A Simple and Effective Coop Plan for 50 standard-sized chickens

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
Thanks! I think concrete is the way I'm going to go. I'll have the actual coop built on a concrete slab. The coop will open up to a caged in run, and that will have a simple dirt floor. I'll close the chickens in the coop at night and keep both the coop and run open during the day for "at will" free ranging.

 

[speckledhen]

Actually, there isn't much bickering since the older girls get up there in their usual spots earlier than the others. And they grow roots up there! My flock rooster, Dutch, gets up on his usual spot and stays put, too, while his younger brother runs around jumping the women because he knows that Dutch wont come down once he's settled. The bickering is on the lower rungs among the lower-ranking, mostly younger, girls.
Cant wait to see what you come up with. Good luck on the building project.

 

[Omran]

preservation Acers,

I know that the good folks on BYC told you the wright thing, I am just trying to share with you my experiance, before it is too late, 10x12' coop will not be enough, the reason is that some days in winter, it might be very windy or very wet to let the chicken free range, and then you will see why a bigger coop is always a plus.

I have also concrete floor in my coop it is great and one thing I wish that I done is putting a drain in the floor for wash out, I still hose it but will be easier if I had the drain before pouring the concrete.

I wish you the best luck.

you can check out my coop in the web below.

Omran

 

[andehens]

Quote:
Thanks! I think concrete is the way I'm going to go. I'll have the actual coop built on a concrete slab. The coop will open up to a caged in run, and that will have a simple dirt floor. I'll close the chickens in the coop at night and keep both the coop and run open during the day for "at will" free ranging.

That is how I do it! They are closed in the preditor safe coop at night and during day go into the attached dirt floor run. I wish I could free range here, but that is just out of the question for several reasons besides preditors. I didn't notice where you are at, where I am its fairly mild, 30's at night at the worst, so my coop and run are closed on 2 ends only, allows for lots of air circulation and minimal smell, even in the summer. A wooden roof over both the coop and run, keeps preditors and rain out. You will need to post pictures when you are all done!

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
A drain in the floor...great idea. I just need to figure out a way to keep it from getting clogged with wood shavings.

 

[Preservation Acres]

Quote:
Thanks! I think concrete is the way I'm going to go. I'll have the actual coop built on a concrete slab. The coop will open up to a caged in run, and that will have a simple dirt floor. I'll close the chickens in the coop at night and keep both the coop and run open during the day for "at will" free ranging.

That is how I do it! They are closed in the preditor safe coop at night and during day go into the attached dirt floor run. I wish I could free range here, but that is just out of the question for several reasons besides preditors. I didn't notice where you are at, where I am its fairly mild, 30's at night at the worst, so my coop and run are closed on 2 ends only, allows for lots of air circulation and minimal smell, even in the summer. A wooden roof over both the coop and run, keeps preditors and rain out. You will need to post pictures when you are all done!

I'll definitely post pictures. I didn't think about a wood roof over the run, but that's a good idea. That way they can have extra space on rainy days and not be confined to the coop.

 

[speckledhen]

Another option if you do not want to roof over the pen is to make sure the coop is raised off the ground so they can duck under it in rain storms.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Speckledhen is right. It's 4 sq feet per bird, however, that depends on the breed. It's 4 sq feet for heavy breeds and 3 for regular, and 2 sq feet for bantams.

I'm finding that 4 is tons better because I'm a few over this year and I can't keep on top of the stink. And seriously, I'm only a few over not many. Last year I was a little under and I only had to change the litter once the whole year. I'd stir it and add new on top and I had no problems. this year with just a few over I'm having to replace the litter about every 3 months as I can't keep on top of the mess.

I've read several chicken books and they all say 4 sq ft, the only place I've ever seen less than that is in the Meyer Hatchery catalog and I've found that they differ greatly, on several things, from what the majority of the experts, and other hatchery catalogs, I've studied say so I don't really use any of their advice. But I like their birds.

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

Quote:
I must not be reading the same books and info that you have been reading. Keep in mind I am talking about minimum floor space per bird. Of course the more floor space the cleaner it is gonna stay. But Im just an ole country, farm boy, with dirt floor coops, so I quess my info must be wrong, and I need to go build new coops in the morning for mine cause the room they have isn't enough for them. Even though its been working for all these years.

Edited for spelling.

 

[speckledhen]

Whatever is working for you is fine. No one is saying that there is one and only one way to do it. If you have healthy birds who are laying well most of the time, then your situation is working for you. As I said, that is a guideline. Less than 4 sf/bird doesn't work well for me because I am sensitive to smells. I want to walk into my coop and take a deep breath and not be disgusted by heavy ammonia. My grandfather's big long coop was so filled with ammonia, it'd make your eyes water most of the time.
Also, commercial operations go by different standards than backyard flock owners. Many books are more written for commercial operating standards and it's not cost effective, supposedly, to give the birds lots of space.