The Final Coop

[L Home Farm]

So for all my flock, I need one, final coop. No run… I use electric poultry wire.
It needs to…
Fit 50 - 100 birds
Be light and easy to move
Not need to be cleaned out except nest boxes
Be VERY well ventilated
I’m coming up with a design, but please, any plans/ideas, etc would be appreciated!
When I have got it built I will show you how it turned out

 

[Gigachad poultry]

So for all my flock, I need one, final coop. No run… I use electric poultry wire.
It needs to…
Fit 50 - 100 birds
Be light and easy to move
Not need to be cleaned out except nest boxes
Be VERY well ventilated
I’m coming up with a design, but please, any plans/ideas, etc would be appreciated!
When I have got it built I will show you how it turned out

I actually have multiple ideas and plans I've found from people who have started businesses or have large flocks! If you don't mind can you describe the coop plan you've made and what breed(s) you have?

 

[aart]

Fit 50 - 100 birds
Be light and easy to move

These 2 things don't really go together.

 

[ltcffl03]

Instead of one large one maybe have a couple, it might make it easier to manage ?

 

[Penpal]

Maybe what you need is less light and easy to move, but something with a little engine that will move it for you. Or use your riding mower to pull it.

 

[L Home Farm]

I actually have multiple ideas and plans I've found from people who have started businesses or have large flocks! If you don't mind can you describe the coop plan you've made and what breed(s) you have?

Cool! So I kind of was think hoop house style, with a sturdy tarp or something over. But I’m really, really flexible so if it works I’m game!!
I have Faverolles, Legbars, Brahmas, Sussex, will be getting Marans, and I have a couple other chickens that I won’t be breeding, Silkie, Buff Orpington, Hybrids, Cochan/Brahma, Legbar Crosses. And I have a few other mixed breeds coming up. I may add another breed or two. The amount of chickens will fluctuate, i will probably have 50 - 60 adults and hatch every year, sell/cull some, keep a small few to replace those I lost.

Instead of one large one maybe have a couple, it might make it easier to manage ?

Maybe…

Maybe what you need is less light and easy to move, but something with a little engine that will move it for you. Or use your riding mower to pull it.

y’know, that’s a fantastic idea!! The mower has a hitch, why didn’t I think of that!!!
Although sometimes in the winter it’s pretty much impossible to get the mower down to the field. Maybe my pony would the job!

 

[21hens-incharge]

By my math 100 birds weighing an average of 5# each adds 500# to the structure while moving it.

A full size tractor is likely a better choice for moving it. Whatever "it" ends up being.

I have seen YouTube videos of large(ish) coops built on wagon frames. Those birds are moved to fresh pasture and free ranged.

One example below.

 

[21hens-incharge]

This is a fun one.

 

[Racsan]

Before I built my chicken house I entertained the thought of buying a old 24’ camper with a bad roof and gut it, fix roof then make it into a moveable coop. Ended up not doing it, mostly because even though its not hard to find a ruined camper on the cheap, my “tow vehicle “ is a old 2wd 4cyl compact truck.
My suggestions are a sliding side door for easy cleaning, a partioned off supply room that also is the backside access for the nesting boxes (that way you dont need to go into the coop for eggs or be outside to gather them) Timers for fans/lights/run door and plenty of windows. On mine I plan to make a screen insert out of livestock panel for the inside of my sliding door for more ventilation, Will add a exhaust fan next spring too. For now I have a box fan on a timer to exhaust air during the day.

 

[Gigachad poultry]

Cool! So I kind of was think hoop house style, with a sturdy tarp or something over. But I’m really, really flexible so if it works I’m game!!
I have Faverolles, Legbars, Brahmas, Sussex, will be getting Marans, and I have a couple other chickens that I won’t be breeding, Silkie, Buff Orpington, Hybrids, Cochan/Brahma, Legbar Crosses. And I have a few other mixed breeds coming up. I may add another breed or two. The amount of chickens will fluctuate, i will probably have 50 - 60 adults and hatch every year, sell/cull some, keep a small few to replace those I lost.

Maybe…

y’know, that’s a fantastic idea!! The mower has a hitch, why didn’t I think of that!!!
Although sometimes in the winter it’s pretty much impossible to get the mower down to the field. Maybe my pony would the job!

Another idea is you could get a horse trailer and turn it into a chicken coop. If you made a hoop coop maybe something like this?

What is suggest is either using connected pallets like in the photo or make a few connected frames for the bottom. You could make some wheels out of old bike parts and then you just use a car/tractor and move it. The difficult part is moving something that big. Here is a video on making one and how they move it.

If I did a hoop coop like this is just make it all covered and I'd put a few alfalfa "bricks" so it's not all grass and dirt. Like in this photo:

I'd also add removable roost bars and you could make the back a lifted platform with more alfalfa on the top along with nest boxes and the feeders and waterers could go underneath. I will draw something to give you an idea! However this is a photo similar to what you could make:

Here is another video I've found to be helpful:

Also you could make a hoop coop in more of an A frame like this: