Chicken Egg 17
Songster
Don't use flakeboard. It is cr@p for any purpose. Especially outside. I wouldn't use it even if someone paid me to take it. Even if you cover it, it will absorb moisture from the air and rot.
100' from the lot lines?? How big is the typical lot in your town/city? That is ridiculous. Check the zoning regs. In my prior city it was 20' to the lot lines (a joke in the neighborhood we lived in with lots < 45' wide and back yards MAYBE 20' deep) but if the neighbors agree the setback to the coop can be reduced. Maybe the same where you live.
I agree with no windows ONLY if the birds are NEVER confined to the coop except when they are roosting. Let those girls see the world from their recliners
I keep the food and water in the coop but my girls have a 10'x12' converted horse stall inside an ancient barn so plenty of room. Thus JBG's comment to keep the food and water out in the run is good, again as long as the chickens are not confined to the coop during the day. I use a nipple water pipe with the 5 gallon "source" outside the coop. Easy to refill, takes almost no space from the chickens. You could do the same even if the water is in the run. They learn to use the nipples quite quickly and if your source is opaque (mine is an insulated Igloo drink cooler) it won't ever grow algae. I wash mine out maybe once a year. Otherwise I just add water to it.
Looks like a job well thought out and executed. Sturdy hoop coop and run. You likely need to run some 2x4 welded wire or 1/2" hardware cloth skirted out about 18" and buried or covered with something (some people use paver stones) to make sure nothing can dig under the wall. Also, chicken wire is something raccoons can reach through and they, plus other predators, can rip it pretty easily. Might want to consider 1/2" hardware cloth run up a couple of feet on the walls.
Lastly, coons climb VERY well and have dextrous front feet. They can EASILY open a hook. I suggest a lockable barrel bolt where you have the twist board. And once that is installed, try to pull the door open on the corner on that side. If you can pull it out even an inch or so, a coon can possibly squeeze in. They WILL find any small opening if it exists.
Looks very nice. I'm not sure how much ventilation is in the coop. A bit rainy in Scotland, no? you might want something to divert water coming off the roof and onto the nest box roof. However, it does look like the roof hangs past the hinged part of the lid so the issue would be more of how much water will be shooting off that nest box roof onto your slicker and Wellies (negating the problem if you are wearing them).
We have painted our flake board wall chicken coop and it will be a year old in another month or two.
