Best Coop Design/Construction Decisions

[BonnieBlue]

My new coop was finished in August. One I spent a long time thinking about and designing, and did what I could, given finances. I would have loved bigger, but did splurge on a couple of things. So for everyone looking at building a new coop, I thought it would be fun to list our two best "design elements" in our coops. Plus, it might give ideas for additions down the road for others of us. I'm thinking one practical element, one "splurge" element.

Here are mine:

1. Practical - Exhaust fans. Two 820 cfm exhaust fans, one on each end. At 12"x12", they were the biggest I could fit in the space, and really pull air. I have what is adequate passive ventilation, but the lack of odor in the coop tells me these work.

2. Splurge - Running water and a sink. I knew I wanted a "people side" in my coop so I would have room to work and store cleaning stuff. But the big splurge was the running water. I am too old and cranky to tote water from the house, or tangle with a garden hose in the winter. Cleaning is so much easier. Keeping waterers full is easier. I got a small deep tub laundry sink, and it is just right for fitting a bin for washing chickens and then just dumping the water down the drain, so even bathing chickens is easier. Because I am in a rural area, I was able to save money by having it drain into the water drainage easement. (Totally legal, safe, and a lot cheaper.) Even if I could only portion off a small 4'x4' area for a sink, I would have one.

So what are your coops' best features?

 

[thecatumbrella]

Running water and a sink.

I would kill (my bank account) for this. What a great idea. I could never do it in New England, but what a quality of life upgrade for warmer states.

Something I'll always have in my chicken run is a partitioned space for brats, broodies, ill flock members, and new chicks. It's fantastic to just have an area ready to go when needed. No messing around with crates or wire pens.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Wish I had power out to the run. One day…

 

[BonnieBlue]

I would kill (my bank account) for this. What a great idea. I could never do it in New England, but what a quality of life upgrade for warmer states.

Something I'll always have in my chicken run is a partitioned space for brats, broodies, ill flock members, and new chicks. It's fantastic to just have an area ready to go when needed. No messing around with crates or wire pens.

I am paranoid about a pipe freezing since the coop isn't heated, and on the few nights we have gotten below freezing, I have left it dripping. If we get a once every 5 years below 20, I know where the shutoff valve to the line is.

And I did kill my bank account. Totally worth it though!

I love the idea of a partitioned run.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Wish I had power out to the run. One day…

I was so lucky that in building the coop and run right next to the barn, the electricity was right there to tap into!

It was also close to the water line running to a faucet on the side of the barn.

There are things we take for granted until we find we don't have it. Like electricity! I hope you get power to your coop one day!

 

[StinkyAcres]

Practical: Power in the coop to run lights, heaters, heated waterers, and, occasionally, power tools and a boombox.

Splurge: I guess my biggest splurge has been the Sweeter Heaters (instead of the cheap kind of radiant panel heater).

 

[BonnieBlue]

Practical: Power in the coop to run lights, heaters, heated waterers, and, occasionally, power tools and a boombox.

Splurge: I guess my biggest splurge has been the Sweeter Heaters (instead of the cheap kind of radiant panel heater).

I have never heard of Sweeter Heaters, so I looked them up. I could use one of those. Not for the chickens, but for me! lol

 

[Folly's place]

We have an all season hydrant right outside of our coop, so there's water available all year there. Carrying water in winter, through snow and on ice, miserable!
The water line is buried below the frost line from the water line from our well, which involved renting a trencher and digging a hole deep enough for the hydrant. Filling in the trench was a pain! But totally worth it!!!
Now we'd have to hire the work done, and it still would be worth the money spent.
Mary