Please help me visualize this.

[alicemichelle]

Hi folks! I'm looking for some thoughtful advise. My husband & I are building a mobile coop for our forthcoming hens. They're arriving in mid-april as chicks from mcmurray hatchery. We have just under an acre, and plan on moving the coop daily or every other day, and hopefully we can let them free range too under supervision.

So the structure is an A-frame, approx. 6' x 8' and most of this will be enclosed as the "run". I'm looking for advice on what size the actual enclosed coop/roost part should be. This is for 6 hens. We are thinking 2 nest-boxes off the back, and one side will open up for cleaning. We're also undecided about flooring and roofing material.

We live in western Kentucky, so winters are not bad at all...just very wet.

I am attaching a picture of what we have started, and a picture of a sorta inspiration (just borrowed from the internet: not my coop!)..although ours will be less huge and lighter weight.

We'll have a sampler of breeds: australorp, barred rock, sl wyandotte, ameraucana, whitings true green, and a partridge cochin.

Thank you!

 

[cavemanrich]

I think what you are building is suitable for 3 chickens. That said,,,,, all is not beyond HOPE. Here are my thoughts, and suggestions.
Make half of your A-frame, a coop portion. no need for a floor, just a couple roost bars inside, about 12 inches off the ground. If you feel you need a floor, you can add one later time. Cover the remaining half with light tarps over hardware cloth, to provide shade, and rain protection. Provide a means of daylight (window) and ventilation into coop area. Build one larger communal nest box in rear, meaning, a double-wide. Build a second a-frame, identical to this one in pix, and have that one wire screen (hardware cloth) etc. covered only. You can have hardware latches to quickly connect the two. Build entrance on end of second A-frame. This arrangement would provide light enough units to be moved easily.
Make sure that your new chicks are feathered out before you have them outdoors in chilly weather. (especially overnight) It is a complete different situation, when chicks are raised by a broody hen. If chicks get chilly, they run to mommy, and get a warm up.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[alicemichelle]

I think what you are building is suitable for 3 chickens. That said,,,,, all is not beyond HOPE. Here are my thoughts, and suggestions.
Make half of your A-frame, a coop portion. no need for a floor, just a couple roost bars inside, about 12 inches off the ground. If you feel you need a floor, you can add one later time. Cover the remaining half with light tarps over hardware cloth, to provide shade, and rain protection. Provide a means of daylight (window) and ventilation into coop area. Build one larger communal nest box in rear, meaning, a double-wide. Build a second a-frame, identical to this one in pix, and have that one wire screen (hardware cloth) etc. covered only. You can have hardware latches to quickly connect the two. Build entrance on end of second A-frame. This arrangement would provide light enough units to be moved easily.
Make sure that your new chicks are feathered out before you have them outdoors in chilly weather. (especially overnight) It is a complete different situation, when chicks are raised by a broody hen. If chicks get chilly, they run to mommy, and get a warm up.
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Thank you for replying!