Bamboo Chicken Coop Plans

[JennyJay]

I have a huge supply of bamboo growing on my property and would love to utilize it to build my chicken coop. I am having trouble finding plans using such material. If any one has any ideas, plans or help to suggest I am all ears!!!
Thank you!

 

[pkeeler]

The main functions of a chicken coop are to protect birds from predators, protect eggs from pests, and keep food and litter dry. You could use bamboo for siding, but I don't know if mice wouldn't be able to get through. Certainly, you could use it for roosts. But that won't use up a lot of bamboo. I don't think it would be good for structural members.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

You can build almost anything out of bamboo.
http://www.greenhomebuilding.com/bamboo.htm
http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2354497040077706091VyITwk

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
That first link is pretty amazing...the bamboo section.

 

[SunnyDawn]

What a great resource! I have seen simple plans, on-line, for tiki huts from bamboo. http://www.diynetwork.com/how-to/how-to-build-a-tiki-hut/index.html
But they would take quite a bit of modification. I think you could still use bamboo for the roof supports too, just drill through both pieces of bamboo with maybe a block or an "L" bracket under each horizontal piece for strength. I would use a piece of 4x4 for tops and bottoms of walls (depending on the diameter of the bamboo your using) and rabbet out the top, underside and bottom upper portion of the 4x4s and then just slide the lengths of bamboo in the grooves (like you would for a fence).

Sink the larger bamboo corner posts into the ground with cement or sand (instead of buckets as shown in this link). Foundation could be made of bamboo too, if you have very small diameter pieces, just build a foundation frame out of wood like you would for a shed, using Joist hangers between the 4x4s that the walls will be set on and building a frame with cut wood for strength. Hubby thinks that jute cord or hemp rope will work instead of bolts (wrap thru bolt holes and then several times around joints).
This should be strong enough if you use bamboo for the roof as well (placed side by side just like walls) since bamboo is lightweight but very strong (just don't want a lot of weight on joints), can add palm leaves over that to repel water and I would use a waterproof membrane over bamboo roof poles and under palm leaves for extra protection, (most chickens don't do well in damp). You would need to frame in openings for doors, vents, etc just like you would for any other structure, except that you would rabbet the tops and bottoms of frames for bamboo pieces to slide into and stay snug (or use an L cut in wood and staple a strip of wood in behind bamboo strips. Go down into wood frame only since bamboo does not take nails without splitting in several places.
Larger pieces of bamboo will split over time but this would be the benefit of wrapping well with jute or hemp rope because then you don't care when it splits. The front posts can be made 6-12 inches higher than back posts to allow for better runoff this just means that the side panels will be sloped but since you are cutting the sides out of individual pieces this would be easy to do. I would also build wood frames to support small platforms for bumpouts for nests. Using the same wall design for nest bumpout walls and sides, using plain corbels cut from 2x4s (cut a mitered edge at each end and brace to wood frame).
I'm much better versed in design than I am in framing but my DH always builds great things from my designs and he says he doesn't often have to make many changes to them. I'm saying that because a Framer would be very helpful when you go to actually put this thing together.
I WANT TO SEE PICS WHEN IT"S DONE!!! No matter what pattern you decide on. This would be an awesome coop!

 

[gsim]

No doubt you can build a coop from bamboo. How would you keep vermin from entering it tho? Bamboo is used for decorative applications in the first world and for everything in the 3rd world where nothing else is affordable. You will have to do a lot of thinking and research on vermin-proofing it for sure. It is slow to work with and has to be tied, not nailed or screwed. Tying must be done with synthetic ropes to prevent rot. It does split always, and the biggie, will it support a snow load? Each framing member should be wrapped too in order to prevent too much compromising of structural integrity by the cracks that will come.

 

[Elwar]

You could probably make your run out of bamboo and hardware wire and then use the bamboo for siding on a coop built from wood.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

One thing to remember about bamboo is even though it grows in damp conditions after it is cut it will rot quickly if kept in contact with dampness.

 

[wood&feathers]

The rot issue can be addressed. Bamboo is a grass, and can take up things like boric acid solution or noncuring oils just like a flower in a vase of water. I would be careful WHAT I soaked into the 'boo, for the health of chickies!

I forget the specifics but there is an English language web page from an Indian university with a detailed protocol for making construction boo last for years.

 

[Royd]

I've been playing with bamboo, for some time. It is an amazing plant, and is limited to your imagination. I make gardening tools.

In its full form, it is extremely strong, but is limited, in its bendability...If you learn to split it, to the point where each piece is basically flat, you can bend it, into a full circle.

Here's a shot of the hoophouse, I made, this fall, to protect my peppers...It was about two days work, between the splitting and tying; I used palm fronds for that. It's about 25' long and 5' wide.

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Here's some hoops I made, to protect my young greens, from the chickens... I simply wove split bamboo, through some 6' wide chicken wire, and secured it with bamboo stakes.

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