Building first coop for 40-50 chickens which one?

[Cap26651]

Hello we’re building our first coop. For anywhere between 40-50 chickens. I don’t have a lot of time to build. But I only have 2 options in budget right now. Either build a coop from pallets or I’m going to buy a metal storage shed and convert it. Which would be the best? I live in WV with mild winters and summers. And how many sq ft inside the coop should I have for this many? I need help ASAP and if u have any pallet blue prints u would like to share that would be awesome thank u in advance

 

[BleuSaphir]

I would opt to do build a coop out of pallets. Free lumber scraps. You can build easier to keep in mind of ventilation. Metal coop look tricky regarding to modify ventilation and metal recepts heats a lot easier. So it be a potential hot oven inside.

 

[Cap26651]

I would opt to do build a coop out of pallets. Free lumber scraps. You can build easier to keep in mind of ventilation. Metal coop look tricky regarding to modify ventilation and metal recepts heats a lot easier. So it be a potential hot oven inside.

That’s what I’ve been wanting to do. But idk if I have time to build it. I work 5-16’s so only have Saturday and sundays free and idk what size I’d need for that many chickens. Or how long it takes to build one out of pallets. Do you happen know how many sq ft inside a coop per chicken?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC!

That's quite a LOT of chickens. Have you raised chickens before?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop,
• 10 square feet in the run,
• 1 linear foot of roost,
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

That said, from a behavioral/social standpoint a large flock in a large coop doesn't necessarily need as much space per bird because any given hen has more space to put between herself and a harasser. But each bird still generates just as much poop so sanitation issues could pile up with chickens kept at a higher density.

Using the numbers above, for 50 hens you'd need:

• 200 square feet in the coop -- at least 10 x20. 12x24 or 16x16 would work better with the common dimensions of lumber and maybe allow you some built-in storage space.
• 500 square feet in the run. My 100 feet of Premier 1 electric netting encloses about 600 feet of space and I will tell you that only 9 chickens managed to destroy all the grass I could give them through moving the fence around a core area in less than a year.
• 50 linear feet of roost. With large flocks it's good to arrange the roosts so that groups of dominant and subordinate chickens can separate themselves.
• ~13 nest boxes
• 50 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located up at the roof level.

So you can see that you need to be thinking small barn rather than "coop" -- and that a pallet build is going to be problematic at that size.

Metal buildings can be tricky to ventilate unless they're actually designed as barns (metal pole barns are common in my area). A 1-car carport might be a good starting place.

This is my Open Air coop, which is 16x16 -- just to give you an idea of what that kind of space looks like. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

 

[Alaskan]

Welcome to BYC!

That's quite a LOT of chickens. Have you raised chickens before?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop,
• 10 square feet in the run,
• 1 linear foot of roost,
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

That said, from a behavioral/social standpoint a large flock in a large coop doesn't necessarily need as much space per bird because any given hen has more space to put between herself and a harasser. But each bird still generates just as much poop so sanitation issues could pile up with chickens kept at a higher density.

Using the numbers above, for 50 hens you'd need:

• 200 square feet in the coop -- at least 10 x20. 12x24 or 16x16 would work better with the common dimensions of lumber and maybe allow you some built-in storage space.
• 500 square feet in the run. My 100 feet of Premier 1 electric netting encloses about 600 feet of space and I will tell you that only 9 chickens managed to destroy all the grass I could give them through moving the fence around a core area in less than a year.
• 50 linear feet of roost. With large flocks it's good to arrange the roosts so that groups of dominant and subordinate chickens can separate themselves.
• ~13 nest boxes
• 50 square feet of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located up at the roof level.

So you can see that you need to be thinking small barn rather than "coop" -- and that a pallet build is going to be problematic at that size.

Metal buildings can be tricky to ventilate unless they're actually designed as barns (metal pole barns are common in my area). A 1-car carport might be a good starting place.

This is my Open Air coop, which is 16x16 -- just to give you an idea of what that kind of space looks like. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

View attachment 2785957

Looooooove those eves!!!!

Nice and big!

Excellent open air coop!

 

[Alaskan]

Hello we’re building our first coop. For anywhere between 40-50 chickens. I don’t have a lot of time to build. But I only have 2 options in budget right now. Either build a coop from pallets or I’m going to buy a metal storage shed and convert it. Which would be the best? I live in WV with mild winters and summers. And how many sq ft inside the coop should I have for this many? I need help ASAP and if u have any pallet blue prints u would like to share that would be awesome thank u in advance

I don't use blueprints...

I gather all of the junk that I can find, spread it out on the lawn or parking lot.. eyeball it to see how it will fit together... then put it together.

Since you are in a hot climate, think "open air coop", NOT closed up box.

Which means what you really need is roofing and wire!

Someone elses busted up, full of holes metal roof is just fine for a chicken coop (just patch holes over the roosting area). So look for construction trash, or ask roofers.

The pallets can be used as walls, nice and strong to keep out dogs, and still lots of gaps for needed ventilation... BUT you will need to put a layer of wire over the pallets to keep out snakes, raccoon hands, and such.

 

[Alaskan]

As to size... since it sounds like you are in a rush... just build as big as you can... and make sure the shape is such so you can add on when you get more materials.

 

[3KillerBs]

Looooooove those eves!!!!

Nice and big!

Excellent open air coop!

As soon as we put the roof on the shape of the clerestory and the natural flow of air up the hill in the summer started a chimney effect to keep cool air moving.

 

[Cap26651]

I don't use blueprints...

I gather all of the junk that I can find, spread it out on the lawn or parking lot.. eyeball it to see how it will fit together... then put it together.

Since you are in a hot climate, think "open air coop", NOT closed up box.

Which means what you really need is roofing and wire!

Someone elses busted up, full of holes metal roof is just fine for a chicken coop (just patch holes over the roosting area). So look for construction trash, or ask roofers.

The pallets can be used as walls, nice and strong to keep out dogs, and still lots of gaps for needed ventilation... BUT you will need to put a layer of wire over the pallets to keep out snakes, raccoon hands, and such.

I

I don't use blueprints...

I gather all of the junk that I can find, spread it out on the lawn or parking lot.. eyeball it to see how it will fit together... then put it together.

Since you are in a hot climate, think "open air coop", NOT closed up box.

Which means what you really need is roofing and wire!

Someone elses busted up, full of holes metal roof is just fine for a chicken coop (just patch holes over the roosting area). So look for construction trash, or ask roofers.

The pallets can be used as walls, nice and strong to keep out dogs, and still lots of gaps for needed ventilation... BUT you will need to put a layer of wire over the pallets to keep out snakes, raccoon hands, and such.

It’s not too warm in the mountains lol. Hottest it usually gets in summer time is maybe 93. Avg 70-80 summer time But winters aren’t harsh tho either stays around 20-40 degrees. I should of added too that my chickens free range so they’ll only be locked up at night/cold days. Luckily I don’t have a big predator problem, as I’ve trapped/killed most the predators on our property and anything else the dogs keep away. I was thinking about going the pallet route “as I have a unlimited supply at work” and using tin off a old shed a tree fell on to take on and off during hot and cold months. . But I work 5-16’s a week so have very little time on my hands is my only issue, need something that will be a quick build and reliable

 

[3KillerBs]

But I work 5-16’s a week so have very little time on my hands is my only issue, need something that will be a quick build and reliable

If speed is a priority then trying to get ahold of a used metal-roofed carport or a used, metal "loafing shed" of the sort used for horses would be good because you'd have the hardest part, the structure, done.