We just built an 8w x14d x 7h open-air style coop. We only have six chickens now, but I expected I'd want more in the spring. We still have to build an official roost (they just have an old tree branch which is too narrow for winter). And I need to paint, but that's way down the priority list. This first picture is about 3/4 of the way done.
We placed the coop in what was a 3 sided garage/carport/storage area. The people who owned the house before us had the opening facing away from the main property, so we took the wall down and will replace it on the other side, which will again make it 3 sided (so the back of the above structure will be closed). That means the building and the full plywood sides will block all wind and weather from the north and west sides. There is an overhang on the structure that extends 2 feet beyond the edge of the coop. It opens to a 40x70 fenced area.
1/2" hardware cloth and (hopefully) raccoon-proof door latch.
Bedding for DLM over dirt floor, and community nest box (which I have since covered because our girls are still a couple weeks from laying. The nest box is 4ft long and 14" high.
Exterior egg collection.
1/2" hardware cloth apron, laid on the ground because you can barely dig in that "dirt." In the front - where there is actual dirt - we buried it 12".
We do not plan to heat for winter. I'll cover the top with plywood, and put up anchors for plastic sheeting on the sides, which can be added on particularly cold nights or when a storm is coming from the south or east. I plan to keep a video diary of how the open-air style does in my zone 6a Virginia location.
We placed the coop in what was a 3 sided garage/carport/storage area. The people who owned the house before us had the opening facing away from the main property, so we took the wall down and will replace it on the other side, which will again make it 3 sided (so the back of the above structure will be closed). That means the building and the full plywood sides will block all wind and weather from the north and west sides. There is an overhang on the structure that extends 2 feet beyond the edge of the coop. It opens to a 40x70 fenced area.
1/2" hardware cloth and (hopefully) raccoon-proof door latch.
Bedding for DLM over dirt floor, and community nest box (which I have since covered because our girls are still a couple weeks from laying. The nest box is 4ft long and 14" high.
Exterior egg collection.
1/2" hardware cloth apron, laid on the ground because you can barely dig in that "dirt." In the front - where there is actual dirt - we buried it 12".
We do not plan to heat for winter. I'll cover the top with plywood, and put up anchors for plastic sheeting on the sides, which can be added on particularly cold nights or when a storm is coming from the south or east. I plan to keep a video diary of how the open-air style does in my zone 6a Virginia location.
