Chicken Coop Plans

[jthornton]

I'm going with this one http://myoutdoorplans.com/animals/easy-chicken-coop-plans/

These will be my modifications:
1. Nest on the side where those open doors are
2. Will make the back a door for ease of cleaning. This is also where I can put up some roosts
3. Will have to put up some vents, lots of them
4. Increase height of legs so chickens can hang out underneath coop as well as the run
5. Increase wall heights as well so I can put in plenty of vents
6. Will attach a run on the side where that little pop door is

I can only have 4 chickens where I live so this coop should be sufficient.

Ah I didn't scroll down enough to see the plan...

Sounds like you have a good idea how to make this a good coop. I like the idea of making the back a door for easy cleaning. Mine is like that on one side. I did hinge the door at the bottom and when I fix the other side and add more roost room I'll make like cabinet doors that open from the side.

Raising it up will make it easier for you to clean as well.

For 4 hens I think you only need one nest box, a roll out with outside collection would be nice. Might make it wide enough for 2 to be inside at one time.

The image of the red one with the white trim looks a bit better with 4x4 legs and I assume as part of the frame as well. Hind sight being 20-20 I would have made mine with 24" underneath to get the floor a bit higher.

JT

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I have some progress photos on instagram.

Coop is roughly 4'X5
Raised off the ground
We extended one wall panel all the way to the ground to act as a wind block, the ramp comes out of the floor behind this wall panel so when the wind blows it's not blowing right into the coop even when the drawbridge is down.
There is a small window on the least windy side.
The nest box is made of an old wine crate and is inside the coop, in theory our eggs may be less likely to freeze than an external nest box, approximately a 12" cube.
The high wall is about 3 ft. tall, the low wall is about 2 ft. tall.
Two walls are hinged and can be completely opened for easy cleaning, egg gathering, chicken catching, etc.
The roost runs the long way inside 12-18 inches from floor, wall, and ceiling. It's about 4 inches wide and 5 feet long. There is a lower roost as well that helped when they were little and they'd hop on the low one and then move to the high one. I also figured it's an extra spot if anyone isn't getting along and wants to sleep alone.
The vent runs the full length of the roof on the highest part of the roof. It's always opened and covered by some garden fencing.

This was built for 5 LF chickens. Each chicken gets 4 square feet of coop space and one foot of roost space with ample head room. There is one shared nest box. I may add a second one. The coop is raised off the ground for a few reasons, it gives a sheltered spot for the girls to hang out that is cool in the summer and protected from bad weather. It is easier to clean; since I can't walk in the coop I can pull up a trash bin or compost bin to the side (while standing, not on my hands and knees) and just sweep all the shavings into the bin. It won't get completely buried in a snow drift. The overall footprint including the run takes up less square footage in the yard because since it's raised, the coop area doubles as inside and outside square footage.



https://www.instagram.com/p/BZFT4Q0DcXSFOIZTJyqj_XAArUzUtYtpiWMfQI0/?taken-by=beththepirate

https://www.instagram.com/p/BURpvpWjxG3SxhZaNAU2XW2NxZObKiZVt9B4Y40/?taken-by=beththepirate

https://www.instagram.com/p/BS7Y0efDR84Zc1OeopAhLd11fRDQbP_TE_IWko0/?taken-by=beththepirate

https://www.instagram.com/p/BR_6vM7DSh_vmu4kS_DGkuiQJx6CvbD_Z85D1g0/?taken-by=beththepirate

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRbi2TsDlCV9LcTd6k-INpUco6gNZT0MCcy1NE0/?taken-by=beththepirate

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZq7ikCDGAkGj-rmq8iLMZ1egD_6xxHewC66fk0/?taken-by=beththepirate

I think your account is private. So I can’t see your pics.
As of now, my coop is a tsc prefab, I do like that it is up off of the ground as it makes it easier on the back to clean. I’m looking at plans that dh and I can tackle this spring/summer. Or, I might convert a shed to a coop.

 

[aart]

Ah I didn't scroll down enough to see the plan...

I didn't either at first, it's one of the few better plans.

 

[Ohmyheart]

I love how mine is 4 feet off the ground. So much easier to clean and the two double doors in front are great to open it up when cleaning.

 

[PetesChicks]

I started out with a tractor the DW bought from a neighbor. 4x4 coop with a 4x7 attached run, good for 6 full size hens (we only got 4 to start, though. And 2 are Silkies).

The roost is 4’, and the 2 nest boxes (one on top of the other) took up about 18”x12” of floor space in the coop. Thank God I found this forum before too long.

Ended up finally convincing the DW that “her” chickens needed more room inside & out, especially since I was the one doing all the work. First requirement was enough room for me to stand up. And enough room for them. I figured 4 sq ft in the coop and 10 sq ft for the run, times the 6 birds our town allows, meant I wanted at least 84 sq ft inside, for nasty weather when they wouldn’t go out.

I ended up getting a 10x16 shed, and walking off about the first 5 feet for me, leaving them with 10x11. Plenty of room for them and me. I can get a wheelbarrow in their side and have room for me & a shovel when it is cleaning time.

They also have a 10x20 run, a little smaller than I wanted but it will expand next spring.

 

[Folly's place]

Walk-in coops are the best!!!
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

And a shed can be an asset on the property, with or without chickens.
Mary

 

[Labradors]

We're making a version of the Wichita Coop which looks great to me!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/wichita-cabin-coop.47747/

Linda