Any suggestions... Planning to start construction next week

[Wildcat Mountain Eggs]

Bit nervous or anxious, this is my first post aside of my intro. This a real rough plan of my coop and run. I will be fenced and roofed with 1/2" hardware cloth or chicken wire. I would love and welcome any do's and dont's from the BTC.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you add your general location to your profile we can give you better-targeted advice. Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

How many chickens are you planning on?

Here's some general advice for you:

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

Hot Climate Chicken Housing and Care

Cold Weather Poultry Housing and Care​

 

[Mrs. K]

I would not build an elevated coop, build it to the ground so you can enter it. I have had the elevated one, and it was a royal pain in the ...neck. Difficult to clean, difficult to get at a hidden nest, and difficult to reposition roost if you need too.

Elevated coops do add a bit of space in the shade for a very small set up, but you have a lovely run planned.

As stated above, where you are will influence this, but I have a run built out of chain link fencing, and the bottom lined with chicken wire, and for the first time in years, it is predator proof. So for small set ups, the hardware cloth is and can be used, but for a larger area, I have been happy with the chainlink.

Do plan to make the run totally enclosed as in over the top if you have the possibility of coons.

Mrs K

 

[mowin]

Whatever you build, design it with ventilation, and predator proofing in mind. It's easier to build something you've planned for than to modify something you've already started building.