Siding material, ventilation, and other coop questions.

[black_cat]

Looking at these plans:
http://thetanglednest.com/2010/02/our-urban-chicken-coop-plan/
They are 3x6, but because one side is 6', I can look at the framing to make it sound on all sides. Seems easier to build than the big one, and less expensive. Thoughts? My mom has found a 4x6 one as well. Would this be enough for 7 chickens? They seem to like the idea of new chicks, but not as many as I had hoped. Which is ok. How would I go about cleaning a coop that was inhabited by different chickens? What are some questions we should ask to prevent infecting our flock with things like fowl pox?

 

[black_cat]

Also: Remember those concrete things I was asking about? How do you attach hardware cloth to the posts? Just around them? Help!

 

[aart]

They are 3x6

A 3' width will be tough to get everything in the coop that you need.

My mom has found a 4x6 one as well. Would this be enough for 7 chickens?

No not in your climate, unless you have a very large weather and predator proof run.

How would I go about cleaning a coop that was inhabited by different chickens?

I toss scratch out into the run in the morning them clean the coop and top of feed and water.

What are some questions we should ask to prevent infecting our flock with things like fowl pox?

Dry pox is a virus carried by mosquitos....you're overthinking again.

Also: Remember those concrete things I was asking about? How do you attach hardware cloth to the posts? Just around them? Help!

For an anti dig apron?
You attach the mesh the to framing above blocks.

 

[black_cat]

A 3' width will be tough to get everything in the coop that you need.
I was thinking that because the plans are 6' on one side, I could make it 6' both ways using the framing for the 6' side as a reference.
No not in your climate, unless you have a very large weather and predator proof run.
Darn. I'll tell them.
I toss scratch out into the run in the morning them clean the coop and top of feed and water.
I meant if we buy a coop that is already used-inhabited by another flock before ours. I should have been more clear on that.
Dry pox is a virus carried by mosquitos....you're overthinking again.
What was the one that can be carried on feather scraps? Probably overthinking but you know what I mean. I want to make sure that I'm getting rid of any diseases that could infect my flock.
For an anti dig apron?
You attach the mesh the to framing above blocks.
For that, but also just the mesh that acts as 'walls' for that under coop bit of the run.

(whoops-accidentally put all my answers in the quote.)

 

[black_cat]

Should the seams on siding be vertical or horizontal?

 

[aart]

6x6 would be good for 5-6 birds.

Cleaning a used coop. Depends....Vikron kills everything...do a search here on cleaning used coops.

Vertical.

 

[jgarner1327]

I am worried about doing that because I am worried that if the power goes out, they'll get too cold and die, and I also don't want to have a coop fire, which can be caused by heat lamps.

If it's really cold and there's a power outage in the winter, I'd bring them in the house. I made sure that there's lots of room around the heat lightbulb and it has an aluminum shield on it and a very heavy duty cord so it doesn't overheat. I had them in the kitchen last week when we had a heatwave of temps over 100. They were miserable in the heat, and I tried a fan on the patio for them first but it just blew hot air, so I blocked off both doors in the kitchen and brought them inside with the A/C on.

 

[black_cat]

*fanfare blowing*
We have decided on a final plan!
This was actually decided about a week ago but I am a master procrastinator and I haven't gotten around to typing it.
We have bought a 4x6 chicken coop that is raised off the ground and has external nesting boxes. It is currently being built. It is a compromise between 4x3, which is the default size that the guy makes, and 6x6, which was what I had wanted. It is only raised up 10 inches, so I'll dig out a bit under it to make the gap larger so they will use it. I'll have the ground in the run slope down to the part under the coop. We are going to build a 6x7 roofed run that is a walk in size, that will connect to the space under the coop. The roosts will not run along the length of the coop, but instead be on the short side, near the back, I believe. The coop will have a closeable pop door, which will make it much easier to close at night instead of dealing with the crazy setup we have now. If the nesting boxes are at floor level, I'll see about fencing underneath them as well so that there is more run space. We will be keeping our four rental chickens

 

[aart]

*fanfare blowing*
We have decided on a final plan!

When will we see it?

It is only raised up 10 inches, so I'll dig out a bit under it to make the gap larger so they will use it. I'll have the ground in the run slope down to the part under the coop.

Better to put blocks under it to raise it up higher.
Run sloping to under coop might make for puddles under coop, not good.
Any slope should lead away from and/or out of coop and run.

 

[black_cat]

When will we see it?

Better to put blocks under it to raise it up higher.
Run sloping to under coop might make for puddles under coop, not good.
Any slope should lead away from and/or out of coop and run.

Hopefully in about a week. I'll post pictures on that panicked thread as an update as well (the one where I had first gotten them)

That, my friend, is an excellent idea. How high should it be for them to use it properly?