Brand new to all this

[ValarieF]

Welcome To BYC! Glad to have you in our flock.
If you have any questions we are her to help.
We also love to chat and have fun!

 

[DobieLover]

Use the basic space guidelines provided by @3KillerBs (except increase the run space to 15 sq ft minimum... you'd be surprised just how small 10 sq ft is for chickens) then modify a pre-existing shed or outbuilding.
If you found shed plans, you can use them to build the basic structure or try to find a used shed. Many shed builders remove old sheds from a property when a new one is delivered. They may have a used shed you could buy for cheap and have them deliver it and then most of the work is already done.
I both built a coop from plans and modified a shed into a coop. The coop I built from plans I modified for much more ventilation and "easier" cleaning. After a few months of using this coop, I hated it. The chickens did just fine in the setup but it was so hard for me to clean it, get chickens out of it. What a horror show!
The walk-in coop with poop boards is so much better! It's super easy to clean, tend to birds, and work in, I would never recommend anything else.

 

[aart]

We are in Frederick Md.

Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Great advice above, nothing to add to it, and not enough knowledge of MA weather to offer much guidance.

Instead, I'll emphasize three points.

1) Abundance is a social lubricant. The more space you can provide your birds, the better they will tend to behave, and the more flexibility you will have in managing your flock.

2) Weather Sheltered 24/7/365 ventilation which doesn't cause drafts on your birds is probably the most important feature of a coop in low predator environments, and the second most important feature in high predator environments. The most common modification around here - even to prefabs and kits - is ventillation improvements.

3) Coops you can stand up in are easier. Easier to clean, easier to maintain, easier to repair, easier to ensure draft free, weather sheltered ventilation. Easier to find off the shelf options for modifications and improvements at the home store.

 

[Blam59]

I’d like to get opinions on building a coop from plans versus buying a kit. Any recommendations on good places to look for both plans and kits. By ordnance, we are limited to 6 hens if that helps the discussion.

We live in a neighborhood. Our property is about .33 acre. There are several neighbors with chickens. Our plan is to move our new coop around the back yard. I built our coop based on a youtube video. If you are handy with tools you will get more satisfaction with building your own.

Here is the link to the video I watched and a picture of where I am with our build as we are new to backyard chickens as well.

 

[3KillerBs]

Frederick should be in the moderate climate that most coops are designed for, which is good. No special care needed for either bitter cold or blistering heat. Here's a good article for being aware of winter and summer issues: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

If you get significant snow over a fair proportion of the winter you'll want to either have a covered run where you can put plastic on the windward walls (leaving ventilation along the tops of said walls), or much more room in the coop. Chickens don't generally like to go out in the snow.

I do need to read more about ventilation to see if modifications are needed.

And my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Use the basic space guidelines provided by @3KillerBs (except increase the run space to 15 sq ft minimum... you'd be surprised just how small 10 sq ft is for chickens) then modify a pre-existing shed or outbuilding.

I agree with Dobie that it's best to exceed the minimums if you can. I wrote another article on the benefits of having over-sized facilities, though you might have space constraints that make it difficult: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/over-sized-isnt-just-for-sweaters.77604/

Here is the link to the video I watched and a picture of where I am with our build as we are new to backyard chickens as well.

That is a better A-frame than most. I can see it being good for mild climates when used inside a predator-proof run (chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in/out. It doesn't stop most predators).

But it's not suited for year-round use in any place that gets much in the way of winter. The A-frame design is tremendously difficult to design in such a way that it both stays weatherproof AND stays well-ventilated.

Here are some small and medium coops to look at:

Small Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dallas-urban-coop-single-slope-design.72422/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coreys-coop-de-doop.55619/

Medium Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-barn-red-and-white-coop-complete-build-photos.75458/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74322/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-song-music-factory.74019/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/perkolators-modern-chicken-estate-2019.75345/

Also, some shed conversions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

 

[Blam59]

Frederick should be in the moderate climate that most coops are designed for, which is good. No special care needed for either bitter cold or blistering heat. Here's a good article for being aware of winter and summer issues: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

If you get significant snow over a fair proportion of the winter you'll want to either have a covered run where you can put plastic on the windward walls (leaving ventilation along the tops of said walls), or much more room in the coop. Chickens don't generally like to go out in the snow.



And my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/



I agree with Dobie that it's best to exceed the minimums if you can. I wrote another article on the benefits of having over-sized facilities, though you might have space constraints that make it difficult: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/over-sized-isnt-just-for-sweaters.77604/



That is a better A-frame than most. I can see it being good for mild climates when used inside a predator-proof run (chicken wire is only good for keeping chickens in/out. It doesn't stop most predators).

But it's not suited for year-round use in any place that gets much in the way of winter. The A-frame design is tremendously difficult to design in such a way that it both stays weatherproof AND stays well-ventilated.

Here are some small and medium coops to look at:

Small Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dallas-urban-coop-single-slope-design.72422/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coreys-coop-de-doop.55619/

Medium Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-barn-red-and-white-coop-complete-build-photos.75458/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74322/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-song-music-factory.74019/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/perkolators-modern-chicken-estate-2019.75345/

Also, some shed conversions:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

We live south of Houston so we don’t have severe weather. This design seemed to be well suited for us.

 

[Steve Ludy]

One more thing .... Know your predators. Plan for them in your build. Electric fence and/or 1/2" hardware cloth are your friends. Chicken wire keeps chickens in but does not keep out predators.

It's good to spend some time reading other people's experiences:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/predators-and-pests

 

[Steve Ludy]

Fox will probably be the biggest issue. The bears don’t come near the house.