Ideas for DIY chicken coop const into existing lean-to

[maloats12]

Hi!
I am new to chickens, located in Ohio, and am picking up 4 chicks next Monday. I am confident in my brooding setup, but need some help with my coop design.

I am on 3 acres with a huge backyard, woods, and barn. There is a lean to on the back of the barn opening to the east and to the woods where we have lots of critters. I plan to build my coop into the lean-to. I’ve attached some pics because I need help with my design!

I’m not sure where to put the door, if I need a run, where to put it and how big, if I need to have a way to cover the coop in the winter, if there’s enough ventilation, what size chicken wire to use, if I need to line the existing metal walls with wire to help keep out the critters (raccoons, coyotes, foxes), or anything else I’m forgetting.

I have some salvaged wood from our deck I plan on repurposing. Any ideas( creative is a plus!) are welcome! Basically tell me how you would do it if you had this structure. I figure I have 6 weeks to get this project done, so need to get started ASAP. Thanks in advance! Oh and PS- I’m starting with 4 chicks, but will add more if all goes well so want to make sure my coop is big enough for more than just 4.

Plan on sectioning off the left half of the lean-to for the coop.

Should I use those shelves for the nesting boxes? (Going to clean out the junk obviously, we just bought the place)

I can send other pics if needed.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!
Thanks for including your location!
Great first post, with good info/questions and pics.

I’m not sure where to put the door, if I need a run, where to put it and how big, if I need to have a way to cover the coop in the winter, if there’s enough ventilation, what size chicken wire to use, if I need to line the existing metal walls with wire to help keep out the critters (raccoons, coyotes, foxes), or anything else I’m forgetting.

That's a lot to learn, and build, in 6 weeks
First year of chickeneering is like getting a sip of water from a fire hose.
There's a BYC answer for the old question "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" ...answer is....The Coop!
But alas, many get chicks then scramble to build a coop.
You can get 'er done, but may have to do some more construction, and reconstruction, down the road.

That's pretty nice space, what's the other half going to be used for?
Would be a good winter run space...and allow you to leave one side of coop as mesh to help with ventilation.
Larger, less protected, run could also be added down the road.

Tear down the shelves, use wood to build nests at proper height.
Do those gutters hold water?
Roof tight?
Any flooding there?

Pretty good discussion about ventilation.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Height tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

Anti-dig aprons:
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[townchicks]

Just to clarify, when you say you plan to use the left side section for the coop, do you mean enclosed coop or coop and run? If I had that, I would enclose the entire left side as a coop, and enclose the right side with hardware cloth for a nice covered run. That would be a nice size to add more chickens later w/o having to change much. I'd take down the shelves and put a roost bar in there with poop boards under it, and maybe the nests on the floor under that. I would definitely do a wire skirt around the base of it, or digging predators would have easy access.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Welcome to BYC!
Thanks for including your location!
Great first post, with good info/questions and pics.


That's a lot to learn, and build, in 6 weeks
First year of chickeneering is like getting a sip of water from a fire hose.
There's a BYC answer for the old question "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" ...answer is....The Coop!
But alas, many get chicks then scramble to build a coop.
You can get 'er done, but may have to do some more construction, and reconstruction, down the road.

That's pretty nice space, what's the other half going to be used for?
Would be a good winter run space...and allow you to leave one side of coop as mesh to help with ventilation.
Larger, less protected, run could also be added down the road.

Tear down the shelves, use wood to build nests at proper height.
Do those gutters hold water?
Roof tight?
Any flooding there?

Pretty good discussion about ventilation.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Height tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

Anti-dig aprons:
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[aart]

what size chicken wire to use,

Just dawned on me I didn't address this....and it's pretty important.
None.
Chicken wire is not predator proof.
The other options are many, combo of 19ga 1/2" hardware cloth(for tiny critters) and 14ga 1x2 to 2x4 welded wire (for larger ones) would be best, but can depend on location and situation.


None of these questions have a pat single answer....almost all are 'it depends'.

 

[maloats12]

Welcome to BYC!
Thanks for including your location!
Great first post, with good info/questions and pics.


That's a lot to learn, and build, in 6 weeks
First year of chickeneering is like getting a sip of water from a fire hose.
There's a BYC answer for the old question "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" ...answer is....The Coop!
But alas, many get chicks then scramble to build a coop.
You can get 'er done, but may have to do some more construction, and reconstruction, down the road.

That's pretty nice space, what's the other half going to be used for?
Would be a good winter run space...and allow you to leave one side of coop as mesh to help with ventilation.
Larger, less protected, run could also be added down the road.

Tear down the shelves, use wood to build nests at proper height.
Do those gutters hold water?
Roof tight?
Any flooding there?

Pretty good discussion about ventilation.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Height tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

Anti-dig aprons:
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

Welcome to BYC!
Thanks for including your location!
Great first post, with good info/questions and pics.


That's a lot to learn, and build, in 6 weeks
First year of chickeneering is like getting a sip of water from a fire hose.
There's a BYC answer for the old question "What came first, the chicken or the egg?" ...answer is....The Coop!
But alas, many get chicks then scramble to build a coop.
You can get 'er done, but may have to do some more construction, and reconstruction, down the road.

That's pretty nice space, what's the other half going to be used for?
Would be a good winter run space...and allow you to leave one side of coop as mesh to help with ventilation.
Larger, less protected, run could also be added down the road.

Tear down the shelves, use wood to build nests at proper height.
Do those gutters hold water?
Roof tight?
Any flooding there?

Pretty good discussion about ventilation.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Height tips:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-should-stuff-be.73427/

Anti-dig aprons:
Good examples of apron installation, tho I'd not recommend 1/2" HC...go with 14ga 1x2 or 1x1, will hold up much longer and is easier to lay flat.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1110498/wire-around-coop#post_17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

Wow! What a great reply. Thank you so much. I’m going to spend some time checking out those links you sent.
Glad I asked about the shelves! We haven’t noticed any water sitting near there, so I think we’re good on that front. I’ll be spending some time underneath during the next rain just to make sure.

Is this a post that you will keep getting updated on in the future? I’d love to be able to come back here to ask more questions or get suggestions as I progress.

 

[maloats12]

If I had that, I would enclose the entire left side as a coop, and enclose the right side with hardware cloth for a nice covered run.

Exactly what I was hoping to find here, thank you! I can definitely dedicate one side to the coop itself and the other to a covered run, I had that thought myself but didn’t know if I was on the right track.

 

[maloats12]

Just dawned on me I didn't address this....and it's pretty important.
None.
Chicken wire is not predator proof.
The other options are many, combo of 19ga 1/2" hardware cloth(for tiny critters) and 14ga 1x2 to 2x4 welded wire (for larger ones) would be best, but can depend on location and situation.

Ah, thanks for thinking of this! I had read that some predators can easily chew through wire, sounds like the ones you recommended are much more ideal, happy to have the exact sizes to pick from.

When you say ‘location’, are you referring to the location of the wire in the coop or more like where we live and what predators are a danger?

 

[aart]

Is this a post that you will keep getting updated on in the future? I’d love to be able to come back here to ask more questions or get suggestions as I progress.

Yes, I follow threads I have posted on and keep following them unless they turn into chat fests.

When you say ‘location’, are you referring to the location of the wire in the coop or more like where we live and what predators are a danger?

Both, kinda.
I have all openings on my coop covered with 1/2" HC. My run is 2x4 welded wire with a 12-18" apron of same, and is lined with 1/2" HC 2' high to keep chicks and deep liter contained. My most prolific predators are hawks and I am home most the time within sight of run so have less worry about other preds during the day.