Start of new coop--have newbie questions

Nurs4kids

Chirping
12 Years
Apr 26, 2011
32
6
84
God's Country
I PROMISE I have read and researched all this--probably too much and it's all jumbling in my mind. Thanks in advance for advice, answers and suggestions!

Plan to have 4-6 hens in this coop.


1. We are building a modified version of the "Witchita Cabin Coop" https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=66725-wichita-cabin-coop . We changed the dimensions a bit. The coop will be 4'x4' and the run area will be 4x4 as well (plus the area under the coop). It will be 8' high in front and 7' in the rear. The nesting boxes are mounted on the exterior so do not effect the coop area. Is this enough run/roam area for this small number of hens or do we also need a long run? I know the rule of thumbs (2-3 square feet per chicken inside the henhouse and 4-5 sq/ft per chicken in an outside run) so I seem to be okay, but it just seems confining to me.

2. We plan to use a metal roof screwed directly to the frame (we live in the south, so snow weight not an issue). We used treated lumber around the base where the wood contacts the base, but we are using untreated yellow pine for the structure. I feel like I need to paint/stain the wood to protect it from the elements. I have a gallon of polyurethane left from doing hardwood floors. Is oil based polyurethane safe for the birds?

3. I'm debating on what to do with the floor in the coop. Anyone tried just covering the plywood with contact paper?

4. Ventilation: I'm trying to comprehend how much I need. It's hot and humid here in the summer. I plan to put windows in the door of the coop and also above the nesting boxes. Is this adequate ventilation or do I also need to leave a gap at the roof-line? If so, how much gap?

The beginning:
 
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There are a lot of discussions of coops for warm/hot climates on here. I would encourage you to build a design that is mostly open air, providing only arain and wind free spot for inclement days. 3 sides are plenty. Chickens are built for cold weather and can die in 100 degree heat. Mine are already seeking shade, holding their wings away from their body and panting in the 80's. In warm weather they absolutely need as much breeze and shade as you can muster -- and they do not need an enclosed building, IMO. There are very successful open air coop designs for northern climates. Here are just two links for some ideas:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=163417

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=436493&p=2

One advantage is they don't need a full 4 sq ft of coop in an open ended coop, only enough room to get out of the rain, roost and sleep under shelter. The square footage usually given as the minimum on this board is 4 in the coop and 10 in the run. Personally I would not keep chickens in a run this small, but many people do, and if I were building from scratch I doubt they would have 4 sq ft in the coop.

You can use any kind of paint in a coop. Like people, fumes are not good for them, so it's a matter of allowing it to dry thoroughly before putting the chickens in. Contact paper will not hold up. Simplest solution for a plywood floor is either paint it (2 or 3 coats, especially if you plan to do a lot of washing) or cover it with a scrap of linoleum. Don't use stick-on tiles; they will peel up and stuff will get caught in the cracks in between. I have only had dirt floor coops so can only talk about what I've read for floors.

Good luck!
 
I agree with the excellent advice from the previous comment. The only thing I would add to it is that if you have hot weather to contend with in the summer like we do, try to site your coop in the shadiest part of your yard. I can't emphasize this enough. Heat build up inside a coop that's sited in the sun can be deadly.
 
Very important point, elmo, that obviously I missed. Even in the north they may well need shade in summer.
 
Much thanks to the two of you! Obviously, we need to modify our coop plans before we go any farther. I THINK we have shade covered with the placement of it. Plus just to the right of it we have several huge oaks.

I will definitely extend the run as well. If I could figure out how to secure wire over the edge of deck block, I already have the perfect structure for a run. We have a deck around our pool that offers shade and plenty of run room (6'x10'+). I'm just not sure I can make it secure with those blocks flaring at the ground level.

Again, much thanks!!
 
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I'm with you, that's kind of tight on the run space (just 6-8 sq ft per hen); if you can make it larger, you would not regret it nor would your chickens.

Is oil based polyurethane safe for the birds?

I am sort of under the impression that interior polyurethane does not hold up well at all outdoors. (you could check on that though). Prime-and-paint would be your longest lasting protection for the wood. Stain less so. Deck sealer your shortest-lasting option.

3. I'm debating on what to do with the floor in the coop. Anyone tried just covering the plywood with contact paper?

no no no no no. don't even try it. Won't work. Will disintegrate or peel within weeks, I will betcha anything.

Just prime and paint the plywood. I know people on this forum like vinyl, and there is nothing WRONG with vinyl, but there is equally nothing wrong with prime and paint the plywood, it works just as well
tongue.png


Ventilation: I'm trying to comprehend how much I need. It's hot and humid here in the summer. I plan to put windows in the door of the coop and also above the nesting boxes. Is this adequate ventilation or do I also need to leave a gap at the roof-line? If so, how much gap?

I don't know how hot "it's hot here" is, but generally you would be best off having absolutely the MAXIMUM ventilation you can possibly build in, in the South, up to the point of being almost entirely open (hardwarecloth) with just enoguh sheltered area for stormy days and nighttime. Think of it not so much as a box with ventilation, as a screen porch with a bit of enclosure/windbreak
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I am sure you can figure out some way of running your run wire around the deck blocks btw. Several options come to mind offhand, they would require a bit of fiddly-work but then you'd be *done* it and it'd be good
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Remember you also want some form of digproofing so that critters cannot dig under your run fence, pop up inside, and eat chickens. A 2-3' wire-mesh apron is typically good for this, but there are otehr options too e.g. a wide band of BIIIIIG pavers.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​
 
I ran out and took a few pics in case someone has any ideas/suggestions for making a run out of this area. It's just a bunch of wasted space (other than storing bricks, wood, etc.
big_smile.png
) that I'd love to make use of. Were it not for having to get to it to clean the poo, I would just surround the whole pool deck area with chicken wire and let them basically run free range...but some of the areas are no more than 2' off the ground.

ANY IDEA ON HOW TO SECURE CHICKEN WIRE OVER THE BLOCK?



considering the run under the steps then along edge of pool wall to outer deck (NOT under 1-2' section of center deck)


The area going down toward where the bricks are stacked. I was wrong on my prev post, it's more like 4' wide, but I could make the run as long as I wanted..up to about 20'
 
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Quote:
I'm with you, that's kind of tight on the run space (just 6-8 sq ft per hen); if you can make it larger, you would not regret it nor would your chickens.

Is oil based polyurethane safe for the birds?

I am sort of under the impression that interior polyurethane does not hold up well at all outdoors. (you could check on that though). Prime-and-paint would be your longest lasting protection for the wood. Stain less so. Deck sealer your shortest-lasting option.

3. I'm debating on what to do with the floor in the coop. Anyone tried just covering the plywood with contact paper?

no no no no no. don't even try it. Won't work. Will disintegrate or peel within weeks, I will betcha anything.

Just prime and paint the plywood. I know people on this forum like vinyl, and there is nothing WRONG with vinyl, but there is equally nothing wrong with prime and paint the plywood, it works just as well
tongue.png


Ventilation: I'm trying to comprehend how much I need. It's hot and humid here in the summer. I plan to put windows in the door of the coop and also above the nesting boxes. Is this adequate ventilation or do I also need to leave a gap at the roof-line? If so, how much gap?

I don't know how hot "it's hot here" is, but generally you would be best off having absolutely the MAXIMUM ventilation you can possibly build in, in the South, up to the point of being almost entirely open (hardwarecloth) with just enoguh sheltered area for stormy days and nighttime. Think of it not so much as a box with ventilation, as a screen porch with a bit of enclosure/windbreak
wink.png


I am sure you can figure out some way of running your run wire around the deck blocks btw. Several options come to mind offhand, they would require a bit of fiddly-work but then you'd be *done* it and it'd be good
smile.png


Remember you also want some form of digproofing so that critters cannot dig under your run fence, pop up inside, and eat chickens. A 2-3' wire-mesh apron is typically good for this, but there are otehr options too e.g. a wide band of BIIIIIG pavers.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

Thanks, Pat! Some great info! I think I've decided to go three-sided. Our temps range from 96 deg f and un-breathable humidity in the dead of summer to 15 deg f in winter.

When going with three-sided, what about night time light? Will it bother the hens? It is relatively dark, but there are a few street lights around and inevitably a neighbor who leaves porch light on all night.

As for digprooofing; my greatest critter concern is our great dane. My plan is to cover the coop with hardware cloth and then do a chicken wire mesh apron at the footing attached to the base boards with gravel over the apron. This sound okay?​
 
One more question:

Should the coop face east or west?

My thought, now that I've realized heat is more my concern than cold, is to have it facing southeast so that they get morning sun. The northwest side of my property is heavily shaded, so then they'd get no evening sun.

Pat, forgot to thank you for the links. I searched last night for hot-climate coops and couldn't narrow down to what I needed. Much appreciated!
 
On the east or west thing, it depends where your winds come from. For some reason ours mostly come from the north and I'm so glad the wire sides of my coop are on the north and south, it's almost like a wind tunnel in there. Any chance you could turn the solid side of the coop toward the night lights and street lights? I think their getting breeze in that climate (sounds about like mine) is more important, though; they should get accustomed to some light, and if it's really bad, you could always hang a little piece of shade cloth.

Morning sun is better than evening sun, for sure. Here, the sun in summer almost seems like it's more in the southern sky than the east/west sky. You'll figure it out, I'm sure.
 

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