Coop Shame

Folly's place said:

We all started somewhere with our chickens!  I started with bantams roosting in my barn rafters;  "they will be just fine"!  After mornings finding body parts scattered around the barn, I learned.  My coop has been enlarged and upgraded over the years, including this month, and we're moving on.  Again.  These cute little dog-house coops should be banned, but they are available, and will be a start.  Later, they will work for a broody hen, or isolation for some reason, or bringing in new chicks.  Mary

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^^This^^ This is what I am using my first little house for. I have chicks in it right now with a run. When they are a little bigger, I will separate the trios into their own runs and give them their own house. I initially considered placing my little house (similar to the one pictured on top of a structure as pictured and closing the sides in to enlarge the structure, but I think it functions well for incoming chicks and broodies when needed. Otherwise I will use it for quarantine or a clinic.

RichM said:

If you look at the options for store bought coops, they always tell you how many chickens you can put in there, and it's usually about 1 sq foot per bird, which is only 25 percent of what everyone around here would say. I really wonder what the number needs to be, and who figured it out, and if anyone has success with keeping chickens in 3 sq feet per bird instead of 4.

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I know this may not be totally helpful, but really depends on your situation. Having a little less space may work out fine with a group of chicks that have been raised together, but not allow for integration down the line. I know there are folks that really feel very strongly about 4 ft per chicken in the coop. I've been looking at my totally adequate coop for the last year thinking why the heck was I so concerned about 3.5 sq ft. They have an automatic door that opens at daylight, they charge out the door to the covered run where there's food and water, and they go back in exactly once during the day to lay in the box. That's it. They have plenty of roost space and about 35 feet per bird run space, which I think makes the difference. I'm glad I dedicated my extra space to run rather than coop. They just don't hang out in there, they want to be outside chasing bugs and scratching around. Never had to close them in even in the winter with a reasonably sheltered covered area in the run.

Also, my mom said that the chickens would be fine. She said that when she was little she had twenty chickens crammed into a coop no bigger than my desk (which is about three by seven feet), and she's also unwilling to shell out extra money for a bigger coop.

PastaChickenBoo said:

Also, my mom said that the chickens would be fine. She said that when she was little she had twenty chickens crammed into a coop no bigger than my desk (which is about three by seven feet), and she's also unwilling to shell out extra money for a bigger coop.

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Maybe you can do what I have done for more room until I get my larger coop completed. In addition to my regular runs, I have collected pallets and crates to use to construct both additional runs and houses. I bought a big bag of zip ties to secure them and place nets across the top as well as tarps for shade. The tarps are.small ones from dollar tree and the netting came from ebay. It protects from flying.predators. You can stand crates up add roosts and a roof. My roof on the new house is coming from breaking down pallets that have solid plywood on one side. I also cound some busted bundles of shingles behind ACE Hardware and was able to buy a bundle for $5. Roof taken care of!! Oh and they also had crates, pallets and scrap wood behind the store! I scored 4 12 foot 1x4s to replace the steps on my old galvanized hens nest box. Since its getting warm, you have time to collect things before winter. Just start now. Pay attention when you're out with your mom and ask her to pull over when you see something you can use. My most expensive item will be the paint I buyso that everything comes together and looks good at the end, but I don't have to buy it now. I have time and so do you!