Building my first coop.. Lots of beginner questions!

[FrozenWings]

For most breeds flight is hard for distance and height, all due to physics. However some birds (leghorns) can fly some what far distances and reach a single story rooftop easily. That being said most of the time a 3'-4' fence is enough to keep them separated from areas. Now there are circumstances that will prove this to be wrong. One is food source and the second is being bored.

Your birds will more than likely stay in a confined area that is fenced unless they are bored or hungry, in which case they will all attempt to leave the enclosure if it is not covered. However the lid, for a lack of a better term, is more to keep your birds safe from predators above. Don't think for a second you don't have any; as crows, hawks, and vultures will eat chickens.

To keep my chicken entertained I provide scratch, treats, and heads of lettuce for them to play with and scratch at. I do have an enclosed run and use these items to also prevent fighting and picking on each other. I do allow my birds to free range in the back yard with a 6' privacy fence and to date none of my birds have left.

-Frozen Wings

 

[Nkgates]

Ok. I started my coop yesterday and just decided to completely
Barricade them both in the coop and in the run.

The shed I'm converting will be split into two sections. One for them,
One for me. I've got solid barricade for the first four feet up, and chicken
Wire for the second four feet. I built a door as well. I think I'm good in there.

The run has a removable tarp top That I didn't want to have on all the time.
I'll put chicken wire over the top of the run
So I can remove the tarp and still have them protected.

I'm putting the nesting boxes about 2 1/2 ft off the ground, sounds like that
Shouldn't be a problem. I want to put my roost about 3 ft or so off the ground and
Make that the highest perching point in the coop.

I know I have raccoons, neighbors dogs, and hawks to worry about at least.
I think I'll have the aerial attack defended well. How do you guys keep the
Other animals out? I thought about burying a length of sheet metal
Or something about a foot down to run the perimeter of the run.
The "run" is a 10x10x6 dog run with a pitched scaffold on top.
I suppose that should keep them out?

What do you guys do?

 

[jetdog]

Same kennel set up, I put wire on the entire floor before adding the sand, ran hardware cloth 3' up and all the way around, they can dig but will never get in.

 

[Nkgates]

Great looking setup! Good idea on the hardware cloth. I bought WAY too much poultry fencing.
I'll do this with what's left over

 

[Nkgates]

Btw, Jetdog..
How many hens do you have? I've been building everything
With four hens in mind.

 

[aart]

Chicken wire won't stand up to raccoons, they eat it for an appetizer.

Think about an apron for diggers.

 

[jetdog]

I have 4 and today started to build my new coop it's going to be outside the run and connected with a short tunnel, this one has been very functional but it is really just to small.

 

[FrozenWings]

I used large boulders, and buried them about 12" deep around the enclosed coop. It is not predator proof. However, during the daytime hours the ground predators seem to stay away as I have a couple of dogs that bark at other dogs and cats, but leave the chicken alone. The coop itself is locked at night so the girls are safe and secure.

-Frozen Wings

 

[Hokum Coco]

Does each hen require her own nesting box? No one nest box for every 4 hens will be plenty
How much space (about) does each hen need? Average size laying hen. 4ft²(I do not practice what I preach)
What is the optimum flooring? I use Currently just a dirt floor. I like the deep litter approach, but what, ideally, should a sub floor be made from?
My floor are planks with a layer of tin for rodent proofing. On top of the tin I have a piece of vinyl flooring cut one foot longer than the length and width of my coop (roughly). Six inches squares are cut out of the 4 corners of the vinyl flooring. This allows the friction fitted flooring to travel up the walls six inches around the perimeter of my 4x8 salvaged metal coop. Shovel out the heavy stuff into a wheel barrow. Pop out the vinyl flooring hose it off pop it back in. I latter cut my flooring into two 2ft mats and one 4 ft matt easier to handle in my set up.
Easy Peasy!
How long/tall should a roosting perch be? Long one foot minimum per hen/Tall minimum 1ft from ceiling.
POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.




If you give my coop another glance you will notice a trailer hitch on the east end. My coop faces north; East will be better I learned this year. You can tell where my coop was the previous year by the location of this garden spot and young buck. Makes gardening Easy Peasy less weeds and ground preparation. My gardens grow like wild fire.
Works for me in my small set up.

" I have close to 64 trips now around the sun; My coop was salvaged; Blew away from a relative. Hundreds of Coops can put mine to shame but I would not trade this coop for any because mine "MAKES ME HAPPY!"every day.

Does an elevated 2x4 work? Yes wide side up my coop has 3 levels (roughly 2 ft appart) and my birds can hop from level to level with wings clipped.
I want to run electric out there for lighting mainly.
Has anyone tried using an attic fan or bathroom fan to help force fresh air? No not in my set up.
What bedding works best? Easiest to deal with and keep clean?
I have used all types of litter for coops.
I have not tried sand (sand gets good reviews on this site).
Of all the things I tried to date wood pellets have been the best. (I tried wood pellets as a last resort when pine shavings were not available.) They are super absorbent and swell up and eventually turn to saw dust. The droppings just seem to vanish and turn to dust when it comes in contact with wood pellets .
Replace my litter and clean my coop every October after I harvest my garden.
Works for me in my deep litter method.
I do add to pellets from time to time.
I have 17 birds housed in my 4x8 coop.
Through the winter months the pellets froze harder than concrete with -40º temperatures. The poop froze before it could be absorbed by the pellets and there was like a crusty layer of poop in certain areas where they collectively took aim (no smell, messy feet or flies @ -40º). When these pancakes became substantial I would pick them up and put them in my compost bin.
Come April things started to look after themselves This year I used wood shaving again (pellets were not available).
Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. Easy Peasy.

Sorry for the rapid fire of questions. I have a loose deadline of "sometime this spring" to get this done. I really want to have a clear idea of what I'm doing here. Thank you in advance!

 

[jenniemig]

Check out the second picture, this is my goal with my metal shed to coop redo
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/592031/metal-shed-as-coop