Tractor Supply 18 chicken coop - how to seal the bare wood? Plus a few other ???

[KyCoop]

One thing about prefabs (i know , there is more than one) is how light and easily tossed or even shifted in high wind.
Do you have you setup strapped to the ground at all?

 

[The Yardbird Life]

One thing about prefabs (i know , there is more than one) is how light and easily tossed or even shifted in high wind.
Do you have you setup strapped to the ground at all?

Definitely a good idea!

I have a bit smaller prefab that I completely painted with a Zinser Exterior Anti Mold and Mildew paint while it was still in pieces and then built it. In an effort to reduce the potential of the entire coop being lifted, I bought fresh green pressure treated 4x4x8 lumber, lifted the coop one side at a time, and put the 4x4 lumber underneath each side, squared it up and secured the corner joints, then strapped the coop to the rectangular framework with steel 90* angle steel. Serves the purpose of getting the coop's less desirable woodwork out of the dirt as well as making it very, very heavy to lift. It also allows 4" of deep bedding on the coop floor that doesn't make heavy contact with the coop's marginal wood. A couple-a-few ground stakes around the circumference of the heavy frame to attach it all to the ground was just to finalize the anchorage.

 

[nanobooboo]

Actually I don't have it strapped down. I did add a layer of shingles, and have it physically connected to the 10x10 fenced run. Added corrugated metal roof panels and HWC around, over the top and down into ground aprons. I found a hopefully wonderful source for the tarps. They're called TarpsNow. The ones I ordered come with grommets on all four sides, plus there are various thicknesses and sizes. They will do custom sizes. I say all that to HOPE that all the work I've done doesn't blow away like Dorothy and Toto! Should I recalculate for sail area???? Hahaha!

 

[nanobooboo]

Actually, it's this coop run combo:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...e-defender-chicken-coop-2020-1168239n-1485380

I agree with your roofing comment. We actually added a 4"x4" post along the center line for support. And we all had to crawl on top to screw in the roofing panels, so we gave it a test. We used a total of 4 sheets across (per side), with 3 green metal and 1 clear panel for sunlight. I looked today and we have a good pitch but need gutters. I see Bigdumogre got the new version with gutters. I'm jealous!
Got mine in June and STILL modifying it to suit. Thanks to him I discovered metal zipties! Many thanks for sharing that item! Very cool. So I will go back out and randomly add some more to critical stress points.

Anyhow, here's my latest accomplishment: automatic door opener with solar panel and controller box. Yes, those are the long paint stir sticks which God and Lowes just happened to put in front of me when I needed a solution...

 

[Three Stents]

I like FRP(Ferp) as we used it thru-out the hospital. It can be spendy if you use the smooth(non-textured) type. I would paint it with a 1 part epoxy paint.

 

[nanobooboo]

I was seriously considering FRP panels until I took another look at how much deconstruction I'd have to do. The interior has the metal bar in the center and across both end doors. I have to climb into the coop...quite awkward to say the least. I'm 5'3" and 125# and it is fairly tight quarters. And naturally you need something else or you break a drillbit and have to climb or crawl out. Opted for ReadySeal stain/sealer. Then overcoated the interior with FlexSeal clear. I guess we'll see how that does come cleanout.

My last conquest is weatherstripping around the doors to cut drafts. Any brilliant ideas? What I used with little success so far is the Frost King roll with the adhesive. It doesn't bond to the FlexSeal framing so I'm thinking either it'll have to come off *egads!* or someone has a brilliant idea. The gaps are pushing 5/8" on the door sides.

 

[Three Stents]

FYI and others for down the road regarding FRP. It is glued to surface, with FRP adhesive. You really should remove "brilliant" ideas. To me it sounds condensending.

 

[DonyaQuick]

My last conquest is weatherstripping around the doors to cut drafts. Any brilliant ideas? What I used with little success so far is the Frost King roll with the adhesive. It doesn't bond to the FlexSeal framing so I'm thinking either it'll have to come off *egads!* or someone has a brilliant idea. The gaps are pushing 5/8" on the door sides.

One of my flocks would definitely either try to eat wetherstripping and/or peel off anything they couldn't eat just for funsies.

I had a door with big gaps like that on one prefab and used strips of 1/4in thick wood to make a little rim to overlap on the inside, just stapled it on. Blocks the wind well enough, is less easy to chew through for rodents, and not something the chickens can pick at. I'm about to be doing the same type of solution on another door for a different, non-prefab coop.

 

[SourRoses]

We used automotive stick-on seal as weather stripping. (Found next to the door seals). It seems to work better. I do like the idea of making it out of wood for sturdiness, but our application under a hinged roof wouldn't have worked.
We got the dog house made by the same brand and modded it into a brooder (It was a slightly broken return for half price). Sprayed all sides 2x with UV resistant polyurethane.
Added upper ventilation, under the roof.
That's one thing it seems you haven't worked on yet. You really need some ventilation right under the roof. On the run side would work well, where the roof is highest, especially if your run roof will cover against the elements. Otherwise you'd need a small awning over it.
Moisture and ammonia travel up, and where it gets very cold you especially don't want a humid coop for frostbite reasons. On the coldest days you could cover that existing vent which seems too close to the roost for draft purposes.

 

[nanobooboo]

FYI and others for down the road regarding FRP. It is glued to surface, with FRP adhesive. You really should remove "brilliant" ideas. To me it sounds condensending.

My use of the word brilliant is anything but condescending. I have been working on this project for months and am really out of ideas on closing the gaps in the doors.