Six by 8 coop plans?

[cmom]

I mentioned it to a fellow at Lowes and he told me to let it completely dry out and it would take around 90 days. I have some sheets of plywood for a coop now on my picnic table that I have left there for a few months and they have lightened up somewhat in color so the wood preservative they use must have dried out. I'm getting ready to prime it and paint it. I have to replace some wood on a coop.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Most Lowes are high volume - they typically store lumber outdoors, behind the store, then move it inside as stocks sell thru - meaning even though its under a roof now, it may not have been hours or days ago, depending on how popular the product is. HomeDepot the same way. Both businesses do a steady volume in bulk contractor orders, in addition to the home owner flow thru.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

The only predators I really have to worry about where I live are skunks and possums. We have barn cats and indoor outdoor cats so I've literally never seen a rat or mouse anywhere lol but I so know we have rat snakes to so I have to protect the eggs from them.

If you are worried about snakes, I would go with the HC. NOT 1/4 inch. It isn't has "heavy" gauge wire as the 1/2 inch so while the holes are smaller, it is easier to break. There is really no reason to double it up. It will just cost twice as much money to do that. If you really feel the need to double up on the amount of wire, I would use 2x4 wire (like mentioned by Ridgerunner above) and HC rather than double HC.. It would be cheaper.

 

[cmom]

We were planning to make the new coop 8x16. We staked it out on the ground and stood inside the space then DH said "This looks smaller than it did on paper."

Can you lay out your new coop with flags ,chalk, marking tape, or whatever so that you can stand in it and see if it seems likely to work the way you have in mind?

A couple of my coops are 8x16. I made them into duplexes. I can either use them as a big single coop or as two. The pens have a gate between them so I can open the gate or shut it.

 

[cmom]

I eventually took the roosts off of the nest boxes because some of the birds would roost on them and poop in the nest boxes.

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

I eventually took the roosts off of the nest boxes because some of the birds would roost on them and poop in the nest boxes.

I really like your set-up. Do you have a picture taken from front to back?

 

[cmom]

Not sure what you mean. I have the back side of the coop with removable panels with easy access so I can clean out the poop from under the roosts.

 

[cmom]

 

[Cattle dog Mom]

@cmom I meant on the inside like standing in front of the pop door, looking towards the roosts.

 

[cmom]

No the only picture I have in the one above of the inside taken from the doorway. Right now it's overcast and raining but when I get a chance I will go out and take another picture. Both ends of the coop has a door so I can go in without having to open the gate.