Our First Coop! Building the Coop In Progress, Part 1

[FredSG]

Hi,
I’m very new to the chicken scene. I thought I’d post photos of my very first coop & run which is a modification of several other coops I have seen on the Internet.
First thing I did to get started was to dig a trench 6 ½' wide x 12 ½' long x 12" deep. I then filled it with about 3-4 inches of pea stone (to help with drainage). I then lined my trench with 2 hole 8" high x 8" wide x 16" long cement blocks, setting them on top of the pea stone, and then filling the holes with more pea stone for stability. I then added about 4" of good clean dirt mixed with more pea stone deep enough so that only ½ of the concrete blocks are visible. On top of the concrete blocks I added 8" wide x 2" deep x 16" long patio blocks.
Next step was to start building the coop base outline, coop itself, and coop run walls. I used 2" x 6" kiln lumber, stained with a weather inhibitor for the base outline. The actual size of the base using the 2" x 6" kiln lumber is 72 ½" wide x 144" long.
The coop and run walls were built next. I built 2" x 4" walls for the coop, but in four separate sections. The coop run walls were also made as separate sections, three sections in all. The higher side is 84" tall and the lower side is 77" . . . although this might change when I get to my roofing plans.
The coop sections were screwed together and once that was done, the coop and coop walls were covered with 24-inch x 50-foot 1/2-inch #19 galvanized mesh garden cloth. I will have two doors on the long sides of the coop walls run. The finished coop and walls were placed inside the coop base outline and screwed together. The actual size of the coop is 4' deep x 6' wide, and sits about 30 inches off the run floor. The galvanized mesh garden cloth was attached to the 2" x 4" boards using 1 1/4" screws and fender washers. All the 2" x 4" studs were secured to the coop outline base using 3" screws. Using this fastening system, the coop, the coop run walls and the coop base outline were as one unit, very tight, and stable. This is what I have so far.

 

[6of6chicks]

Very nice start! Can't wait to see how it turns out!

 

[ailurophile23]

Wonderful start! Looks like you have been doing lots of research on coops. Keep those pics coming!

 

[fireguy13]

That's a nice start. Looks like your flock will have a very nice coop!


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[vehve]

Looks good! Remember to put a gutter on the roof so it doesn't pour all the water into the foundation of the existing structure.

 

[FredSG]

Hello again,

I just finished adding 5" to 7" of 'washed sand' to my coop run. It has a dark and coarse texture to it, very different from play sand, but from what I've read on this forum 'washed sand' seemed the better way to go.

Now I have to decide on what to use in my coop once it's built. It will have a 3/4" plywood floor with a linoleum covering . . . but what to use on top, pine shavings or 'washed sand'? I've already decided against hay or straw . . . so either pine shavings or the 'washed sand'?

Any advice? BTW, I've read quite a few of the posts on this forum and BOY do posters have different opinions on what works and doesn't work for their chickens. The differing opinions are "mind-boggling" to say the least

FredSG

 

[rhoffart]

Looking good ...

Sand mixed with a little PDZ on the floor and for the poop tray PDZ with a little sand. You won't regret it. Mine is 1 1/2 years old and my floor sand still looks new and has never been changed.

Some of the PDZ will stick to the poop so your will need to add some every few months.

I keep no food or water in the coop so very little poop ever gets on the floor.

 

[rhoffart]

How many chickens? Are they going to free range when the get older?

 

[aart]

Hello again,

I just finished adding 5" to 7" of 'washed sand' to my coop run. It has a dark and coarse texture to it, very different from play sand, but from what I've read on this forum 'washed sand' seemed the better way to go.

Now I have to decide on what to use in my coop once it's built. It will have a 3/4" plywood floor with a linoleum covering . . . but what to use on top, pine shavings or 'washed sand'? I've already decided against hay or straw . . . so either pine shavings or the 'washed sand'?

Any advice? BTW, I've read quite a few of the posts on this forum and BOY do posters have different opinions on what works and doesn't work for their chickens. The differing opinions are "mind-boggling" to say the least

FredSG

Well, lots of different things work with varying degrees of success, depending on the situation......opinions are a whole nother factor, take them all with a few grains of salt.
You can try what you think is best for your situation, evaluate how it works for you, then either keep it or change it. Sometimes you won't know until you experience it yourself in your situation.

I like a mix of sand and PDZ (3-4:1) about 1/2" - 1" deep on my roost boards, which are sifted clean every couple days. That might work well in your coop area because it's so small.

I like pine shavings starting out an inch or two thick then adding some once in awhile as they break down on the coop floor, totally replacing every 6 months seems to work well so far. I've only had the chooks for about about a year.

My run is plain old dirt, it's a sandy dirt tho and drains pretty well .....which is a good thing cause it stinks when it's wet. I throw out a bit of straw on top of the snow in the winter, a bit more when the snow is melting a puddling, and spread some grass clippings when I mow.

You've built a very nice structure there....Good Luck and Have Fun!

 

[FredSG]

Thanks to everyone for your replies, all very much appreciated!!

My wife and I are hoping to add just 4 chickens to our family . . . weather hardy and good layers and don't mind confinement. Still researching which chickens will best fit our criteria. They will not free range . . . too many raccoons, foxes, hawks and eagles in my area, not to mention coyotes. And then there are our three dogs . . . Staffordshire Bull Terriers. But we think they will be fine with the chickens as they don't even chase the ducks that frequent our bird feeders.




Best wishes,

FredSG