Siding material, ventilation, and other coop questions.

[black_cat]

The photos don't match the plans.

Yeah......they look like Wichita cabin pics.

 

[black_cat]

Thoughts on maybe getting some plans that are what I want, just not the exact size? Ideally plans that show me how to frame and support everything, the order, the materials, etc, and with the instructions on how/when to do things and what kind of materials I need for things I can follow the directions, but for my sizing. I realize that this is basically all of our back and forth so far summarized, but still. I also might combine different free plans to accomplish what I'd like-single slanted roof over run, specific shape, etc. I'm thinking of not doing plans that are fully attached the same way as the combo coops, but with a raised coop attached to a run etc.

 

[black_cat]

Thoughts on framing up the run like this with the cinder blocks? Pros/cons? Also having the coop anchored on those concrete things above ground instead of buried?

 

[NatJ]

Thoughts on maybe getting some plans that are what I want, just not the exact size? Ideally plans that show me how to frame and support everything, the order, the materials, etc, and with the instructions on how/when to do things and what kind of materials I need for things I can follow the directions, but for my sizing.

The problem is the changes you need to make.
For example, if the studs that run vertically in the walls are being placed 16" apart, you can make something 4 feet long (one stud at each end, 2 in between them). But if you try to go to 6 feet long, you have to change the spacing somehow. There's just no way to make 16 inch spacing and end up 6 feet long. When you change the spacing of the studs, lots of other things change too. Windows and doors change either size or position. The edges of your siding may no longer be in the right places to fasten to the studs. You might have to buy different-width hardware cloth to attach on the run.

Another example: some boards run across the coop from side to side, holding up the floor or the roof. If you make it wider, those boards are more likely to bend in the middle. So you need to use wider boards (a board may be 4" tall or 6" tall or 8" tall or even more, depending on how wide the structure is.)

Yes, you certainly can make changes. But be aware that making things bigger (wider, longer, taller) can mean that you need different sizes of lumber or different techniques to make it strong enough. Making things smaller can be much simpler ("too strong" is not much of a problem)--but most of the plans that seem to be available are already too small.

 

[black_cat]

The problem is the changes you need to make.
For example, if the studs that run vertically in the walls are being placed 16" apart, you can make something 4 feet long (one stud at each end, 2 in between them). But if you try to go to 6 feet long, you have to change the spacing somehow. There's just no way to make 16 inch spacing and end up 6 feet long. When you change the spacing of the studs, lots of other things change too. Windows and doors change either size or position. The edges of your siding may no longer be in the right places to fasten to the studs. You might have to buy different-width hardware cloth to attach on the run.

Another example: some boards run across the coop from side to side, holding up the floor or the roof. If you make it wider, those boards are more likely to bend in the middle. So you need to use wider boards (a board may be 4" tall or 6" tall or 8" tall or even more, depending on how wide the structure is.)

Yes, you certainly can make changes. But be aware that making things bigger (wider, longer, taller) can mean that you need different sizes of lumber or different techniques to make it strong enough. Making things smaller can be much simpler ("too strong" is not much of a problem)--but most of the plans that seem to be available are already too small.

*Sighs* yeah, you're right. I'm glad that I started this thread because now all you sensible people will talk some sense into me. I'm going to literally sleep on this and see if in the morning I can come up with better ideas than googling different keywords.

 

[black_cat]

I'm thinking that my best bet might be to follow these plans: http://www.homegardendesignplan.com/2017/01/ms101-chicken-coop-plans-construction.html
But make them simpler and easier to do. They seem quite complicated. Like maybe making one big door instead of two smaller ones, etc. Any thoughts on doing that? I also think that I'll look at other plans to know how to do the roof with metal. What kind of metal is best? The clear one? or the wavy one? Or the green one?

 

[NatJ]

I'm thinking that my best bet might be to follow these plans: http://www.homegardendesignplan.com/2017/01/ms101-chicken-coop-plans-construction.html

That looks like a sensible choice.

But make them simpler and easier to do. They seem quite complicated. Like maybe making one big door instead of two smaller ones, etc. Any thoughts on doing that?

There are reasons for the way it's designed. Here's the reasons I can see:

A single big door tends to sag and bend the hinges, because it is so wide. Two narrower doors do not do that.

A single narrow door that is half as wide is fine when you consider the hinges. But the two wide ones let you open one entire side of the coop. That is really nice when you need to clean it (no reaching around awkward corners and edges). And it's even more helpful if you need to re-paint it or fix something. It is no fun to crawl through a small door and work in a too-small space.

Similar for the ones at the end of the run--a single wide door would probably sag and be awkward, a single narrow door makes it harder to get inside if/when you need to clean it out. With the double doors, you can bring a wheelbarrow inside to dump new bedding or carry out old bedding.

I see it also has doors on both sides to get under the coop--again, more bother to build, but really nice if you need to clean it (rake half the stuff from one side, half from the other side.) And if a hen hides a nest under there, or a chicken gets sick and just sits underneath, you can get to it much more easily than coming into the run and crawling all around.

One thing you probably can simplify on the coop doors: they have a wood frame, diagonal braces, and some kind of flat siding material. The diagonal braces add support, as well as being decorative. If your siding is a bunch of flat boards running across the door, you probably do need those braces. But if you use plywood or something similar for the flat material, you can skip the diagonal braces around the edges, because plywood itself makes a good brace. (The braces, or plywood, or possibly even hardware cloth on the run door, can keep your nice rectangular door from turning into a parallelogram. You don't want the top going right and the bottom going left and the whole thing not fitting the opening any more!)

Another detail I notice: there is a narrow shelf above the nestbox door. I think it's there to keep rain from getting into the nestboxes through the hinges at the top. Of course, the shelf can also be handy to sit things on, and will get snow on it in the winter, but I think its main purpose is to block rain and thus keep the nestboxes dry.

I have no clue about the quality of instructions, and I know they state the wrong number of chickens (16? only if they're bantams!), but I am quite impressed with the number of things that are designed RIGHT about that coop. Especially the ability to open up all parts to reach inside (a common problem with small coop designs.)

I think I would put a big window (hardware cloth) on the side where the coop faces the run. That would provide more ventilation, but being under the run roof would protect it from rain, snow, and wind. Easiest way to do it would be to repace one section of siding with hardware cloth.

 

[black_cat]

That looks like a sensible choice.



There are reasons for the way it's designed. Here's the reasons I can see:

A single big door tends to sag and bend the hinges, because it is so wide. Two narrower doors do not do that.

A single narrow door that is half as wide is fine when you consider the hinges. But the two wide ones let you open one entire side of the coop. That is really nice when you need to clean it (no reaching around awkward corners and edges). And it's even more helpful if you need to re-paint it or fix something. It is no fun to crawl through a small door and work in a too-small space.

Similar for the ones at the end of the run--a single wide door would probably sag and be awkward, a single narrow door makes it harder to get inside if/when you need to clean it out. With the double doors, you can bring a wheelbarrow inside to dump new bedding or carry out old bedding.

I see it also has doors on both sides to get under the coop--again, more bother to build, but really nice if you need to clean it (rake half the stuff from one side, half from the other side.) And if a hen hides a nest under there, or a chicken gets sick and just sits underneath, you can get to it much more easily than coming into the run and crawling all around.

One thing you probably can simplify on the coop doors: they have a wood frame, diagonal braces, and some kind of flat siding material. The diagonal braces add support, as well as being decorative. If your siding is a bunch of flat boards running across the door, you probably do need those braces. But if you use plywood or something similar for the flat material, you can skip the diagonal braces around the edges, because plywood itself makes a good brace. (The braces, or plywood, or possibly even hardware cloth on the run door, can keep your nice rectangular door from turning into a parallelogram. You don't want the top going right and the bottom going left and the whole thing not fitting the opening any more!)

Another detail I notice: there is a narrow shelf above the nestbox door. I think it's there to keep rain from getting into the nestboxes through the hinges at the top. Of course, the shelf can also be handy to sit things on, and will get snow on it in the winter, but I think its main purpose is to block rain and thus keep the nestboxes dry.

I have no clue about the quality of instructions, and I know they state the wrong number of chickens (16? only if they're bantams!), but I am quite impressed with the number of things that are designed RIGHT about that coop. Especially the ability to open up all parts to reach inside (a common problem with small coop designs.)

I think I would put a big window (hardware cloth) on the side where the coop faces the run. That would provide more ventilation, but being under the run roof would protect it from rain, snow, and wind. Easiest way to do it would be to repace one section of siding with hardware cloth.

There are reasons for the way it's designed. Here's the reasons I can see:

A single big door tends to sag and bend the hinges, because it is so wide. Two narrower doors do not do that.
Another thing I didn't know about building. Makes sense!
A single narrow door that is half as wide is fine when you consider the hinges. But the two wide ones let you open one entire side of the coop. That is really nice when you need to clean it (no reaching around awkward corners and edges). And it's even more helpful if you need to re-paint it or fix something. It is no fun to crawl through a small door and work in a too-small space.
Again, makes a lot of sense.
Similar for the ones at the end of the run--a single wide door would probably sag and be awkward, a single narrow door makes it harder to get inside if/when you need to clean it out. With the double doors, you can bring a wheelbarrow inside to dump new bedding or carry out old bedding.
I hadn't thought about things like wheelbarrows! Probably because I've never had a proper chicken setup.
I see it also has doors on both sides to get under the coop--again, more bother to build, but really nice if you need to clean it (rake half the stuff from one side, half from the other side.) And if a hen hides a nest under there, or a chicken gets sick and just sits underneath, you can get to it much more easily than coming into the run and crawling all around.
Not crawling around is a great idea on those doors-I may do them only on one side, but we'll see.
One thing you probably can simplify on the coop doors: they have a wood frame, diagonal braces, and some kind of flat siding material. The diagonal braces add support, as well as being decorative. If your siding is a bunch of flat boards running across the door, you probably do need those braces. But if you use plywood or something similar for the flat material, you can skip the diagonal braces around the edges, because plywood itself makes a good brace. (The braces, or plywood, or possibly even hardware cloth on the run door, can keep your nice rectangular door from turning into a parallelogram. You don't want the top going right and the bottom going left and the whole thing not fitting the opening any more!)
I think that I'm going to take the T1-11 route, painted with barn paint. I think that I will add the braces on the run doors for peace of mind, but skip them on the coop doors.
Another detail I notice: there is a narrow shelf above the nestbox door. I think it's there to keep rain from getting into the nestboxes through the hinges at the top. Of course, the shelf can also be handy to sit things on, and will get snow on it in the winter, but I think its main purpose is to block rain and thus keep the nestboxes dry.
That makes sense. Would it block the lid from opening all the way?
I have no clue about the quality of instructions, and I know they state the wrong number of chickens (16? only if they're bantams!), but I am quite impressed with the number of things that are designed RIGHT about that coop. Especially the ability to open up all parts to reach inside (a common problem with small coop designs.)
I have yet to see plans that state the right number of chickens. I will see if they have any free plans that I can look at for instruction quality.
I think I would put a big window (hardware cloth) on the side where the coop faces the run. That would provide more ventilation, but being under the run roof would protect it from rain, snow, and wind. Easiest way to do it would be to repace one section of siding with hardware cloth.
I was going to add some under the roof overhang as well by making the siding a bit shorter and covering the gap with HC. Would that work? Should it be a window that I can close, or no?

 

[black_cat]

Looking at these free plans of theirs: https://app.box.com/s/cuq3bv66ntr56jyql89nyro58iqhds34/file/688552969051
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of 'instructions' but it has clear diagrams, materials, and steps. Thoughts?

 

[NatJ]

narrow shelf above the nestbox door.

Would it block the lid from opening all the way?

The nestbox lid will probably not be able to open all the way to stand straight up, but I'm guessing it will open far enough for easy access. (That's a guess, because I don't see it open in any of the pictures.)

About hardware cloth for extra ventilation: you probably do not need a window that can close, especially if it is in a sheltered place (under a roof, into the run, etc). And if you mis-guess and it does need closing in the middle of winter, you can staple plastic or tarp over it, and build a proper window before the next winter.

Looking at these free plans of theirs: https://app.box.com/s/cuq3bv66ntr56jyql89nyro58iqhds34/file/688552969051
There doesn't seem to be much in the way of 'instructions' but it has clear diagrams, materials, and steps. Thoughts?

It all comes down to what you are comfortable working with. Personally, if I have to choose between a diagram or written instructions for a building project, I will take the diagram every time. But that's me.

If you have other people that will work with you, try showing that free plan to them. Because they will be right there figuring things out with you as you build, so their opinion of the instructions will matter more than any of ours here.