New to Chickens, Coop, Fence advise

[cjbuckeye]

I have 12 chicks, 6 golden Commett's and 6 golden laced wyandotte's that I'm getting plans together for a coop and pen. They will be free range a lot but coop at night. For a run attached to the coop, is Chicken wire ok or should I use stronger? I have heard coyote's nearby so I would want to make sure it's secure at night ( in the coop ). I've read about hardware cloth, is that just needed to secure the coop, I know it costs a lot more so I'm just curious what's needed, what's overkill.

I plan to build this coop

https://www.morgancreekplans.com/product-page/chicken-coop-plans
this run but I'll probably make it bigger, I have the space .

https://www.morgancreekplans.com/product-page/chicken-run-plans-r032
Thanks!

 

[Papa John59]

If you can afford it than by all means, go with the hardware cloth! Make sure that you bury it at least a foot or more into the ground to prevent digging under it. And bigger is better! I learned the hard way by not thinking about expanding my flock. I did and it cost me extra to build a larger coop. Good luck! (Go Buckeyes!)

 

[cjbuckeye]

thanks! Go Bucks!!

 

[Papa John59]

thanks! Go Bucks!!

Sadly, there is no spring game!

 

[Papa John59]

Also....if possible make the run as high as possible. You never know when you will have to go inside it....to cleaning it, get a sick bird (heaven forbid) or just to all toys for the to play with. I have an old ladder that they love to climb up on and look down on the others.

 

[rosemarythyme]

For the run I'd go with hardware cloth, if budget is really an issue then at the very least hardware cloth on the bottom several feet, where predators are more likely to break through/claw through.

The coop you linked is small for your number of birds. I guess this style is popular now because I see it a lot? I wonder if the nest box area is included in the sq footage (nests are not considered usable floor space). Overall I think it needs more ventilation and the number of nest boxes is excessive for the size of the coop.

 

[cjbuckeye]

Sadly, there is no spring game!

yes . I'm waiting for baseball season to start! so strange, hope this all ends soon!!!

 

[cjbuckeye]

For the run I'd go with hardware cloth, if budget is really an issue then at the very least hardware cloth on the bottom several feet, where predators are more likely to break through/claw through.

The coop you linked is small for your number of birds. I guess this style is popular now because I see it a lot? I wonder if the nest box area is included in the sq footage (nests are not considered usable floor space). Overall I think it needs more ventilation and the number of nest boxes is excessive for the size of the coop.

I may use that as a base and stretch it out and recoup some of the nesting box space for something else. I like the visual looks of it but needs some more area.

Stupid question but do they develop a pattern and go in on their own at night or do you have to chase them around? we have about an acre fenced in that I'd like to let them roam when we're home.

 

[Papa John59]

yes . I'm waiting for baseball season to start! so strange, hope this all ends soon!!!

Indians or Reds? Being from the northwest Ohio, everyone was a Reds fan...except me!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I may use that as a base and stretch it out and recoup some of the nesting box space for something else. I like the visual looks of it but needs some more area.

Stupid question but do they develop a pattern and go in on their own at night or do you have to chase them around? we have about an acre fenced in that I'd like to let them roam when we're home.

Ideally if you can double the size of the coop (make it twice as long?) that'd give you the floor space you'd want. And yes I'd axe some of the nest boxes, shouldn't be too hard to do (you can still build it as is, just don't put in dividers or anything - the space can be used to house the feeder... OR divide it off completely and use it for storage). For ventilation, I'd really want to open up some of that triangle of space above the human door, as ventilation up high is preferable.

They'll go in at night on their own. If they don't, then that generally means 1) pest issue, like mites 2) possible predator issue (like a snake can get in and just sit there) 3) they don't like the coop (too dark, too stuffy, too crowded)