Any suggestions?

EmmetKelly

Hatching
10 Years
Mar 16, 2009
4
0
7
SE Michigan
I am planning on building my first coop in the next couple months. I've never had chickens before and I am very excited.
I'd like it to be fairly large and be large enough for me to walk into to clean. There are 6 people in our family and I'd like enough chickens to supply enough eggs for us, plus some eggs to sell so that we are covered by Michigan's Right To Farm Act, so maybe 6-9 hens and a rooster. Going by the 4 sqft per chicken rule, I plan on making my coop at least 36 sqft, 6 ft x 6 ft, but plan on making it about 8 x 10.
My dad wants to make part of the coop a storage area for wheel barrows, the lawn mower, and feed, and I believe he'll want his side to be larger. Per city law, my coop has to be at least 25 sqft and he will probably push to make it about that size.
As for out-of-the-coop arrangements. We live on 2 acres, woods on the right, cows in the back, a neighbor on the left, and a road in front. I suppose we'll have a run for them but I also plan on letting them free range as much as possible.

Does anyone have any ideas on the best coop for my situation?
 
Don't let this overwhelm you by its size, but this is a very good link for ideas about coops. One thing I would recommend is to think in multiples of 4 and 8. Building materials come in standard size of 4 feet wide and 8 feet long. With wastage, an 8' x 10' would probably cost almost as much as a 8' x 12'.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=140561

You can also go to the Learning Center at the top of this page to look at coop designs and get some ideas.

Looks like you are on the right track with your thinking.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom