Beginner Coop Designs?

[snyper82]

First pip!!

 

[Wyandotte Wrangler]

Afternoon,

That's super cool to hatch your own baby's, I hope most if not all of them hatch!

Coops.... I have 6 girls and I originally started out with a rickety brooder I made out of old fence wood and chicken wire In my garage. My POA at the time wouldn't allow chickens so everything had to be on the DL. I looked at coops and everything I could find to buy was too small for 6 large birds (given 4 sqft per bird) or what I thought at the time to be way too expensive. So I built my own. I first was going to use 2x4s and 3/4" plywood. Then after I bought my 2x4x8s I realized I had grossly over engineered it. I mean it's holding chickens not people lol. So since I had some material already bought I decided to scale back some and it ended up saving me some money. I ripped (split longways) the 2x4s and thus had double my studs keeping me from having to buy more wood. I even had some left over even after some cutting mistakes *facepalm* I down graded the 3/4" plywood to 1/2"(for the floor) and 3/8" (for the walls and roof). I also used "scraps" where I could to avoid having to get more wood. Basically both window covers, the nesting box cover, the ramp, and the trim for the roof and skylights were all "recycled" from other cut pieces of plywood.

Now my coop wasn't ment for full time use just laying, sleeping, and staying out of the rain. After everything was said and done I spent about $560 from idea to in the yard. I made my own waterer and feeders once they were old enough. Id be happy to tell you how I built those if you would like.

Granted my coop isn't a walk in, but I have a large door (essentially one whole side of the coop) that opens for cleaning and my nesting boxes are at great reach in hight. 2 windows and the eves are open all the way around for ventilation. The only thing I would change now that I have moved to a place with no HOA is I would put the ramp and door out front rather than inside. But it did the job I needed at the time.

WW

 

[demonic]

Hello all!

I'm sure this has been asked a TON of times, but searching hasn't helped me

We will, hopefully, have some chicks at the end of April and I'm trying to figure the whole coop thing, buying vs building. It seems like buying one it hit or miss or just really expensive ($1200+). I have 7 eggs in the incubator, started on Sunday (4/11/21) of this week. I don't know how many chickens I'll get, I don't know the exact breeds cause they are Heinz 57 from my uncle (Plymouth Rock, Leghorn, and Ameraucana). Anyways, I have time, right? like 7-9 weeks from now...
I have a limit here of 6 chickens so if they all hatch (doubtful) then one will have to... well, you know, become a dinner guest.

I don't have a ton of money to put into this right now, so I plan to upgrade whatever I have in the future.

So I want a coop for 7, that gives my 6 room in my mind.

• I would like to have external egg boxes but if we have to go inside to get eggs, it's no big deal.
• I eventually want to do deep bedding inside and deep litter in the run if not right away.
• I have a spot planned for the chickens and being in the city I don't have a huge amount of predators to contend with, I will still have buried fencing around the whole mess and plan to partially cover the run for protection from rain/snow with 1/2" mesh covering the rest (all around) as I'd like to leave the door of the coop open 24/7.
• At first I wanted a raised coop, but for 6 (7) I think that would be a pain to clean based on what I've been reading on here, so a "walk-in" style is fine (walk-in meaning it's on the ground and tall enough to bend over to get into if needed)
• feeding and watering would just hang from the ceiling to keep them from fouling it (until I can build some sort of "cool" system for feed/water

I don't know what I've missed or messed up, but I also don't know where to begin. I've tried designing my own plans at they seem overkill or now enough depending on what I make.

SOoooo....
What would you suggest a beginner to do, someone just starting out with a few weeks before anything is needed?

Help me CYB you're my only hope!

Building a coop is the best bet. when I first got chickens I bought a coop from amazon, it took a few hours to build and it’s not even rain or weather proof and the coop for would break so easily. Plus if you build one it’s a permanent investment so you can always get more chickens. I am also in the city, my predators are raccoons skunks and opossums. My coop was built into a shed so it’s a very simple procedure and I just lock the coop. and there is hardwire mesh around the coop. When I had my coop I bought, I had to put so much protection and random things around it when I locked them up at night . Also, since your in the city, neighbors will probably be a problem. Make sure your coop is at around the back of your yard or somewhere where the coop is not near neighbors bedrooms, as sometimes chickens make egg songs.

 

[demonic]

Building a coop is the best bet. when I first got chickens I bought a coop from amazon, it took a few hours to build and it’s not even rain or weather proof and the coop for would break so easily. Plus if you build one it’s a permanent investment so you can always get more chickens. I am also in the city, my predators are raccoons skunks and opossums. My coop was built into a shed so it’s a very simple procedure and I just lock the coop. and there is hardwire mesh around the coop. When I had my coop I bought, I had to put so much protection and random things around it when I locked them up at night . Also, since your in the city, neighbors will probably be a problem. Make sure your coop is at around the back of your yard or somewhere where the coop is not near neighbors bedrooms, as sometimes chickens make egg songs.

I meant to say the coop door broke easily

 

[snyper82]

Started the coop this weekend...

4x8, raised, extra run space underneath, it'll have 4ft high walls and a lean-to style roof. I like the idea of being able to push my wheelbarrow up to it for clean-out.
We had some wood given and sold to us from other people that helped with the cost. I haven't got the roof figured out but the rest it's pretty straight-forward.
I couldn't get black jack 57, but I got a rubberized foundation sealant from menards, I plan to use that for the floor and a little ways up the walls. You can see the rubber stuff on the 4x4s in the pic.

You guys are awesome for all the help and suggestions!
Best site ever for chicken gurus!

 

[demonic]

Started the coop this weekend...View attachment 26474674x8, raised, extra run space underneath, it'll have 4ft high walls and a lean-to style roof. I like the idea of being able to push my wheelbarrow up to it for clean-out.
We had some wood given and sold to us from other people that helped with the cost. I haven't got the roof figured out but the rest it's pretty straight-forward.
I couldn't get black jack 57, but I got a rubberized foundation sealant from menards, I plan to use that for the floor and a little ways up the walls. You can see the rubber stuff on the 4x4s in the pic.

You guys are awesome for all the help and suggestions!
Best site ever for chicken gurus!

Looks like you will have lots of space and Your chickens will be very happy!

 

[snyper82]

a Little update on my coop, I'm not a pro, so it's a little wonky and the run wasn't well thought out :/ but I like it so far!
Oh, and we dumped the pine shavings from the brooder in there before we realized they are a bad idea (wanting to do deep litter out and deep bedding in)
I'll have some interior pics soon
(chicken math hit us early, our 7 eggs, went down to 6, 3 hatched and one of those hat to be euthanized, then we went to rural king... well.. we have 9 chickens now! LOL)

 

[Krugerrand]

a Little update on my coop, I'm not a pro, so it's a little wonky and the run wasn't well thought out :/ but I like it so far!
Oh, and we dumped the pine shavings from the brooder in there before we realized they are a bad idea (wanting to do deep litter out and deep bedding in)
I'll have some interior pics soon
(chicken math hit us early, our 7 eggs, went down to 6, 3 hatched and one of those hat to be euthanized, then we went to rural king... well.. we have 9 chickens now! LOL)
View attachment 2677678

It's looking great! I'm just a tad angry with you for accomplishing in 3-weeks what's taking me more than 6-weeks!

 

[snyper82]

Lol...Long nights

 

[snyper82]

Thank you all for your help and suggestions! I'm pretty happy with it we just finished last night!
well, sorta, the run has some more roofing that needs to be done, once that is done it'll be about as preditor proof as I would know how to make it (hardware cloth on ALL open areas including roof of run, 2ft apron all around coop and shed (next to coop), latches with carabeaners (spelling) on all entry points.
the entire top of the coop is ventilation
plan to add a window from run to coop for more venting or on the outside next to egg box.
plan to do some sort of fill from outside to waterer and feeder for inside the coop and move the feeder and water in the pic to the run