Building in a building

[Lilion]

Please chuck chicken wire buy hardware cloth.
predators and snake can reach in chicken wire.

There won't be any predators in the shed. It's fine, honestly.

 

[Sic]

That would make it about 12x12. We don't want it that big. We also want to be able to enter without worrying if the chickens get out when we open the door. I appreciate it, but we've given the coop inside the building a lot of thought. Our current one in a metal building is like this and except for the heat, we love how it came together.

Our old coop when it was being built.
View attachment 3909556

In your original post you said "We intend to add on later, making a brooder or separations area off to one side. Eventually, a solid wall about 10 feet in will separate the chicken area from the storage area."
I was just offering building advice as the fastest and simpler way to get to the end goal. How I would do it. I guess you have it all figured out so don't need advice. Good luck, and congratulations on your newest chooks.

 

[Lilion]

In your original post you said "We intend to add on later, making a brooder or separations area off to one side. Eventually, a solid wall about 10 feet in will separate the chicken area from the storage area."
I was just offering building advice as the fastest and simpler way to get to the end goal. How I would do it. I guess you have it all figured out so don't need advice. Good luck, and congratulations on your newest chooks.

I truly do appreciate the advice and if we wanted the whole end to be coop, that's exactly what we'd do.

7 is 3 more chickens than we ever wanted. Getting chicks are a few years away. For now, I'd we need to separate one for medical reasons, we have a little coop we can use that the pullets are using.

 

[Lilion]

And we're started! Way slow...my husband and I spend too much time figuring out how to do things. But hopefully a week or so and we'll be done. It would be faster if we didn't have jobs. Or if we did have skills.

Entirely too many nests for 7 hens, but I'm reusing old cabinets we ripped out in a remodel. Better too many than too few, right? Roosts will go on the right, pop door just to the right of the window. A bit more than 50 sq feet - we used reclaimed 2x4s, so they aren't exactly 8'. I'm pretty happy with it and it'll be big enough for all our ladies.

Thanks for the tips!

 

[cavemanrich]

Entirely too many nests for 7 hens, but I'm reusing old cabinets we ripped out in a remodel.

I reality most of your hens will concentrate on one or 2 nest-boxes.
You can then repurpose the remaining ones for neat chicken supply storage.

 

[Lilion]

I reality most of your hens will concentrate on one or 2 nest-boxes.
You can then repurpose the remaining ones for neat chicken supply storage.

I considered that. The 3 ladies have 2 and use both, so I wanted more for 7, but they likely won't use all 4. I turned them around and removed the back, so the doors are where I can access eggs from without going in the coop. I saved the backing and can put it back on one, or even just 1/2 of 1, making it just a cabinet again, and store stuff in it.

Time will tell.

 

[PDXJULES]

Thanks. I think I've decided to go square. Like this.

View attachment 3909396

That gives them ways out of a breeze and easier to plan out. Not double hung windows, sadly. The roosts to the right, nests to the left, door in the left front. That last window will go in later, outside, and a brooder/isolation area will go in later. The shrd is almost always shaded. The run we can drape with shade cloth. I think this will work.

Love the size, plenty of space for different level perches and roosts, with poo boards underneath. You may be able to get a metal feed storage garbage can in there also - assuming you won't get condensation? Diamatacious earth, clean, dry sand or ash in the bottom can help keep feed bags dry.

 

[Lilion]

Love the size, plenty of space for different level perches and roosts, with poo boards underneath. You may be able to get a metal feed storage garbage can in there also - assuming you won't get condensation? Diamatacious earth, clean, dry sand or ash in the bottom can help keep feed bags dry.

Thanks. Since it's in a shed we'll just keep the food next to it like we do in the current coop. We're toying with the idea of just keeping all food in the run though, so the metal trash, can of feed might move outdoors too.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Entirely too many nests for 7 hens, but I'm reusing old cabinets we ripped out in a remodel. Better too many than too few, right?

I have 6 laying hens and 4 nest boxes and they use all 4. Great idea to use the old cabinets! Lining them with something with a lip like cat litter boxes or dish pans will allow for easy cleaning in case of broken eggs, etc.