4' x 6' Coop -Ideas for Door Placement and Interior Layout

[gjfarm]

I am building a basic 4' x 6' coop which will be 6' tall. The door will be on the long side. Trying to decide if the want the door centered or offset for best layout inside. I am planning on outside nest boxes, with the option of using inside ones during the winter, so wouldn't want roosts to interfere with those. If the door was centered, roosts could be on either side low enough that the hens wouldn't need a ramp or take-off roost, with the nest boxes across from the door. If the door was offset, it would give more uninterrupted area inside. I keep doodling sketches, but what works best in reality. Would love to know how other small coops are laid out. Have lots of pictures in the "coop" section of the site, but would like interior ideas. The people door will be a dutch door so in effect, the bottom will act as a pop door for the chickens. So room inside will not be decicated to that. Already have a large coop where I didn't even have to give layout much thought.

 

[elmo]

I think putting the door off to one side will give you the best flexibility for using the indoor space. And I think it's best if you make the door open outwards, rather than inwards, too.

 

[teach1rusl]

How much roost space will you be needing? And I agree w/Elmo about making the door open outward. Oh...and how wide of a door are you using??

 

[wsdareme]

A door in the center of the 6' wall won't give you very much room on either side (std door width being 36"). I'd definitely offset it, or even move it to the 4' wall.

Are you sure you don't want a larger coop? It would be a LOT easier to have a usable floor plan.

 

[PineappleMama]

4'x6' is big enough for six hens... so you'll need 6' of roost space.

For six hens two nest boxes would be plenty... or you can make one LARGE nesting area... 12-14" deep 12-14" tall (slant roof) and then 24-29" wide with or without a divider... OR make a stacking one for a little more elbow room.

If it was me... and I had to decide this minute (as opposed to chewing to bits over the course of months)

I'd center the door, put next boxes to one side sharing that wall, and use the other to store feed/grit/oyster in buckets on the other side of the door... then run a nice long roost all the way across the other 6' side... perhaps even two roosts across just for bonus room/if you have an extra branch/2x4 laying around. If you have two then they can get to the lower one (12" up?) easily, no ramp and from there can hop up to the higher one if they want to. OR you could do just a general ladder idea and lean the whole thing.

Considering I managed a fight with a 2x4 just building the basic frame for ours there was no way I was trying a ladder too... but that's me.

 

[countrychix]

Quote:
You wouldn't need a 36" door, mine is 30 inches but only because my coop is much larger (10x12) and I wanted the option of bringing storage totes, large trash cans, dog crates, etc. as needed. I have a 24" closet door in my master BR, it's an old house and I wanted to make maximum use of space, that is more than ample, so 24" would be fine. As your coop will only be 6ft. high you would be unable to use a standard door anyway as it would be too tall. Plywood with a 2x2 frame for support around the outside edge was all we used, and my husband who was very skeptical even agreed that it worked out well- he tends to overbuild everything. I also tend to think that a door on the shorter wall would allow for greater usable floor space and flexiblity.

 

[gjfarm]

Door is definately opening out. My thought was to put the nest boxes on one side of the door and roosts on the other side. Or roost on each side with nest boxes across from the door. Will still have covered outside area for water and feed. This is just small 'overflow' coop. I do have a big coop already.