Anybody else regret their initial coop design?

[Chicken.Lytle]

Quote:
I built a tractor that was barely adequate for my newly-arrived pullets. Now it sits in the chicken run and holds the broody cage off the ground.

How do you persuade your flock to go in and out of the tractor? Can you show us pictures?

 

[motoclown]

Not enough ventilation up high but we only have 4 girls in our 8x8 coop so not been a problem yet.
I do see more birds in our future.

And our roosts are a little high too, we'll be fixing that as soon as we get around to it.

 

[somissemilyy]

I know I do! My coop is not the look of a usual one. I wish I could've came to this website before I even built it! It needs to be bigger...

 

[MamaChic21]

boy do I ? Check out my BYC page and you'll know why. Location, location, location is very important as well. My husband bought a 7x7 shed and didn't know where to put it, so we made it into a chicken and duck coop and I've also build additional chicken coop with 2 floors. From the first floor, they can come out from the chicken run into their playing area, that's cool but again, location location location. I wish I've made it bigger

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I had come to this section to ask what you would do different if you could build again....because we are moving and I wanted to hear different ideas!

I love the coop I have now--very, very secure. Run is completely enclosed! It has a dropping board, a single roost and nest boxes off the floor. food and water are under the dropping board.. leaving 90% of the floor for the girls to dig thru or dust bath in..

I will change the door to be higher--or have it come in from outside the run because every night I have to rake the shavings away from it before I can close up the coop..

AND I want it larger w/ divided 'stalls' so I can have different breeds, different size, different flocks etc ...and I will have a brooder box inside the coop.. SO I can have everyone together. I will also have electric lights, I like the 'tap' type of lights but I will need move lights in a large coop.. I hope others will post so I can get more ideas for my list..

 

[PineappleMama]

I wish I'd made ours 5x5 or even 4x5 instead of just the minimum 4x4... there are two 4' roosts but the girls all cram themselves on the one... guess it'll help in the winter, but still....

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Y'all have inspired me. I am about half way through my list of coop improvements .

 

[crazeetxn]

Only time I see a need for improvements is when I come on here and look at other peoples coops and wonder "why didn't I think of that"

I'm good with the current layout though and have gotten over my "coop envy"

 

[BWKatz]

Chicken.Lytle :

Quote:
I built a tractor that was barely adequate for my newly-arrived pullets. Now it sits in the chicken run and holds the broody cage off the ground.

How do you persuade your flock to go in and out of the tractor? Can you show us pictures?

See my BYC page. It really exercises my birds since they are all "flighty"and keeps them happy. They can REALLY fly! 6ft high and 20ft at a time ...they beat me where ever we go. They can do short hops in forager since it is 6ft high.and I do have a roost. O...nce in awhile one of my Polish likes to race around a little more and I have to catch her with my fish net. Sorry the only picture I have of them traveling is going in the coop at night.

 

[Chicken.Lytle]

Quote:
I built a tractor that was barely adequate for my newly-arrived pullets. Now it sits in the chicken run and holds the broody cage off the ground.

How do you persuade your flock to go in and out of the tractor? Can you show us pictures?

See my BYC page. It really exercises my birds since they are all "flighty"and keeps them happy. They can REALLY fly! 6ft high and 20ft at a time ...they beat me where ever we go. They can do short hops in forager since it is 6ft high.and I do have a roost. O...nce in awhile one of my Polish likes to race around a little more and I have to catch her with my fish net. Sorry the only picture I have of them traveling is going in the coop at night.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/58292_0904102008.jpg

Love that forager! Looks like you just lift up one end and let them all run in for a treat?