8x20 Coop Suggestions

[Ussharrylee]

I am looking at getting a coop and some chickens. I am new to this. There are so many options. I would love to build one myself, but I just don’t have time to do it. Long term I’m hoping to have 20-30 chickens for eggs. I have plenty of space for them to range with 10 acres. I am located near Chicago so it does get cold.
The pictures are of a coop I am considering. It is not premade but is priced reasonably. I may be able to ask for some customization. It is 8x20 with the coop being 8x8. I thought the coop may be a little small. I was thinking the run may be nice if I am away and I could also expand it easily. Does this look like a good design or should I look for something else? What would you recommend be changed?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming max of 30 birds with a climate protected run that would be kept cleared even with snow storms, you're looking at more like 120 sq ft of coop and 300 sq ft in run. The unit you're looking at is about half that size, so max around 15ish birds.

Or you could start "smaller" by getting this unit and expand over time if you decide this is something you enjoy doing. Like if this entire thing was eventually converted into a coop you'd easily have room for 30 plus storage or a brooder area, etc.

The coop itself would need more climate protected ventilation, looks like there's a ridge vent (which would get blocked by snow) and a tiny amount of ventilation over the pop door, but assuming that's it, it's not enough. Especially in your hotter summers. There might be some hidden in the soffits but I can't see to verify.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am located near Chicago so it does get cold.

I would not worry about your cold for chickens any more than I'd worry about that cold for the wild birds that overwinter there. Their down can keep them warm. But Chicago is known as the Windy City. That is where your danger is. A cold wind can ruffle their feathers and down which negates the insulation. The insulation comes from tiny air bubbles trapped in the down. During the day they need places they can move to so they can avoid the wind. You do not want a cold breeze hitting them on the roosts at night.

The pictures are of a coop I am considering. It is not premade but is priced reasonably.

Personally I would not have a coop elevated like that I could not comfortably get under. You'll have reasons to reach under there. I don't like crawling in chicken poop. I'd either raise it enough for me to get under or drop it to ground level.

It is 8x20 with the coop being 8x8. I thought the coop may be a little small.

In general I agree with Rosemary's comments on space. If you follow the link in my signature below you can see some of the things I consider.

What would you recommend be changed?

I also question your ventilation. Your goal is not to keep the chickens warm. Your goal is to allow the chickens to keep themselves warm. Stopping cold breezes from hitting them is part of this. Ventilation is part of this. Your chickens are much more at risk form frostbite than they are of freezing to death. You are from that area. How do you protect yourself against frostbite when you step outside, other than protecting yourself from direct breezes and wind chill?

If you step outside with wet hands or a wet face in really cold weather you are in danger. So keep things dry. Moisture can come from their breathing and their poop as well as water in the coop. Ventilation allows moisture to escape yet you do not want a breeze hitting your chickens. There are different techniques to achieve that but the simplest to me is to have your ventilation high over their heads when they are on the roost.

The wild birds can move around and find good conditions. Chickens trapped in coops and runs can't do that.

I have plenty of space for them to range with 10 acres.

In the winter when snow is covering the ground or in the middle of a blizzard? All of that room is great when it is available but if it is not available it might as well not exist. I personally don't believe that strongly about square feet in the coop or square feet in the run. I don't think the chickens can tell the difference either. If your run room is not available due to cold winds or snow, it is not available.

I find that when I crowd them I have more behavioral problems to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues. My life is easier when I give them more than the absolute minimum space. That can get expensive so you need to balance it.

Good luck!

 

[Mother of Chaos]

@Ridgerunner, do you have recommendations for small windbreaks in the run, other than simply wrapping the lower portion?

I live in an urban area, so I have no prevailing wind direction. It just swirls around various buildings and hits where it can. The pullets (10 weeks old) are going into their coop just to get away from the wind.

We’re having an often warm, but nearly always windy, March. And we generally have mild breezes throughout the year.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A common windbreak in windy climate are hedges tall enough and thick enough to block or slow down the wind. But your question is "in the run". Planting in the run after the chickens are there is often not very successful.

Have you seen some of the threads describing "clutter"? Some of those things can work. You don't need to block all of the wind, just give them something they can hide behind. You don't need to wrap the entire height, just high enough to block the wind down where they are. My coop totally blocks one direction and I have a solid human gate that creates a nice protected corner with the coop.

I don't know how big your run is or what your standards are for beauty. Some people don't want to trash the neighborhood. Anything that will block the wind will help, but probably the most efficient is to wrap a corner high enough and wide enough to give them a protected spot from certain wind directions.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

A common windbreak in windy climate are hedges tall enough and thick enough to block or slow down the wind. But your question is "in the run". Planting in the run after the chickens are there is often not very successful.

Have you seen some of the threads describing "clutter"? Some of those things can work. You don't need to block all of the wind, just give them something they can hide behind. You don't need to wrap the entire height, just high enough to block the wind down where they are. My coop totally blocks one direction and I have a solid human gate that creates a nice protected corner with the coop.

I don't know how big your run is or what your standards are for beauty. Some people don't want to trash the neighborhood. Anything that will block the wind will help, but probably the most efficient is to wrap a corner high enough and wide enough to give them a protected spot from certain wind directions.

Thanks! They do have two corners they retreat to. I’ll add some more blocks in those areas.

As for the neighbors, we tore out the front yard last year and planted native wildflowers. At least the backyard is mostly hidden by fencing! yeehaw

 

[Ussharrylee]

Thank you for your great suggestions. I am eliminating the under coop run and making it like the white coop attached in the picture. I also attached 3 pictures with added venting. Would the changes as I made in the pictures be good? I appreciate all of your help. Any other suggestions?

Also, I am expanding the coop to 8x10 with the run being 8x10. I have lots of space and will let them free range in good weather and can add on more fenced area as well if I get more chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

View attachment 4082267
Thank you for your great suggestions. I am eliminating the under coop run and making it like the white coop attached in the picture. I also attached 3 pictures with added venting. Would the changes as I made in the pictures be good? I appreciate all of your help. Any other suggestions?

Also, I am expanding the coop to 8x10 with the run being 8x10. I have lots of space and will let them free range in good weather and can add on more fenced area as well if I get more chickens.

Planned vents look good and look like they'll be up high and climate protected.

Run would be the biggest limiting factor in your changes thus far. People do cheat on coop space but chickens will generally opt to spend most of the day outside of the coop, so run space is paramount. If they cannot free range consistently for the majority of the day, 30 birds will absolutely tear each other up in a run sized for 8 max.

 

[Ussharrylee]

Thank you. I will start with fewer chickens and will add an enclosed pen or additional run for them to access if they aren’t free ranging. I think that will be easier to add than trying to make the coop bigger down the road.