Starting out, MANY questions

[ColoradoPip]

This is a money thread. Everything you need to know, right here in one place! Awesome tips and info!

Your barn is going to be an awesome coop!! Can't wait to see it come along.

 

[Ted Brown]

Another thought:

8. I have 15 chickens in a 160 sq ft coop space with access to another 160 sq ft run space under the coop. This winter a majority of their time was spent inside the coop, chickens ventured outside ONLY when the temperatures climbed to -5C. My birds have an inside dust bath (sand with stove ash mixed in and replenished every couple of weeks), a swing, water/feed.

So far no sign of stresses; give them as many activity objects as you can think of that do not take up lots of floor space.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Hello and welcome to BYC! Your barn looks great. I converted an 8 x 10 foot shed into a coop and built a large run attached to it. The 1/2 inch, 19 gauge HC is very good and like previous posters mentioned will keep all but the exceptionally large predators out. I tried the DLM the first winter and I really hated it. It took forever to clean out in the Spring. I have a wood floor so it really wasn't a good idea. I clean under the roost either daily or every other day, depending on the weather and keep relatively clean shavings on the floor all the time. It works much better and is so much easier to keep clean. Best of luck with your new property.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Welcome, welcome, welcome! Nice having you as a member of our flock. Lots of flock members to give assistance with any problems you have.

 

[Rhendera]

Thank you all SO much, all of this helps loads.

- I am going to look for Black Jack 57 and if I can't find it, will go with regular deck paint.
- Going to do the Deep Bedding (Shavings) instead of DLM.
- I will make the run bigger than the little overhang that's attached right now, and will fill the run with sand. But first the focus will be on the coop.
- I will use the 1/2 inch HWC inside the coop and the run - I actually checked again and there's only one hole in the coop that would cause concern (besides the windows) - and might even put some sturdier fencing against the HWC in the run in the future (saw that idea somewhere else here on BYC) together with electricity, of course. We already have everything for that right on the property.
- Plenty more ventilation will be added before winter starts.
- I will put sand in "drawers" underneath the roosts for easier cleaning, instead of traditional poop boards.

Now am I right to assume I should always close the coop at night if I use the 1/2hwc for the run as smaller critters could crawl through that, right? (Minks, etc) Or can they not get through?

For the roosts, I have some 1x6 boards readily available in the barn - are those too wide for roosts? (I mainly read about 1x4s?)

So I shouldn't worry too much about mice? I have some leftover 1/4th hwc from another project.. should I combine it with the 1/2" hwc inside the barn or just use the 1/2" hwc?

So many answers.... and somehow I still end up with more questions.
The birds I am getting are by a local farmer and she seems to have had the breeds for years now, so I am assuming they will do OK in this climate. (Marans, Orpingtons, Swedish Silverudd's Isbars and Ameruacanas) .... and who am I kidding I am sure there'll be more in the future

 

[Ted Brown]

You can get BJ57 at AUTO HOME PAINTS (THUNDER BAY) L,1048 BALMORAL STREET, THUNDER BAY, ON P7B 5T9.

I have used 1/2" by 1/2" HC, live near water (mink otter usually are near water). I have searched and the best I can find is that mink can get through 3/4" holes. I think you will be good with the 1/2", so far I have not had any problems and know that 1/2" HC properly installed will keep raccoons out (NB My experience is limited as I started last September).

Mice will not harm your chickens, more of a nuisance than anything, minimize food being spread on the floor/bedding.

I check my chickens and close up my coop every night; so far everyone is inside and on the roosts before it gets dark. If you are convinced that your run is secure you could leave the pop door open but I like the feeling I get by having it closed.

As you have seen most often one sees 2" by 4" or smaller being used for roosts. Given that you have 2" by 6" on hand I would use it as is or rip it down using a table/circular saw (make sure to round the edges to avoid splinters). If your chickens don't like it they will let you know and you can adjust. The only issue I see is that your roosts will take more space (should be 12" from wall and from other roosts) adds 2" per to the space required.

I use plan to use DLM in my runs but am working my way to that. Last fall I spread mulch on the ground and gathered a bunch of fallen leaves (both deciduous and pine needles) and put those under the coop (my only current run space). It is still in good shape and the chickens love rooting about in it. Sand is cold in the winter, not easy to clean, will eventually stink and is more expensive if you have to buy it.

Best of luck, they are great fun and I love getting eggs every morning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

- I will put sand in "drawers" underneath the roosts for easier cleaning, instead of traditional poop boards.

Now am I right to assume I should always close the coop at night if I use the 1/2hwc for the run as smaller critters could crawl through that, right? (Minks, etc) Or can they not get through?

So I shouldn't worry too much about mice? I have some leftover 1/4th hwc from another project.. should I combine it with the 1/2" hwc inside the barn or just use the 1/2" hwc?

For your "drawers" does that mean you're intending to pick them up or pull them to empty? I strongly urge you to make a test model first, sand and all, and actually try handling it and seeing if that's feasible. Most drawer builds don't work as intended.

I always close up the coop. Just because nothing bigger than a rat has gotten inside the run doesn't mean that one random day, something more dangerous won't try. I've seen evidence of coons testing the HWC on the run itself, but they weren't more motivated to get in since the chickens were all inside the coop.

It depends, with mice. Do you have a known mouse problem? They might not attack chickens but they can still carry pests and disease and will of course eat feed.

I have never seen a mouse around the chicken area but they sure love to try and get inside our house!

 

[Panhandler80]

2. In a coop with a floor, if you're interested in "deep litter" you'd want to go with deep bedding over deep litter (the difference being you'd never add moisture and aren't trying to compost). My bedding is aged chunky wood chips - main reason for this is it's free for me, and the chips are also used in my run. Twice a year I rake the chips out of the coop and into the run's deep litter, and then add new chips to the coop. I don't use poop boards so I spot clean under the roosts each morning instead.

Why do you say that with deep bedding you wouldn't be trying to compost? No reason I couldn't still use the removed material and let it compost, is there?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why do you say that with deep bedding you wouldn't be trying to compost? No reason I couldn't still use the removed material and let it compost, is there?

If it is too dry it will not compost in place. But yeah, great stuff for the compost pile.

 

[Panhandler80]

If it is too dry it will not compost in place. But yeah, great stuff for the compost pile.

Yeah, and too wet is also bad. Just wasn't sure why not having a dirt floor would preclude from letting it compost in place. I realize that it may be a bit more to get started, but it seems like it would still be possible. Will be coating floor, studs and 20" or so up the walls with Blackjack 57, so I"m not too worried about premature wood rot from moisture.