-next' inspiration to hit, lol!

My only two suggestions are more ventilation in the coop (I know it's maybe a bit late now but it doesn't seem like you have enough?), and I don't know if you painted inside or not? Highly recommend high-gloss paint. It makes cleanup so much easier.

Just one question - what are the trenches for? I thought it was to bury the wire, but the trenches are away from the posts (?). Drainage, maybe? Anyway - just for my own personal education!

Looks awesome!

Ventilation is coming..... just ain't figured it all out yet.....

The trenches are to get rid of the organic matter so the "walls" won't be left hanging in the air when it rots.... I lifted the perlins when setting the wall studs to apply down pressure.... I'm thinking of drilling the treated plates and driving some 12' rebar through the holes to hold the side walls better.... Think, think. think...... I have no idea how anyone can 'OVERTHINK" a chicken house, but I seem to be doing pretty darn good at it......

 

[DaveOmak]

Great project, and it's wise to do this before getting the chickens. I didn't have that much restraint and our coop took longer than expected, not too surprising, that's par for the course.

I second the suggestion to paint the interior. This is our 3rd go around with chickens over 19 yrs and I was amazed all over again with how dirty (these) birds are.
The dander from the feathers and feather sheaths create a big dusty mess. When one of our free range 15 week old chickens groomed herself on our porch recently, the pile of deterious was impressive.
The excrement can vary from liquid to neat moist bundles and if the poop deck is missed while they overnight on the roost, it would be a challenge to get off unpainted OSB. The crevices in that material make good hidey holes for mites, a potential problem.

Thanks for posting your build out and the pics, you're gonna have some happy chickens. I'm hoping you'll post them in the coop on their first day, such fun!

I may be shooting myself in the foot on this...... I'm leaning toward "no paint" on the inside...... all the insides are the smooth side of the OSB.....
I'm using bifenthrin spray under the linoleum, on the poop boards and in the nooks and crannies.... then I will use Diatomacious Earth in the pine shavings on the floor..... and PDZ on the poop board...

I read up on bifen and it's approved for poultry.....

 

[DaveOmak]

Your house is so much like the one I'm just finishing. Doing mine from mostly re-purpose materials. I used a 4'X8" pallet with bolted on stilts. Same overall shape & roof line. The differences are my access door is middle of the long side, so I can reach almost everything from there to clean up. On the 4' side I have 3 swing up doors, The bottom is access to food & water. Middle door is 3 nest boxes, & top door is storage that has chicken wire on the inside to keep the birds out. The other4' end is the chicken door. Just like you, I built it one day at a time, & changed my mind every day. Except I don't have pictures... Jim

Jim..... right on...... guy's gotta leave room for change orders.... Dave

 

[DaveOmak]

It was 90 something today..... soooooo.... I strugged...... UP... DOWN.... top of the stud...... bottom of the stud..... and..... I'm no young stud.... knees and back are killing me.....

Here's today's progress.....

 

[DaveOmak]

Getting closer..... Hotter than U-Know-What..... Laid up the old roofing to add a board for attaching it, and the wire....
Used BIG headed screws to hang the wire temporarily on.... what a PITA.....




Made a "roll hanger" to hold the wire..... What a PITA...... stapled the wire to the 2X's.... then covered with lath and stapled.... I'm going to take a chance here.... and say..... "I hate hanging chicken wire"..... WAPITA.....





2 sides almost done..... a little more roofing... As you might be able to see, the roof needs a few more small pieces....




Built a door frame at the end of the run.... 1/2 metal and the rest will be wire.... I'm thinking the center opening will have a removable panel .... For maybe once a year removal...

Take a look at the POP door.... I was looking at that "thru the floor" POP door and said to myself...... "If them chickens are under the coop, how am I going to clean under there".... Well I decided I wasn't going to clean under the coop so it is now separated from the run.... well, almost.... a little more to do.... All of the materials I have been saving over the last 40 years..... the pile is getting smaller..

......

 

[6of6chicks]

Looking great! Might be a bit late, but I'd suggest burying wire around the edges so nothing digs it's way in.

Love reading your posts - laugh my you-know-what off every time. WAPITA - haha!! Love it!

 

[jennianne]

Great thread. We are building our first coop too. No plans...well, we tried plans at first. Ended up wingin it. Most fun project we've taken on in a while, but it's hard--we've never built anything from scratch. We can build, build, build for a few days, and then........nothing. Got to wait for the lightbulb to switch on, and then AHA, we get going again. Just keep looking at how to's, looking for inspirations, and watching how it evolves. Thanks for sharing your coop story and your humor. Will be watching to see how it comes along.