The shed is here.... OMG NOW WHAT!

[canesisters]

What have I done!

A couple of friends who used to have chickens heard that I had lost my mind and decided to get some, so they offered me their old coop. Another friend offered to haul it the 5 miles or so for me. I am SOO BLESSED!
Well - it took about 5 hours yesterday but the shed is in place!

Here is is when we got it off the trailer


And here is is finally in place



Here are a couple of inside shots



It's 8' x 8' x 12'. T111 siding with tin roof.

Things I have to address:

No Door. That I can handle. Thinking that I'll make a screen door with plexi panels that I can add in the winter.
No Floor. I've helped to build several decks and I have a bunch of those 'joist hangers', some 2x6s and a couple of sheets of plywood - so I think I've got that covered...... think...
6" gaps. It's on 6x6 skids so there is a 6" gap across the back and front. Since the run will be attached from the back wall, I can pull the wire that will be under it right through the gap and attach it to the front. But.. should I cover those gaps with plywood or wire? Would it better to leave them open for ventilation - you know, so it will dry faster after a rain, etc. And should I fill the space between the ground and the floor (sand) or leave it open? Whatever I do, it'll have to be done before the floor goes in so it needs to happen this week.
Opening At Peak. It's covered in 2x3 wire now. I can cover it with hardware cloth. BUT, there is no overhang on the front & back, should I be concerned about rain or snow blowing in???

There's a LOT more but these are the most pressing. So - all you experienced, creative, skilled coop builders out there - what do you think?

 

[EweSheep]

Great find!

Several steps!

Trim the excess metal shingles. You know it will get hot but since you have shade under those pine trees, it would be as hot as the ones out in the full sun.

Yep you can make a door with hardware wire. You can even go on craiglist for screen doors if you are having problems making a homemade door.

Get some board and cover up the gaps on the bottom. You can line the floor with hardware wire, with ends nailed on the foundation bottom all around. Do it well and get it up to more than five inches off from the foundation to wall as if a critter would get past the foundation line that has been nailed into and he would find himself another line of barrier. Nail the second line and make sure there are no openings, strong and secure. Sure you may spend alot on screws but I'd rather go over the top on that one!

Instead of making a floor if you do not have flooding problems, get rubber stall mats. Those things are GREAT and easy to clean up and it will cover the wire that you had installed. And it will be easy to remove if you want to wash down the shed OR usual maintaince.

The opening in the peak can be covered with hardware wire.

Can you add windows in your shed. It would be perfect for cross vents and chickens love to sit next to a window to look out!

 

[KimKimWilliamso]

Awesome, cant wait to see the finished product!
My only suggestion is that I would for sure slap a coat of paint in the inside of the coop to freshen it up, etc.

 

[canesisters]

Thanks for the help.

I have 2 sets of old windows that were 'found' at a dumpster. I think they are lower and upper parts of 'double-hung' windows. I had planned to put the larger ones facing east (the left side of the picts) and the 2 smaller ones facing south (back of the shed) - if I can figure out the framing. I think that once I get one done, the rest will be easier. I want to hinge them from the top so I can open them during the hot, humid summer time.

If I cover the ground with wire and plywood up the gaps - could I just fill the floor with sand - 6-8" deep??? I've heard that sand is so much easier to keep clean.

As for heat - it was near 90 yesterday and I was sitting out there between 1 and 3 looking and planning and knocking down old perches and it wasn't too bad. There was a breeze coming in the door and going out that opening in the peak.
With that opening at the peak being flush with the wall /roof edge, should I worry about rain coming in? I wanted to put the perches along that wall.


Kimkim - I'm planning a nice bright yellow for the inside and maybe sunflower mural for the outside.

 

[chfite]

I would trim down to the ground on the outside of the building with wire fence to prevent digging, extending the wire fence out from the building about 24 inches.

I would install a floor. I think it would be easier overall rather than deal with dirt inside the coop. I would install a vapor barrier under the building to help prevent moisture from damaging the floor from underneath.

If you make a screen door, you should have plenty of ventilation. I would trim the metal roofing and make an extension over the window openings in the back to keep rain out.

I would mix a solution of bleach 25% in water with a dash of Tide to use to spray down the insides, then rinse well. Wear protective clothing. This will kill off a lot critters that may have set up shop in the nooks and crannies.

As old as that wood is, it seems unlikely that paint would adhere. I would use a deck stain to seal the wood and proved a more finished appearance, except I would not bother.

Nice score.

Chris

 

[canesisters]

Ok - I knew it was coming... Things that I didn't know that I didn't know.

What is vapor barrier? Just a sheet of heavy plastic over the ground? Like you find in crawl spaces? Or something extra that I'll have to add to the list for Lowes?

Also, I'm planning to take the nest boxes down this evening. I'd like to replace them with exterior boxes. Can anyone post picts of how you framed/ built yours? Right now, the shed has 11 nest boxes. They're really nicely built but I can't imagine needing that many. I'm hoping to re-use some of the wood for a poop shelve under the roost.

If the weather holds, and I can get the boxes down tonight. tomorrow will be hosing down the inside and wire-ing up the ground below the floor. When I got up on the ladder to see how the boxes were attached (just like kitchen cabinets) I found that they were still full of bedding and one of them had 2 eggs in it. My neighbors haven't had chickens for about 6 years.... anyone want to take a shot at hatching those eggs????

 

[canesisters]

I saw this today and I was wondering if anyone has ever used it?? It's coated with vinyl or PVC or something. The guage is pretty small, I can cut it with a box cutter - but it would not rust as easily. For laying on the ground under the coop floor - what do yall think?

Another question - in the run - everyone talks about laying chicken wire/hardware cloth/fence wire on the ground and covering it with dirt or sand - hasn't it pretty much rusted away to nothing after, say, 5 years underground??

 

[canesisters]

...sorry - one more...

floor joists in an 8x8 building - 2x4 or 2x6?

 

[thecoopbuilder]

For a shed builders point of view, you got a pretty good deal and I give those helpers props for getting that shed over there. One suggestion is to make sure it is well ventilated due to the metal roof and possibly if it gets hot up there.

 

[canesisters]

For a shed builders point of view, you got a pretty good deal and I give those helpers props for getting that shed over there. One suggestion is to make sure it is well ventilated due to the metal roof and possibly if it gets hot up there.

Oh, they were awesome! They're a couple from down the road and they enlisted their son. That boy is a BULL! We were using 2 big metal pipes (Egyptian pyramid builder style) to roll it across the yard and every now and then we'd get carried away and roll it right off the pipes - he'd just take a landscape timber, stick it under the 6" gap and lift it enough to put the pipe back under. I'm gonna owe them a LOT of eggs.

chfite suggested using the metal ends that I trim off to make 'awnings' over the vents up in the peak. Seems like a good idea - IF I can get them flattened out again... and IF I can figure out how to mount them.