First Chicken Coop coming Thursday!!

[aart]

Let it dry out first...no matter what you use to seal/paint it.

 

[StephanieRose44]

Let it dry out first...no matter what you use to seal/paint it.

Dry out as in keep it dry/don’t put it in the rain or is there something idk about wood should I get dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of it, lol if this is the case please tell me all the details I want to make this coop wood as weather -ready as I possibly can.

 

[StephanieRose44]

Holy smokes that is a tiny coop! Looks like the inside is only 2 feet wide... the nest boxes don't count as living space. If by chance it really is 3 feet across, there's only 2 roost bars... which total 6 feet! Each bird needs at least 12-15 inches of roost space to sleep comfortably without fighting or banning some flock members from the coop.
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It's pretty much guaranteed your chickens will not spend any time in there unless it's for laying eggs or sleeping. I had a prefab similar to that (rated for 9 hens) for only my 3 girls and it turned out to be too small. Mine was 3'x3' (not counting nests) with a 3'x8' attached run space, and my birds never ever went inside for any other reason than to lay eggs or go to bed.
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I free ranged my girls every day until I found a better solution. Sounds like you've got a great garden space for them to spend their days, but all 12 chickens will not fit in that coop at night. Maybe 4 to 6 max. They'll be a little more tolerant of each other while they're young, pretty soon they'll start hashing out their pecking order and some pullets should start laying by about 6 months. But by 10-12 months that tolerance for being crowded goes away and only the top birds will be allowed inside, if they don't decide to roost in trees, so make sure you definitely get another coop by then. I second @townchicks idea to modify a large walk-in shed, then your whole flock can stay together. There's many people who have done that here with really nice results.

Also, have you read these articles?
How Much Room Do Chickens Need

Chicken Coop Ventilation - Go Out There And Cut More Holes In Your Coop!

Predator Proofing

They contain all the basics of the most important things to keep in mind for your coop. Don't worry, lots of folks start with a prefab... it'll make a good brooder or separation pen in the future if you ever need one!

Reminds me of a great thread with tons of lessons people have learned
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...orst-mistakes-when-you-first-started.1283540/

Your right, they already love spending time outdoors already, I should start covering that garden so they have a safe place to explore (without me or them worrying about predators) they’ve been getting pretty tolerant of the weather so far. Thank you your advice was like an epiphany!!

 

[aart]

Dry out as in keep it dry/don’t put it in the rain or is there something idk about wood should I get dehumidifier to suck the moisture out of it, lol if this is the case please tell me all the details I want to make this coop wood as weather -ready as I possibly can.

I'm assuming wood got wet...but maybe not.
You can't seal or paint wet wood,
sealer won't soak in and paint will peel off later if it even sticks,
so it needs to dry out before painting.

 

[StephanieRose44]

I'm assuming wood got wet...but maybe not.
You can't seal or paint wet wood,
sealer won't soak in and paint will peel off later if it even sticks,
so it needs to dry out before painting.

It’s dry no wood go wet, he was able to assemble it indoors. So it’s dry, it’s still inside...the wood is just very soft wood, so before I put it outside in this lovely weather we had been having hear in NY⛈
I was told when getting a pre-fab coop sealing the wood nand than putting a coat of paint on it would make it much safer from the elements. The coops is supposedly made from fur ( softest wood) imaginable lol but my older brother and husband both think its cedar. I personally believe it’s pine if it was cedar it would be a little harder I think .

I’m also going to take all of the great advice I got from you all so far:
get some hardware cloth for the windows/where ever else it’s needed. New locks for the nesting box, chicken ramp/door & the human door. The cenent blocks to raise it off the ground...

 

[aart]

Oh OK, good that it's dry.....yes, seal and/or paint it.
Do it in a warm place(70°F+) so sealer/paint can fully cure properly.
Cedar is pretty soft.

 

[StephanieRose44]

I just got clear outdoor deck sealer, it’s what a lot of people recommend. I shoul have enough space to do it inside