are these coops any good?

[Alex S]

@nuthatched Before I get into this designing rabbit hole, I need links to roost rules and Nesting box sizes!

 

[nuthatched]

@nuthatched Before I get into this designing rabbit hole, I need links to roost rules and Nesting box sizes!

About 16" per bird on the rooster bars, boxes should be big enough for hens to turn around, I think mine are about 16x16x16 high. A lot of people use 5 gallon buckets or cat litter boxes for nest boxes.

 

[Alex S]

About 16" per bird on the rooster bars, boxes should be big enough for hens to turn around, I think mine are about 16x16x16 high. A lot of people use 5 gallon buckets or cat litter boxes for nest boxes.

Ok for buffs, do 12 inches by 12-inch nesting boxes work, or should I go 16''x16"

 

[Aunt Angus]

Ok for buffs, do 12 inches by 12-inch nesting boxes work, or should I go 16''x16"

I'm jumping in here - pardon my intrusion!

12x12 is fine for Buff Orps. Even my Brahma and Cochin do fine in 12x12.

Edited to add that I have larger boxes now, and they like those even better. I think mine are 15x15ish.


I built my own coop. It wasn't all that hard. I Googled chicken coop plans and found one that was pretty simple. Then I made it bigger. I made it out of recycled materials. I spent ~ $250 total. The most expensive parts were the roof panels and the hardware cloth. Mine was 4x8 walk-in. I moved, though, and now my flock is in a converted 8x10 shed.

But if I can do it, I think anyone can. I mean that. I am not very handy. But what I lack in skill, I make up for with bull-headed determination, by golly!

The run... that was another matter. An expensive matter...

 

[Alex S]

I'm jumping in here - pardon my intrusion!

12x12 is fine for Buff Orps. Even my Brahma and Cochin do fine in 12x12.

I built my own coop. It wasn't all that hard. I Googled chicken coop plans and found one that was pretty simple. Then I made it bigger. I made it out of recycled materials. I spent ~ $250 total. The most expensive parts were the roof panels and the hardware cloth. Mine was 4x8 walk-in. I moved, though, and now my flock is in a converted 8x10 shed.

But if I can do it, I think anyone can. I mean that. I am not very handy. But what I lack in skill, I make up for with bull-headed determination, by golly!

The run... that was another matter. An expensive matter...

Actually, I'm hoping to build a 4x8 chicken coop! Do you know what plans you used? Also is to safe to free range with no fence?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Actually, I'm hoping to build a 4x8 chicken coop! Do you know what plans you used? Also is to safe to free range with no fence?

Oh! Lemme see what I can find! Gimme a few minutes...

Free ranging is a gamble. I live in the woods. I have all kinds of predators: coyote, foxes, hawks, raccoons, bobcat, owls, skunks, eagles, possum, and the occasional mountain lion and bear. And I am one of those crazy chicken ladies who can't fathom the idea of losing one of her chickens. My run is a roofed dog kennel. But they have a fenced chicken yard (electric fence), and I let them on our property for a few closely supervised hours every day. My rooster does a good job alerting us to threats, but I watch closely. I am a veritable livestock guardian human. I don't mess around.

But free ranging is good for the chickens in a lot of ways - good diet, lots of exercise, living like a chicken should. It's a personal choice, and everyone will tell you something different if you ask their opinion. I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel responsible for them.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Actually, I'm hoping to build a 4x8 chicken coop! Do you know what plans you used? Also is to safe to free range with no fence?

Ha! I found it!

Here's the website I searched: https://www.thehappychickencoop.com/chicken-coop-plans/

I started with this and basically just... extended the walls to make it a walk-in. Then I changed the roof to make a lean-to type roof.

Here's my old coop, made from siding I got free off Craigslist and my mom's fence after a drunk driver drove through it. As you can see, it looks NOTHING like the plans - HAHAHA! : https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/feathering-heights.74546/

 

[Alex S]

Oh! Lemme see what I can find! Gimme a few minutes...

Free ranging is a gamble. I live in the woods. I have all kinds of predators: coyote, foxes, hawks, raccoons, bobcat, owls, skunks, eagles, possum, and the occasional mountain lion and bear. And I am one of those crazy chicken ladies who can't fathom the idea of losing one of her chickens. My run is a roofed dog kennel. But they have a fenced chicken yard (electric fence), and I let them on our property for a few closely supervised hours every day. My rooster does a good job alerting us to threats, but I watch closely. I am a veritable livestock guardian human. I don't mess around.

But free ranging is good for the chickens in a lot of ways - good diet, lots of exercise, living like a chicken should. It's a personal choice, and everyone will tell you something different if you ask their opinion. I just can't bring myself to do it. I feel responsible for them.

I sadly cant use a dog kennel run (family disapproves), I'm not sure what im gonna do

 

[Aunt Angus]

I sadly cant use a dog kennel run (family disapproves), I'm not sure what im gonna do

Most people build them out of posts and hardware cloth. Like this:

Honestly, that's what I wanted to do, but my husband was not going to let me. He insisted on the kennel. I'm kinda glad he did now because we were able to take it when we moved. I've now expanded it to twice as wide by reconfiguring it and adding welded wire to extend the roof.

 

[Alex S]

Most people build them out of posts and hardware cloth. Like this:

View attachment 2490283

Honestly, that's what I wanted to do, but my husband was not going to let me. He insisted on the kennel. I'm kinda glad he did now because we were able to take it when we moved. I've now expanded it to twice as wide by reconfiguring it and adding welded wire to extend the roof.

So so make it 6 feet tall plus 2x4's and you got yourself a run. Here are my notes so far: (fr means free-range)