Chicken coop

[shahtir101]

Any ideas for a coop for 10-14 chickens that's not to expensive or extremely difficult. Post your pictures of coops.
Thanks

 

[chiques chicks]

Some people find a used shed and modify it. I would look for something in the 8x8 foot range. A little bigger than you have to have, but easier to work in. Once you have roosts and nest boxes, they get crowded.

 

[Ridgerunner]

A lot will depend on your climate and how you manage them. If you have a warm climate year around you don’t need a solid enclosed coop, just mostly wire with a way to keep the worst of the wind and rain off them and the nests dry. Those can be pretty inexpensive to build. If it is colder you might need good wind protection in the winter which could be more expensive.

With that many chickens you will want a walk-in coop. If you position it so the water drains away from it you can probably avoid a floor, just use the ground. If it is in a low spot where water stands you need to raise the floor. Personally, I’d avoid low spots if I could at all. They cause all kinds of other problems in addition to adding to the expense.

I don’t know how handy you are with tools but it doesn’t take much to turn an existing building into a coop. Add roosts, nests, ventilation, and a pop door and you have it. I made mine by closing off the end of an existing shed. You may have an outbuilding you can use or maybe you can find a building someone is wanting to get rid of. You may be able to move the building intact, tear it down and rebuild it, or use it for cheap building materials. In the US you can often find a building like that on Craigslist. Some areas have “habitat” stores that sell recycled materials cheap. I don’t know if you have something like that where you live.

If you live in suburbia appearance may be important to you. Neighbors often don’t like to see buildings that will bring property values down and may complain. In some places and with some people, appearance is a lot less important.

Space is not just in the coop but also includes runs or other areas available to them. I always advocate as much room as you can reasonably provide because I have more behavioral problems, less flexibility in solving any problems that develop, and I have to work harder if I crowd them. I like making my life easier. You can read the link in my signature for some of my thoughts on room but if you are going to have a rooster, will integrate chickens in the future for replacements, or will have a broody hen hatch and raise chicks with the flock, you need more room than with a flock of just hens all the same age.

If you are buying all new materials, most building materials come in standard sizes of 4 feet and 8 feet in the US. If you plan your coop build around that you can usually build a bigger coop with less cutting and waste than if you build an odd sized coop. If you can find used materials you should plan your coop around those dimensions.

Photos of mine would not do you much good since I just closed off the end of a shed. Other than building an interior wall there is not much to show. I’d have to know a lot more a about your climate and planned management techniques to even be able to guess what kind of coop you might need and I sure don’t know what is locally available to you. I don’t know your building skills or even the tools available to you. The least expensive way is probably to use and existing building, either in place or relocate one or maybe build one with mostly wire for the walls if your climate allows that. Chickens normally don’t need much protection from cold unless you live in an extreme area. Heat is usually much more dangerous to them so good ventilation may be really important.

Since so much about your coop depends on so many different things I am reluctant in suggesting anything really specific. I could easily cause you to spend a lot more than you need to just because I don’t know what you really need.

Good luck!

 

[shahtir101]

It's warm where I live. 80-90 degree winters and summers up to 108 degrees. So I'm thinking of building an open aired coop. It doesn't rain much and we always have warm days. so if you guys have open aired coops can you post pics of interior and exterior.
Thanks
All of you have been amazing on helping me!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Check out the coops section, that brown button at the top of this page. There are a few in there to give you some ideas. A hoop coop might not be a bad way to go.

 

[chiques chicks]

Check out the coops section, that brown button at the top of this page. There are a few in there to give you some ideas. A hoop coop might not be a bad way to go.

A hoop house sounds exactly what is needed.

 

[shahtir101]

Most of the hoop coops seem to be made of PVC pipe. That looks like a really good idea except there are lots of predators where im at. Ive seen people make them out of old trampolines and stuff. Any ideas on what to make it out of.

 

[shahtir101]

Thanks for all the ideas I decided on a hoop coop!!!!!! We are going to make it out of wire cattle fence type thing! We are also gonna make a little plywood "house" for the occasional rainny day or for our new incubabies! thanks for the help!!

 

[chiques chicks]

That should work well. Just make sure the holes in the fencing aren't too big.

 

[shahtir101]

Im planning on putting wire cloth over it as a precaution.