Additions to a coop

[kearly2015]

Hello. We adopted 4 pullets (about 3 months old) and have them overnighting in a coop we purchased and assembled. The coop is roughly 79" long x 29" wide x 38" high. It has two nest boxes. The coop sits inside our fenced garden. We want to have the chickens free range in the garden during the day (the garden is currently inactive).

They have done great these first few days until yesterday when one of our young (almost a year) outdoor cats started harassing them. So now we would like to add an additional run space onto the coop to provide additional protection when we are not there to supervise. I am looking for ideas on how to do this. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

*IF* you are going to use this coop as a long-term housing unit for the birds you have (*I* would not) you do definitely need to provide the additional run in order to come close to having adequate space for them at times you are going to confine them. Most of the prefabs tend to have an access panel/door at the end opposite the nest boxes where you can attach an additional run (the manufacturers have ones they'll sell you for this purpose - so they build in an easy place to attach it) - I would use that panel (if your setup does, in fact, have one) and build your own run because the pre-fab style are ridiculously small and expensive (as are the coops themselves) and woefully inadequate for the number of birds they claim to accommodate. Decide on the size and structure of the run, build it right up to or around the end of the existing structure and remove that panel - or construct the run and place it around the whole prefab unit with an access door that can be used to give you access into the enclosure and be left open at times you want to range the birds. Whatever you build, *I* would do so with plans for future coop construction in mind so that if (when) you build a larger coop you can do so easily.