My husband and I want to cut ventilation out in the front and back wall, at the top near the eaves. Sort of like a flap that can act as a partial roof in case of rain or drizzle. And we want to cut removable panels on both sides, take the panels off during summer and put them back on during winter. The ventilation and removable panels would be covered with a chicken wire layered under chain link fence combo as we have a bunch of both laying around. We might have to add a fan to our ventilation area as the building is in a recessed corner and wont get good breezes. I am planning to sink some spare metal roofing panels that are 3ft X 4ft around the coop to keep predators from digging under and getting in through the floor. We have the building cleared out and are assessing repairs needed before we begin remodeling the building. There are nails to pull out, broken boards where the building shifted (which means I get to crawl under there and re-level it as well, I was hoping I didn't have to get under another building for that after I did my house!), some gaps in the walls that need to be shut, etc. Shouldn't take long, I am pretty handy wood worker. lol
If the building is 8X14, how many chickens can live in there comfortably? I keep forgetting the minimum square footage per bird........
Any other suggestions? tips? Things I missed?
Thank you!from south San Antonio!
No run, just a coop so unless the weather is truly horrible they will free range everyday. My other coop is 11ft X 6ft and I think I was told that it was too small for how many chickens I have in there now, and the poor dears are sharing with the geese too! The only reason I haven't had a problem is that I open the coop door in the morning to let them out and lock it at night. So they get out all day, plus the oldest are only 9 weeks old so don't need as much room as they will when full grown. As soon as that door opens though, its a stampede! The flock comes out wings spread running and squawking and just being silly and happy to get out of there!
My husband and I want to cut ventilation out in the front and back wall, at the top near the eaves. Sort of like a flap that can act as a partial roof in case of rain or drizzle. And we want to cut removable panels on both sides, take the panels off during summer and put them back on during winter. The ventilation and removable panels would be covered with a chicken wire layered under chain link fence combo as we have a bunch of both laying around. We might have to add a fan to our ventilation area as the building is in a recessed corner and wont get good breezes. I am planning to sink some spare metal roofing panels that are 3ft X 4ft around the coop to keep predators from digging under and getting in through the floor. We have the building cleared out and are assessing repairs needed before we begin remodeling the building. There are nails to pull out, broken boards where the building shifted (which means I get to crawl under there and re-level it as well, I was hoping I didn't have to get under another building for that after I did my house!), some gaps in the walls that need to be shut, etc. Shouldn't take long, I am pretty handy wood worker. lol
If the building is 8X14, how many chickens can live in there comfortably? I keep forgetting the minimum square footage per bird........
Any other suggestions? tips? Things I missed?
