Rough coop design. Advice, tips, suggestions welcomed!

[ash_en_em]

Newbie here, and I feel like I feel into a big trap. A trap that is known as "store bought" coops. It looked adorable. It boasted being capable of holding 8 chickens in the coop/run, and for just shy of $150 on sale. What a dream come true, right? Wrong.

I have three Black Australorps. Two hens and a rooster (about 8 or 9 weeks old). I already feel as though this living arrangement will not give everyone the space they would ideally enjoy, and cleaning this thing SUCKS. The entry door has to have been designed for a little person (no offense, just stating facts here), the ramp is fastened in a manner that prevents it from moving to clean behind it, and the roosts are barley off the bottom of the inside of the coop. What sort of chicken was this designed for anyway? Not to mention, we live in Ohio so a deep litter method would be my preferred cleaning method, and even that can't be achieved with this thing. We get what we pay for I suppose.

Hard life lessons learned.

I've decided that the current coop could make an awesome bachelor pad for our wee little roo for his teenage years. I want to build a pallet coop for the ladies, and for the additional 3 hens we plan on getting next year (yes, I know, we're already hooked ).

Anyway, here is my rough sketch of the plans. I want to put nest boxes on the back of the coop, to leave the door one slab off the bottom to allow for deep litter, the "hole" in the sides of the roof will help with ventilation (will add wire to keep out predators and chickens in), and add a run off the front for lounging about when I'm not home to supervise free-range time.

All advice/suggestions/tips are welcome. This includes where to add roosts, poop boards, windows, money saving tips, anything! I want my babes to be happy, healthy, and have room to flourish with their additions next year. Below are my "rough" plans. Thanks in advance, and I appreciate all of your help!

P.S. Sorry for the awful drawing/explanation skills in my sketch

 

[Alaskan]

looks good...

pallets come in different sizes ......

So what size is that?

Remember you want a MINIMUM of 4 square feet per chicken of inside space..... but since you live in Ohio, I take it you get snow? I think you should aim for 8 or 9 square feet per bird of snow free area. Maybe a coop with 5 or 6 square feet per bird, and a three sided solid roofed run to add at least 5 more square feet per run, and then a bit more wire roofed run for sunbathing in the summer months.


I have an article on cold weather housing... read through it for some pointers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing.72010/

As for cost saving... If your local dump let's you scrounge through the construction trash, that is a gold mine. Otherwise search out live construction sites and ask for scrap. Also Craigslist and Facebook often have a freebie section or page.

Most window replacement places will give away fogged double pane windows for free... but they don't keep them on hand... you have to ask when they might have some and then swing by... they chunk them fast.

good luck.

 

[ker0412]

If you have the room you could purchase more wire and surround the coop with it, use t-post on the inside borders to secure the wire, and tarp the top until you can construct additional overhead. Like Alaskan said, find ole or trashed items to use as material and shelter.eg. 5 gallon buckets (nests), old cabinets, dog house, etc.

 

[ash_en_em]

looks good...

pallets come in different sizes ......

So what size is that?

Remember you want a MINIMUM of 4 square feet per chicken of inside space..... but since you live in Ohio, I take it you get snow? I think you should aim for 8 or 9 square feet per bird of snow free area. Maybe a coop with 5 or 6 square feet per bird, and a three sided solid roofed run to add at least 5 more square feet per run, and then a bit more wire roofed run for sunbathing in the summer months.


I have an article on cold weather housing... read through it for some pointers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing.72010/

As for cost saving... If your local dump let's you scrounge through the construction trash, that is a gold mine. Otherwise search out live construction sites and ask for scrap. Also Craigslist and Facebook often have a freebie section or page.

Most window replacement places will give away fogged double pane windows for free... but they don't keep them on hand... you have to ask when they might have some and then swing by... they chunk them fast.

good luck.

A local feed store puts pallets out back for people to take. I was going to grab some of similar size and make due. I like the covered run idea. My current one just has a roofed run, and I was going to do that. I like the idea of three sides with an open area. I will also look at your article.

Thanks!

 

[Alaskan]

sounds good.

 

[JDN]

Just make sure you have the right amount of pallets and that they’re all identical...at least for floor/walls...

 

[Ms Biddy]

I wish your experience buying a small prefab coop could be pinned for others to see before buying one. They're cute but expensive considering how impractical they are. Pallets are fun to repurpose. Best wishes with your new coop.

 

[ash_en_em]

I wish your experience buying a small prefab coop could be pinned for others to see before buying one. They're cute but expensive considering how impractical they are. Pallets are fun to repurpose. Best wishes with your new coop.

Honestly, I wish this could get out there too. We really thought we were doing the smart thing because it would be all ready for everyone, and it would cost about the same as building our own. Turns out it's a huge mistake, and the amount of birds it holds is so wrong.

Thanks for the best wishes. I'll try to post pics of the coop progress. At least they have somewhere to hang out until the forever coop is built