Solid cedar predator resistant chicken coop:

[Johnp33]

Most two hole-rs are large and small holes.
That is a great looking chicken house, well thought out, as long as you have the ability, to get easy access to do the clean out.

 

[czechsonofagun]

Very nice! I like to work with cedar, the smell can be strong enough to make me sick sometimes, but it's a great wood and cheap to get around here too.

 

[jimmyj]

Good ideas on the coop. I made many of the same mistakes as you on ours.

Two questions:
1. Can a critter dig under the base? I see a strand of e wire but do the boards go underground?
2. Do you get a lot of snow? Will it short the e wire?

 

[MotorSeven]

Jim,

1- yes, but all my pervious predator problems have been through the wire(or aireal raids). Next trip to Home Desperate I had planned to pick up 2 sheets of 1/2" OSB. I'll lay them down & set the coop on top...should take care of the digging threat.

2-yes, snow could short it and we are on a big creek so the coop site can see a foot of water during floods. Some day I need to bring in some gravel to build it up a little.

I am also going to grab a 5 gallon deer feeder with a digital timer & hang it in the yard. That way we can actually go on vacation without bothering the neighbors.

 

[jimmyj]

What you can do so you don't end up with poopy OSB is lay wire flat on the ground outside the coop and anchor it. Run it up the outside wall a bit too. That way a critter is on top of the wire and can't figure out why it can't dig down.

Sort of like the letter L in wire on the outside permiter.

 

[kidr]

When I bought my chicks I was told never to use cedar shavings as bedding. I forgot why, but maybe you should investigate a little.

 

[MotorSeven]

Yep the "L" will work but it might get in the way when I move the coop with the forks.

Yes, cedar shavings are not good for a lot of critters...it's the fine sawdust that causes respiratory problems. It's also not good for digestion as it is poisionous. Cedar boards however are safe.

They do scratch around in the sawmill sawdust pile but it can't be avoided.

 

[jimmyj]

Yep the "L" will work but it might get in the way when I move the coop with the forks.

Duh! Of course! Silly me..

Note: I use cedar bedding all the time, in theory it can be a respiratory problem vis a vis dust but I think that is exaggerated.

 

[MotorSeven]

I added a dowel rod at the door entrance. This gives the something to grab when the fly up. I removed the ladder yesterday evening & leaned it against a 2' round of firewood placed 3' away. Most of them walked up the ladder to the stump then flew up & across into the door. A few just flew straigh up from the ground but they all made it in before dark. Mission accomplished.........

 

[Steelstring]

I just got talked into chickens by my kids. The kids were seduced by cute chicks at the farm store and I caved in a moment of weakness.

I need to build a coop. I treated lumber ok to use with chickens or is that a bad idea?