Anybody else regret their initial coop design?

[Chicken.Lytle]

My coop is a masterpiece. Master piece of scrap! It was improvised from salvaged materials and has a few, um, shortcomings.

I have started making improvements, first to increase floor space, next to add a nest box.

Do you have any frustrations with your current coop design?

Updates: Interior remodeling , a stupid weather error , and pen cover .

 

[LeghornLisa]

Of course, that is why we built another coop!

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

What did you do differently in the new coop?

 

[thefamilyflock]

Yeah, it isn't big enough....

 

[Duramaxgirl]

Of course I'd change things. I wish we'd put in more roosting boards, and I wish we'd installed them flat side up instead of skinny side up. We have 2x4's for roosts. But most of all I wish we would have built that first coop way BIGGER! But we just built another one when I added more chickens to the flock. I do like how they look and how the construction is though. I'm pretty sure the chickens are happy to. I've just got to figure out how to convince the husband I need one more coop... and I'm sure the 3rd time around it'll be perfection!

 

[Qi Chicken]

We put the poop boards too close to the roosts. They would just sit on them. Also had to make them larger as the chickens sit facing forward AND facing backwards so the poop wasn't being caught on the front end.

Used sliding windows. Bad idea. Rain, wind and snow come in. Get glass panel windows that prop open at the bottom for ventilation with hardware cloth on the inside of the windows to prevent predation.

I think we have enough ventilation but the flaps aren't great. Wish we had designed it differently but don't know how.

Used every adhesive agent known to man and can NOT get linoleum to stick to particle board. I think I might just paint the poop boards black or something next time.

Good luck!

 

[goatranch]

Yes, likeelse says, it was too small. That was before I became a hatchaholic. I am glad for linoleum on the floor. We don't have enough roost space. The only good thing to having a smaller coop, is in the winter it stays warmer. I have found alot of great ideas on BYC and I keep a list. I may be adding another coop in the near future!!!

 

[DeniseAksamit]

Our hen house is a cool old cedar shed with stained glass windows and a deck

and the dozen hens & 1 rooster fit comfortably. I still want to remove the current layer boxes and put in a smaller one thats easier to get the eggs out of or let us get the eggs without going in to the shed. I repositioned the roosts and put them lower, added a power outlet, heater water tank and heat lamp.

 

[chris deiss]

dont feel bad my coop sucks too! its built exactly according to the plan TOO BAD IT WAS DESIGNED FOR WARM WEATHER AND I LIVE IN WISCONSIN the worst part is i am a carpenter and didnt figure this out until it was too late. its too small the 4x8 but the side walls are only 3 ft tall but i put a steep roof on it so at least i can stand up when i get in and the roosting boxes wich are a great idea are way too small so i built extra roosts all over the place.

next summer i will build a new coop and use the info that i have learned from the great people here to do it right this time

if you want vinyl tile to stick to particle board buy some adhesive for setting vinyl tile . even though its self adhesive the osb is too rough for it too bond too the glue is cheap and also buy a disposable notch trowel to spread it and dont put it on too thick or it will ooze out betweenthe tiles

 

[Illia]

Am I having deja vu? I thought I saw this identical thread months ago. . .


Well yes, I really wish my most expensive birds (The Tolbunt Polish) did not have the cheapest, most drafty, and tiniest coop possible around here. . . But, I don't have near enough the money to actually build or buy them one anytime soon.