Small Garage Coop Design. Help!

[CedarWaxwing]

I raised chickens last year (hatched them in my kids' classrooms) and built a coop at my dad's place in the country. We couldn't keep chickens ourselves because of our city's regulations.

BUT! They just changed and are doing a two-year trial starting in May. So the babies that are hatching in our incubators (today!!!) can come and live with us in the city!

Here's my situation. We are hatching Light Brahmas, Welsummers and Golden-laced Wyandotts. So, larger, cold hardy breeds. (We live in the mid-west. brrr). We have a small lot and the regs say that our coop has to be 10 feet from property lines. Our lot is long and skinny with a garage with windows that look out into the backyard from the back and the side.

If I build a coop outside, it will take up our valuable yard space and be super close to 10 feet. Might not quite make it, and although I don't anticipate issues with our neighbors, I'd like to stay within the law

I'm thinking I would like to build a cupboard type coop inside the garage against the side window and then a run outside the window. (Does this make sense?) I would then put in a ladder so the birds could climb up it, through the window and back into the coop in the garage. I like the idea of having food/bedding/supplies inside the garage and easy to access, and also the added warmth the garage could provide in the winter.

Does this sound like a viable plan? Do you see any pitfalls? I'm currently thinking that ventilation/drafts might be an issue? Anything else? Anyone have any pictures small garage coops?

 

[CedarWaxwing]

Maybe something like this, inside the garage up against the window?

http://www.housewivesofriverton.com/2011/10/build-your-own-chicken-coop-story-of.html

Also, we're thinking 4 chickens at this point

 

[Alaskan]

sounds wonderful, and like a great idea.

The only things to remember:

- if the chicken coop isn't completely sealed off from the rest of the garage, the garage is going to have a thick layer of chicken dust
- I would cut out a great big (as big as the coop) hole above the window and cover it with wire for ventilation. Ventilation is much more important than warmth (really and truly).
- watch out where the snow berms are going to be. Make sure it will not be dumping directly into the run from the garage roof.

There are several coops in the coop section here on BYC that were built into garages.... but off hand I can't remember which ones.

You will have to browse through the coops I guess, sorry.

Also, make it BIG even though you will not have than many hens. I have found that about EIGHT square feet per chicken is needed when the weather is so horrid that the poor dears don't want to go outside. All of that extra space will keep them from eating eggs or each other in the dark cold days of winter.

 

[aart]

How much space do you have in the garage?

Another reason to completely seal the coop off from the garage, other than the dust - which is significant, is exhaust fumes from the vehicles.

The real housewives coop is not the greatest design....do some research on the most important aspects of coop design, then design one to fit your garage space.

 

[CedarWaxwing]

Thanks for the feedback!

You think it will be super dusty even with only 4 chickens?

It's a pretty big two stall garage. It's just me and my kids, so only one car is every parked in there. I don't even park in it much anyway because of all the kids bikes and detritus, etc.

I'm worried if I seal if off completely that there won't be enough ventilation, you know? I'm not concerned with some level of dust -- it is a garage after all.

The garage window is not a nice moving one. It's basically a hole in the garage with glass panes on it. I'm thinking maybe covering half of it with hardware cloth for ventilation and making the other half slide or something so the chickens can get out.

Very good point about the snow! I should go look right now at the snow situation since there is tons of it out there right now. (Bleh)

 

[Alaskan]

Well... yes, even 4 chickens will produce an amazing amount of dust.

As to ventilation, yes you need lots of ventilation... that is why I was wondering, depending on where the studs are in your garage wall, how much of the garage wall you could just cut out and replace with wire...

you want to vent to the outside air anyway, not into the garage.

 

[CedarWaxwing]

So it would be okay for the coop to be completely closed on the inside of the garage and only open on one side?

Does there need to be cross ventilation? Or will that be enough?

 

[CedarWaxwing]

Also, the window is about 2 feet by 3 feet. So I feel like it's pretty big. I would rather avoid punching a hole in the wall for the chickens to get through, and would rather use the window if possible.

 

[CedarWaxwing]

How much space do you have in the garage?

Another reason to completely seal the coop off from the garage, other than the dust - which is significant, is exhaust fumes from the vehicles.

The real housewives coop is not the greatest design....do some research on the most important aspects of coop design, then design one to fit your garage space.

What do you see that isn't right with the housewives coop?

 

[TimAndAndrae]

The two biggest problems with that house is; 1) the size for the number of hens they have. It appears to be about 4' by 4' with the nesting boxes taking up a fourth of that space. 2) it has no ventilation.