renovation of a chicken coop

[sunshinedawn]

Hi, My name is Dawn and & I am planning on getting into backyard chicken raising. We just purchased a farm house that has a cinder block chicken coop. I would like to revamp it by next spring to start my very small backyard project. I have a lot of questions. The roof has to be completely rebuilt. The inside has been exposed for many years. My husband is a contractor and he worked for the previous owner over 10 years ago and the coop was in the same condition then, so I'm quite sure the 12 cubic feet of poultry manure I removed yesterday is at least that old. The floor is concrete, in good shape with a drain. What needs to be done as far as disease at this point?
I want to construct a run as well this summer. The previous owners tell me there is a red fox den less than 100 yards away from said area and coyotes live on the defunct railroad track bordering our property. Red tail hawks are prevalent as well. Anyone's time spend helping me is greatly appreciated.

 

[CityChook]

Welcome, Dawn!

Sounds like you've gotten all the previous poo out? I'd power wash the concrete and once you have it cleaned to the point that you're happy with it, I'd spray it with a bleach/water mixture and let it dry in the sunshine/fresh air. I think I'd probably put a seal coat on the concrete as well, but that's just me. If the roof has to be completely redone, maybe do the demo first so you can start with a clean slate?

A run will be a vital part of your coop configuration. There are many, many different ways to design it. Gauge your size on approx. 10 sq. feet of run space per bird - more if you can swing it. I recommend spending some time on the coop design pages on this site to get ideas. Having a walk-in style run is usually preferred if you have the space. Hardware wire will be a must if you have a known predator problem and I recommend burying the wire into the ground to discourage digging preds. And a roof will keep it drier, keep the hawks out and keep the smell down. Also, if you have a way to shade it some, all the better.

You can always go to the blue bar at the top of the page and do some searches by key word in this coop forum. There is so much information on this site. And always feel free to ask questions - we're here to help!! Pictures make everything easier, too.

Most important - have fun!

 

[Imp]

from Washington

Congrats on the purchase, and getting chickens eventually

Imp