New to the beautiful chicken world......

Hi everyone! I'm completely new to the beautiful world of raising chickens. I started with two chicks, went back a couple days later to get "one more chick" and ended up with a total of SIX chicks! (Yes, I now understand chicken math) I'm wondering if the chicken tractor I purchased will actually hold 6 chickens comfortably. Here is a pic...

The size is 3'x4' Chicken Coop with Attached 4x4 Run totaling 12 square feet

I am planning on adding on a much bigger and longer run using chicken wire/mesh and metal poles. Maybe 5ft by 25ft? I have four Production Reds and two Cuckoo Murans...
Any advice and insight would be so greatly welcomed!
Thanks!

nharbison0722 said:

Hi everyone! I'm completely new to the beautiful world of raising chickens. I started with two chicks, went back a couple days later to get "one more chick" and ended up with a total of SIX chicks! (Yes, I now understand chicken math) I'm wondering if the chicken tractor I purchased will actually hold 6 chickens comfortably. Here is a pic...

The size is 3'x4' Chicken Coop with Attached 4x4 Run totaling 12 square feet

I am planning on adding on a much bigger and longer run using chicken wire/mesh and metal poles. Maybe 5ft by 25ft? I have four Production Reds and two Cuckoo Murans...
Any advice and insight would be so greatly welcomed!
Thanks!

Click to expand...

it's a bit small..

some use 4sq ft per bird rule for both the run and coop

while others will use the 2-4 sq ft per bird for the coop and 4-10 sq ft for the run

if you have the budget and space.. give them as much space as you can


so if you are adding in a run 5'x25 which is plenty of space for 6 chickens.. so how about turning that small run into additional coop space? more room in their sleeping area

*as for chicken math.. i didn't know what it is at first but it's pretty much useless in my area.. since the city limit is 5 for a house lot of 6000-8000 sq ft.. and 5 chickens are plenty of work as is for me.

Thanks for the advice... That's actually a really good idea! I'm not real familiar with woodworking, but I'm willing to learn. Ultimately I'd like to be able to walk into the coop standing up. Yeah, our city just doesn't allow roosters, so I'm good there with 6 hens. Thanks for the great advice again!

nharbison0722 said:

Thanks for the advice... That's actually a really good idea! I'm not real familiar with woodworking, but I'm willing to learn. Ultimately I'd like to be able to walk into the coop standing up. Yeah, our city just doesn't allow roosters, so I'm good there with 6 hens. Thanks for the great advice again!

Click to expand...

most city will set a limit on the # of hens you can have for your lot size..and most will ban roosters (same for my city)

walk in coop? are you referring to building/buying a new one instead? since the one in the picture above is not really walk in type..

most pre-fab coops are built with small windows and doors around the coop

i didn't bother with those fancy stuffs and just make a 4'x3' door in the back of the coop for easy cleaning

my coop is only 4'x3 so no need to walk in (just sit on a chair and reach in) --- cleaning out the coop didn't take more than 30 seconds for me. .since the chickens like to roost next to each other.. so their manure is pretty much in one spot on the pine shavings


if you want a walk in coop.. i'm guessing that it will be at least 6-7+ ft tall.. what are you planning to do with the chicken tractor you just bought? return them to the store?

I was thinking about maybe building onto it by removing the front run and building on it from there- something basic and simple. (Building onto where the front of the chicken tractor run is and the handles are) almost like a coop facing a coop. Then a longggg run!

nharbison0722 said:

I was thinking about maybe building onto it by removing the front run and building on it from there- something basic and simple. (Building onto where the front of the chicken tractor run is and the handles are) almost like a coop facing a coop. Then a longggg run!

Click to expand...

do they allow returns? i think it's better if you just return the tractor to the store for a refund and build your own coop from scratch instead it's cheaper in the end

since how much did you pay for the tractor?

you can look through this and see which plans are best
https://www.backyardchickens.com/atype/2/Coops

if you can add on then it's great..

but for the price of the tractor you probably can build a larger coop+run with more options for 1/2 (or more) the price of the tractor

but it's still up to you

The price of the tractor was 600. If I was more confident in my wood working skills that would be great.

nharbison0722 said:

The price of the tractor was 600. If I was more confident in my wood working skills that would be great.

Click to expand...

this is my coop ( i made a lot of mistakes building it- no wood working skills what so ever.. id didn't follow any plan either.. just put it together as i go after looking at the coops they have at costco

i added foam insulation sheets on top of the roof (covering the whole roof) and also shade screens above the coop/run..

cost me around $150 (also included taxes and tools).. if i have to build another like this.. maybe $80-$90

you don't need to be a carpenter to build a chicken coop/run




i build the coop after looking at these coops at my local costco store

Wow! That is really nice! You did a phenomenal job. I'm going to have to try and just see what happens

nharbison0722 said:

Wow! That is really nice! You did a phenomenal job. I'm going to have to try and just see what happens

Click to expand...

if you want to keep the price down.. try the 70% off lumber section at home depot -- (they are warped wood though)

or free stuff section of Craigslist (there are people who will give out pallets or free lumbers once in a while)


i used these videos as references .

for easy to clean -- make the base of the coop+ perches removable.. you can make the nest boxes removable if you like

when it's 115-117 outside for the past few days in my area it's pretty hot inside the coop .. especially in the nest boxes.. so i would not want my chickens to go back inside the coop to lay eggs in the middle of the day...

so having a removable next box might be ideal since you can move it to a cool place in the run and provide some cover (for privacy) so they can lay their eggs

i used 2x4 with my coop.. but i think 2x3 would be just fine.. especially when you only have 5-6 chickens

i didn't use treated wood for my coop/run.. but to help the wood last longer.. i used waterproofing finish (for water and uv protection- 3 coats)

my coop/run looks stained.. but it's just waterproof finish