new basic coop design

I think your chickens will still roost in the nest boxes. Maybe put your roosts at the same height, 24 inches. I am building a 4 x 8 coupe that is 30 inches off the ground. I can reach into it easily. And I'm putting the food and water under the coop in the run.

how do you plan on keeping the roost up when opening out main doors ?

irish hens said:

how do you plan on keeping the roost up when opening out main doors ?

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Was wondering how long it would take for someone to ask!

I will probably just frame it off of an interior stud from the side wall and extend a leg down, or use a wire to suspend from a roof stud/rafter.

The roost should be minimum 8 inches from wall. I space my roosts 14 inches from one another. I don't bother with stepped roosts and keep them at same height. But then I've a short coop and want them using all of the roosts so have two 16 inches up from bedding, 20 inches from floor. My nests are exterior mounted and few inches up from floor level. Hole to nests is 6 inches up from floor so just higher than bedding. Coops on stilts are a nice option. Feed and water kept out of elements under it, clean out is easy as it's waist high (shovel out into wheel barrow) and the nests are at easy height to lift lid and collect. Never need to bend over. An option anyway. When I started with chickens made the run 4 ft high as chickens don't need height. Well after crawling around in chicken crap for a summer to capture birds or do some minor thing like upright and refill the water container they knocked over and rolled to far corner decided I'd never deal with bending over, ducking or crawling again. There's so many ways to do things but I'll put out what I've done to give you more ideas to mull over.

Here is a pic or two to show how easy external boxes can be and how my coop is laid out for roosts. My birds are never locked up excepting at night so never a need to put feed and water in it.


This is one hole cut out then the 2x2 cleats screwed on. The box for nests is screwed to outer 2x2's and scrap plywood is tacked to inner 2x2's to make for three equal width nests. You'll notice I'm a huge fan of cheap and light 2x2's and frame sparingly. Plywood is extremely strong stuff and only needs to be screwed to something, I use 3/8 ply for less weight. Structurally sound for coops. The roof is hardware cloth covered over a few 2x2's (weasel protection) then the corragated roofing screwed on. No plywood. With enough slant makes for excellent ventilation. I live in a high snow load area. Plenty strong for few feet of snow and can always scrap some off.



Yup, 2x3's for stilts that run height of coop. 2x3's for outer floor frame and 2x2's screwed to that 1/2 inch or more down for plywood to sit on and be screwed to. Only used one 2x2 center for joist. Really for something to screw a hook to to hang feed. Yeah, a 4ft span for 1/2 inch ply is fine for liter and chickens. Plenty strong for my 3 year old to jump on and sit while I dragged him around. LOL


Didn't need all that height, could have easily shortened by 6 inches. May still do that to lessen weight. Metal roof added a lot but it was free. Need dry grass to make up a hill now. Got to drop some weight still. That or rig up tire chains for the lawn tractor.


The skids are so I can drag it around with lawn tractor. Move the electric netting and coop every 3 weeks in spring/summer and fall. Always have it around a few trees or shrubs. They will hang out most of the day under a tree or shrub and scratch the ground bare there.

Forgot to add that I did need to add a plexi window to far end for lighting. Coop was too big to light from pop door and roof vents. If you used a transparent roof problem solved. I picked up a 14x14 plexi from hardware store for $3 and screwed it over a 12x12 square cut on far side of coop above roost level.

I'm thinking about puthing a single roosting bar across the length of the coop, and putting a couple roosting boxes in one of the double doors. This eliminates the need for the ramp and maximizes floor space in case of chicken math.

I'm making the coop in 3 parts and designing it to butt right up to the enclosed run. The base is fully framed pressure treated 2x4 and 3/4 plywood. May put rope handles in for moving. The coop body will attach by some metal joining plates so it can be removed, and then someone is donating a metal roof that will have a slanted frame I can just bolt on. It's gonna be sturdy. I'm not moving it around the yard, just want to be able to take with us if we move.

Should I place them in the open where they get the most daylight, or put the fully enclosed run in a shady area under trees?