Check out my new SE Texas coop design. Opinions welcome

[GalvestonWader]

I’m in SE Texas so it’s really hot and humid 9 months out of the year. Previously had a store bought coop that I modified that served us well for 4 years but now ready to step it up and build something permanent.

Here’s a pic of my plan. The drawing is to scale. Total size is 8 x 16. The coop is 8 x 6 and somewhat an open air coop. Enclosed on 3 sides but there’s a large 4’ opening in the front. Plenty of ventilation vents all around the top of the coop obviously covered with HC.

I detailed the interior in the drawing. 2’ x 2’ storage for food ect. There are (3) nesting boxes 16” x 16” each with a ramp leading up to a shelf for them to walk on. I want to elevate the nesting boxes so I dont have to kneel down to get eggs. I’m thinking bottom of nest boxes roughly 24” off the floor

I have 2 roost bars on opposite sides. They are 16” off the wall in the drawing but I may move them to 14”. Thoughts on that? I want to put poop boards under the roost bars. Maybe tie the poop boards into the shelf in front of the nest boxes? That would put roost bars roughly 36” - 40” off the floor. Is that ok?

The attached run is 8 x 12 but it’s kinda all one unit. The whole thing will be covered with a roof, peak running long ways and a big overhang on all sides. Run is obviously covered in HW cloth and a skirt will be buried 2’ out.

Am I missing anything? I want to do this once and be done. Oh, and I’ll use treated wood on the entire frame. Not the interior of the coop (poop boards, roosts, nest boxes ect) but everything else. Anything wrong with that?

I’m open to thoughts and opinions. Y’all have been great and taught me everything I know up to this point lol.

 

[sniper338]

How you gonna close the coop up to protect from cold winds and or blowing rain?

I don't like hardware clothe, I use welded wire. Much stronger.

Seems like enough for 5 to 6 birds max. Not enough space for more. The more space the better.

Everyone has different ideas of what's best... build it and plan to upgrade once you figure out what to upgrade and do differently... only experience will teach you what works for you.

Me personally. I want three 12ft wide by 30ft long coop/runs to separate breeds. I've had one a little bit bigger than your size and it got too small way too fast. Chicken breed plays a part too. Some need more room than others. But all need about 20sqft a bird to reeaallly keep the problems down. That 10sqft a bird is bullshit.

 

[GalvestonWader]

Sorry I forgot to add that this will be for 4 to 5 birds max.

Cold winds in SE Texas? I'm not concerned with that. And the structure will face south. The nesting box side faces north and the coop opening faces south to allow our prevailing SE wind to keep them cool.

 

[StinkyAcres]

I don't like hardware clothe, I use welded wire. Much stronger.

I don't know what kind of welded wire you're talking about , but the welded wire I get here is easy to bend, has weak welds, and the openings are far too large. 1/2" x 1/2" 19-gauge hardware cloth is the way to go.

 

[Appalachickens]

Your climate is a little warmer than ours but I’m also in an open air coop climate. I have nothing to offer since I’m still building, but I like the storage area. I’m planning so,etching similar over the next boxes. They’ll be low, but from outside I can stand to collect eggs. From everything I’ve read, hardware cloth is the ticket.

 

[GalvestonWader]

I finally got started. This is turning into a much bigger project. The design stayed the same but I increased the dimensions to 10' wide x 20' long. There's not a flat spot in my back yard so I brought in 3 loads of select fill dirt to make a level pad. Then brought in 3 loads of sand to do final grade.

Next I laid down 3' wide HC around the perimeter to keep critters from digging under. Then placed pavers around the footprint for the coop to sit on. I did this thinking that it will last longer, opposed to the wood just sitting on the ground and rotting quicker.

I got the frame up. Then I covered everything with sod. That's as far as I've gotten. My 2 kids have sports pretty much every day so progress is going slow.

 

[Creede]

Going to be legit! Loving all of the new grading and drainage, as well as the pavers to get the wood off the ground. I just finished my first coop/run and we placed everything on cinder blocks. Enjoy the process. Do you have chickens right now?

 

[dearmeghann]

I'm excited for your birds! And empathize with the next couple of weeks/months! We just finished our bigger coop/run and boy was it a fun project. Thankfully, you seem to really know what you want!

Will your girls be free-ranging at all? Or will they stay inside the run? I know that you mentioned extending the build to 20' - smart! We only had a 16' run and ended up attaching our old metal run for right now. We were over having to lug materials around.

What are your plans for shade?

 

[GalvestonWader]

Creed - yes I have 8 pullets about to outgrow the brooder so I need to get this thing done.

Dearmeghann - we'll let them out to roam around a few times a week. And the entire coop/run will have a roof over it.

 

[Appalachickens]

I finally got started. This is turning into a much bigger project. The design stayed the same but I increased the dimensions to 10' wide x 20' long. There's not a flat spot in my back yard so I brought in 3 loads of select fill dirt to make a level pad. Then brought in 3 loads of sand to do final grade.

Next I laid down 3' wide HC around the perimeter to keep critters from digging under. Then placed pavers around the footprint for the coop to sit on. I did this thinking that it will last longer, opposed to the wood just sitting on the ground and rotting quicker.

I got the frame up. Then I covered everything with sod. That's as far as I've gotten. My 2 kids have sports pretty much every day so progress is going slow.

Looks great. I laughed, though, at your description of the land being not flat. Looks very flat to this mountain dweller! How old are your pullets?