Overwhelmed!

[Ridgerunner]

Nobody should be laughing, we all have to start somewhere. A good coat of paint can do wonders to dress it up too.

The hardware cloth can go inside or outside, whichever is more convenient to you. In either case, it has to be attached firmly.

Jack’s photo shows what I was talking about.

 

[JackE]

I think it is a type of paneling that I will be cutting though. There are some vertical 2by4's up there in the Eves that I don't want to cut so I'm guessing I will cut on both sides of them. Than I will attach hardware cloth . Should the cloth be inside or outside? Than add furring strips or 1by3's over the cut? Umm about the staple part....what do I need to buy so I can staple?
I'm sure people are getting a good laugh...I'm so clueless

I looked at the pics of your shed(Soon to be coop). You have a great headstart with that building. It doesn't really have eaves overhanging the outside walls. So you are looking to cut some vents into the upper walls. I think it would actually be better, and maybe easier, to install a ridge vent. Then cut a bigger vent opening, maybe 4X3', (4'long, 3' high) about 6" off the floor, of the south facing wall. I would partition off the back 6' of the shed, with a chickenwire wall, over a 2X4" frame, with a chickenwire door, of course. I would hook the front shed doors open in the warmer months, and have hardware cloth screened doors in their place. Those type of screen doors are easy to make, with 1X4", and 1X6" pieces of pine. Cut the pieces to size and sandwich the hardware cloth in between the boards. See below, for a pic of my coop's screen door. Easy to make, and allows all kinds of fresh air in, while keeping out undesirables.

 

[amijab]

I looked at the pics of your shed(Soon to be coop). You have a great headstart with that building. It doesn't really have eaves overhanging the outside walls. So you are looking to cut some vents into the upper walls. I think it would actually be better, and maybe easier, to install a ridge vent. Then cut a bigger vent opening, maybe 4X3', (4'long, 3' high) about 6" off the floor, of the south facing wall. I would partition off the back 6' of the shed, with a chickenwire wall, over a 2X4" frame, with a chickenwire door, of course. I would hook the front shed doors open in the warmer months, and have hardware cloth screened doors in their place. Those type of screen doors are easy to make, with 1X4", and 1X6" pieces of pine. Cut the pieces to size and sandwich the hardware cloth in between the boards. See below, for a pic of my coop's screen door. Easy to make, and allows all kinds of fresh air in, while keeping out undesirables.

Ok a ridge vent sounds good. The hole on the south side I am a little confused about. I thought for ventilation I needed the vents high up so It releases hot air but did not produce drafts. Can you explain? Thanks!! Also yes we are actually planning on using the back part of the shed for the coop but was not sure the size. Would a 6by6 foot area work for 8 chickens or should I go bigger?

 

[barred2rock]

Paintedchix
I started painting the shed last night so no looking back

. But I am going to look into the dog run idea. Not sure how I would put a slanted roof on a dog run however. Thanks for all your ideas!

There's no need for a solid roof on the run, you can use half inch or smaller hardware wire. Just be sure they have access to a bit shade & cover, if you leave the coop open when they're out that will suffice. Can't wait to see the finished product.

 

[JackE]

Ok a ridge vent sounds good. The hole on the south side I am a little confused about. I thought for ventilation I needed the vents high up so It releases hot air but did not produce drafts. Can you explain? Thanks!!
Also yes we are actually planning on using the back part of the shed for the coop but was not sure the size. Would a 6by6 foot area work for 8 chickens or should I go bigger?

Well, you seen the pic of the front wall of my coop. The whole front wall is open, right at chicken level. So it's not a hard, fast rule, that the ventilation has to be up over their heads. The idea is to get as much fresh air exchange in the coop possible. The opening in the south facing wall with your coop, combined with the ridge vent, would allow great fresh air flow. And, the south facing opening would allow sunlight into the coop. Chickens like a nice open airy coop, they don't like a dark dungeon. Sunlight into the coop is a good thing. You don't have to worry about any draft in the warmer months, it's no problem. You want the coop as open as possible. What are the dimensions of your shed? Which way does the front doors face? Knowing this, can give me a better idea for suggestions.

 

[amijab]

Ok

There's no need for a solid roof on the run, you can use half inch or smaller hardware wire. Just be sure they have access to a bit shade & cover, if you leave the coop open when they're out that will suffice. Can't wait to see the finished product.

I guess I wanted a roof for shade and because we get a lot of snow here in Utah. I want them to be able to go out on the winter abd hopefully not have to deal with as much snow on the ground. Also if it rains a lot the area that the run will be in could get muddy. Unfortunately it is not in a high and dry place.

 

[amijab]

Well, you seen the pic of the front wall of my coop.  The whole front wall is open, right at chicken level.  So it's not a hard, fast rule, that the ventilation has to be up over their heads.   The idea is to get as much fresh air exchange in the coop possible.  The opening in the south facing wall with your coop, combined with the ridge vent, would allow great fresh air flow. And, the south facing opening would allow sunlight into the coop.  Chickens like a nice open airy coop,  they don't like a dark dungeon.  Sunlight into the coop is a good thing.   You don't have to worry about any draft in the warmer months, it's no problem.  You want the coop as open as possible.   What are the dimensions of your shed?  Which way does the front doors face?  Knowing this, can give me a better idea for suggestions. 

Ok I did not measure the shed but I'm going to guess 12 width by 16 length with two front doors facing east. The south side has shelves running down the whole length and on the outside the south side is completely covered by thick trees and brush. Cutting a hole in the south side probably would not do much for sunlight because of trees and shelving(plus our stuff on the shelving). Should I cut a hole on a different side?

 

[amijab]

I looked at the pics of your shed(Soon to be coop). You have a great headstart with that building. It doesn't really have eaves overhanging the outside walls. So you are looking to cut some vents into the upper walls. I think it would actually be better, and maybe easier, to install a ridge vent. Then cut a bigger vent opening, maybe 4X3', (4'long, 3' high) about 6" off the floor, of the south facing wall. I would partition off the back 6' of the shed, with a chickenwire wall, over a 2X4" frame, with a chickenwire door, of course. I would hook the front shed doors open in the warmer months, and have hardware cloth screened doors in their place. Those type of screen doors are easy to make, with 1X4", and 1X6" pieces of pine. Cut the pieces to size and sandwich the hardware cloth in between the boards. See below, for a pic of my coop's screen door. Easy to make, and allows all kinds of fresh air in, while keeping out undesirables.

Do you leave the doors open at night? I was first thinking of doing screen doors but what about enclosing my 6by6 foot coop area with hardware cloth and leaving the main doors open. As long as I predator proof the coop part I could leave the main doors open right?

 

[JackE]

Ok I did not measure the shed but I'm going to guess 12 width by 16 length with two front doors facing east. The south side has shelves running down the whole length and on the outside the south side is completely covered by thick trees and brush. Cutting a hole in the south side probably would not do much for sunlight because of trees and shelving(plus our stuff on the shelving). Should I cut a hole on a different side?

Front doors facing east, that will work. What I would do, is build a basic frame, out of 2X4"s to frame the inside of the front door entryway. Make sure the new frame is just back far enough, so the existing shed doors can be closed. Then build two hardware cloth screen doors to fit inside that frame. You will have to install door stops, made out of 1X2" pieces of pine, to go around the inside of the new frame. You need door stops, so when your screendoors are shut, the stops will keep the doors from being pushed in. This will give the coop a lot of fresh air and sunlight.

 

[JackE]

Do you leave the doors open at night? I was first thinking of doing screen doors but what about enclosing my 6by6 foot coop area with hardware cloth and leaving the main doors open. As long as I predator proof the coop part I could leave the main doors open right?

Yes, the main door is hooked open for most of the year. It gets shut for the winter. Yeah, you could just build a wall of hardware cloth to partition the coop. But I would wall of the whole back 6'. A 6X12' space would be much better. The you don't have to build two walls, just the one. And yes, as long as you build a proper, hardware cloth screen covered wall, you could leave the front doors open. The chickens would be safe from everything, short of a bear.