Our First Coop

[NewChkinTown]

Hi Everyone!! SORRY FOR THE LONG POST!
Thanks to everyone who has answered my millions of questions haha. I've attached pics of our new chicken area and coop. We still have a few things to clean up and trim down, add venting etc. We are also waiting on the galvanized tray to come in for the floor of the coop; so don't worry about the gaping holes haha. I'm also going to see about getting straw for inside the nesting boxes (but please let me know if there is something better and more easily accessible) The tire will be used for a dust bath. I still have to rake out all that dirt and clean it up. If there is anything we are missing or should add to give our girls more to do when outside in their pen please let me know! I want them to be as happy as possible

Here's some info on our set up.:
- Made entirely out of skids, strapping, and a tin roof.
- To date we have spent $0 on materials! We were given everything from our local hardware store that they could not re-sell.
- All chicken wire we had on hand as the previous owners of our home had 2 huge gardens and used it as fencing.
- Coop inside is 4x4 square and the run is 4x10
- We will be getting 4 chicks next Friday. (2 Rhode Island Red, 1 Barred Rock, 1 ISA Brown.
- Currently the ground is soil and covered in grass like material that has been trying to grow, but as today is rainy here (Central ontario) I can see it is going to get very muddy if we leave it that way. Any suggestions as to what to cover their yard with? I was going to originally leave it as is and let them clean it up. the whole area was a garden long ago but has looked the way it is now since we moved in last year.
- We have 3 acres we plan to let them free range on when we are outside, otherwise the will be in their yard or locked in the coop at night.

 

[jreardon1918]

Looks good. Are you planning a roof for the run? If so, may I suggest a nice vent something like the red area shown in this clip. Even bigger would probably work. I would suggest for at least this vent you use HW cloth. Although I would think the run be all HW cloth. Also, if the eaves have some venting under the overhang that will be nice. In blue maybe a window(s) that has a shutter that can be closed in harsh weather. Reinforced with HW cloth. I know you said this was all recycled material, any chance you can find a bit of HW cloth?

 

[NewChkinTown]

Looks good. Are you planning a roof for the run? If so, may I suggest a nice vent something like the red area shown in this clip. Even bigger would probably work. I would suggest for at least this vent you use HW cloth. Although I would think the run be all HW cloth. Also, if the eaves have some venting under the overhang that will be nice. In blue maybe a window(s) that has a shutter that can be closed in harsh weather. Reinforced with HW cloth. I know you said this was all recycled material, any chance you can find a bit of HW cloth?

View attachment 2088148

It's hard to see but the whole run is enclosed with chicken wire, even the roof over the run. There is venting under the eaves but hubby is going to add more. His plan is to cut where you have the red triangle and same spot in the back, as well were thinking of venting below the blue spot. I read low vents for summer, high vents for winter?
We will have to buy hardware cloth to cover all the vents but that's okay.

 

[jreardon1918]

It's hard to see but the whole run is enclosed with chicken wire, even the roof over the run. There is venting under the eaves but hubby is going to add more. His plan is to cut where you have the red triangle and same spot in the back, as well were thinking of venting below the blue spot. I read low vents for summer, high vents for winter?
We will have to buy hardware cloth to cover all the vents but that's okay.

If you can extend the roof somewhat or all the way into the run, then the red area could probably remain open year round. Although I now see you are in Ontario. So wrapping the sides of the run might be advisable. Adding a red area on the back side would also work, Especially if you can close it, to protect against wind in the winter. Sounds like you are on top of this.

And a big thumbs up to a bit of HW cloth. Within weeks of our chickens going into their coop I saw a fox and caught a weasel. So far HW cloth has prevented losses.

 

[NewChkinTown]

If you can extend the roof somewhat or all the way into the run, then the red area could probably remain open year round. Although I now see you are in Ontario. So wrapping the sides of the run might be advisable. Adding a red area on the back side would also work, Especially if you can close it, to protect against wind in the winter. Sounds like you are on top of this.

And a big thumbs up to a bit of HW cloth. Within weeks of our chickens going into their coop I saw a fox and caught a weasel. So far HW cloth has prevented losses.

We plan to use hardware cloth on all vents and the underside of the coop. The top and back vents will be under the roof as it overhangs all around. Do you think we should give the top vents a closure? Or just the side vent? The other side of the coop, not shown, has the nesting box

 

[RoosterML]

One thing I noticed. Why are the roost bars at an angle?

 

[NewChkinTown]

One thing I noticed. Why are the roost bars at an angle?
View attachment 2088615

Not exactly sure. I'm thinking it's just how hubby put them in because they are square posts should i ask him to turn them so they are flat?

 

[RoosterML]

Not exactly sure. I'm thinking it's just how hubby put them in because they are square posts should i ask him to turn them so they are flat?

I would definitely turn them so that they are parallel/flat with the floor.

 

[NewChkinTown]

So, we still haven't put our vents in yet (we have lots of time before the chicks can go outside) but today Hubby fixed the floor and added the tray he made. He took apart the top of the skid floor from my last post to give the coop a 4inch deep floor so we can do deep bedding, and then made me a galvanized removable tray. He also changed the roosting bars from the previous angled one I posted to these horizontal ones to give the girls more room when they are stuck inside lol. He made the roost 2ft from the floor and 18inches apart which is what we read as proper specifications. What I didn't see was whether or not they would need a little ramp to get up to them? In any case, I'm super proud of Hubby and all his hard work!

 

[RoosterML]

I don’t think they will need a ramp for 24”.
16”-18” up would be better if possible especially if your getting large breeds.