Open air usually means wire mesh instead of solid walls....heavy gauge mesh with small openings provides predator protection.
Compact Coop for 18 Hens - Design Ideas?
- Thread starter tdbrueggen
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #22
The run itself will be 5'x8 footprint by 6' head height. The coop will hang on the wall of the coop. In order to have a 3' walkthrough space, that allows only 2' to one side for the width of the coop.
Sorry, the 3' doorway was referring to the access to the run. To actual doors to access the coop itself I expect will be 2' wide by however high the coop is, like cabinet doors. There will be a ~8" wide ramp that drops out of the floor for the chickens to come and go from the coop. The full opening doors allow me to service the coop with food/water and collect eggs and clean.
Sorry, the 3' doorway was referring to the access to the run. To actual doors to access the coop itself I expect will be 2' wide by however high the coop is, like cabinet doors. There will be a ~8" wide ramp that drops out of the floor for the chickens to come and go from the coop. The full opening doors allow me to service the coop with food/water and collect eggs and clean.
Quote: That's one more thing taking up floor space in a coop that's already too small for 18 birds
They're going to be crowded if you don't make it bigger, or have fewer birds
It also makes it nearly impossible to keep your litter in the coop
They're going to be crowded if you don't make it bigger, or have fewer birds
It also makes it nearly impossible to keep your litter in the coop
Last edited:
Why 18 birds?
What are your plans with them? Eggs? Meat?
Unless you plan to breed (which I doubt as you are trying to hide the coop from the HOA), what other reason would there be to keep 18 hens?
I'd just cut the number of hens if I were you. Does not sound like you have enough room to work with.
What are your plans with them? Eggs? Meat?
Unless you plan to breed (which I doubt as you are trying to hide the coop from the HOA), what other reason would there be to keep 18 hens?
I'd just cut the number of hens if I were you. Does not sound like you have enough room to work with.
It sounds like you need a clever disguise for a chicken coop. How about a potting shed?
If you buy or build a normal potting shed or playhouse, the homeowners assoc. (probably) won't have a problem with it. You could connect it to the run with a nondescript fence. The nesting boxes could easily be added onto or built into a shed.
If this idea doesn't work, consider a garage chicken coop. I had one in my old house, and it worked perfectly. If you have a garage with extra space, this might be the best option.
Unfortunately, 18 chickens probably won't be great for a small neighborhood. No roosters, either.
If you buy or build a normal potting shed or playhouse, the homeowners assoc. (probably) won't have a problem with it. You could connect it to the run with a nondescript fence. The nesting boxes could easily be added onto or built into a shed.
If this idea doesn't work, consider a garage chicken coop. I had one in my old house, and it worked perfectly. If you have a garage with extra space, this might be the best option.
Unfortunately, 18 chickens probably won't be great for a small neighborhood. No roosters, either.
My chickens free range all say. I open the coop on my out in the morning and then like clockwork they bed themselves around 7-7:30. I just go close it up later. I don't want predators. So I take the extra few minutes. I'm in a neighborhood with a normal sized yard so it takes just a minute. But I've only had them for 3 weeks so the novelty may wear off!! When I'm gone for thanksgiving though, the coop will stay open. I'll just have to take my chances. The coops not big and I hate to have them 'cooped' up for 4 days.
My Coop is a salvaged 4x8 metal shed I have kept as many as 18 birds in it with no issues.
Here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up.
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.
Easy Peasy!
I have been around the sun 63 times.
It is not my first "Rodeo!"
Nobody "I know" heats a chicken coop.
Healthy "cold hearty" chickens die from heat not cold.
I live in Canada last year was subject to -40º (C or F take your pick) no light or heat in coop NO PROBLEMS. You have to feed heavier during cold snaps with extra corn I find.
Chickens have been raised on this continent for over a hundred years without heat.
If you feel you must supply heat to your chickens I suggest keeping your chickens in the house that way you can huddle with your birds when the hydro goes out.
Chickens will die from cold if not given the chance to acclimatize. Hydro is more apt to go out in an ice storm or blizzard when subject to below 0º temperatures in my opinion.
How would you supply heat then to your un-acclimatized birds ???
Diary of last winter cold snap check out the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738994/chickens-arctic-conditions-prolonged-period
Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should.
Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. The freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but large than mine.
The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.
April looks after that however..
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 anywhere from 10 to 15 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). Come April things started to look after themselves.
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.
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!.
Chicken coop is salvaged 4x8 metal shed.
I house an assortment of birds in this baby barn (¼ inch veneer plywood between birds and elements) no heat no light no problems.
Here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up.
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.
Easy Peasy!
I have been around the sun 63 times.
It is not my first "Rodeo!"
Nobody "I know" heats a chicken coop.
Healthy "cold hearty" chickens die from heat not cold.
I live in Canada last year was subject to -40º (C or F take your pick) no light or heat in coop NO PROBLEMS. You have to feed heavier during cold snaps with extra corn I find.
Chickens have been raised on this continent for over a hundred years without heat.
If you feel you must supply heat to your chickens I suggest keeping your chickens in the house that way you can huddle with your birds when the hydro goes out.
Chickens will die from cold if not given the chance to acclimatize. Hydro is more apt to go out in an ice storm or blizzard when subject to below 0º temperatures in my opinion.
How would you supply heat then to your un-acclimatized birds ???
Diary of last winter cold snap check out the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738994/chickens-arctic-conditions-prolonged-period
Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should.
Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. The freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but large than mine.
The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.
April looks after that however..
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 anywhere from 10 to 15 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). Come April things started to look after themselves.
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.
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!.
Chicken coop is salvaged 4x8 metal shed.
I house an assortment of birds in this baby barn (¼ inch veneer plywood between birds and elements) no heat no light no problems.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #29
My run is already 1" mesh wire, so I suppose if they are confined to the run, then a coop for security is not needed, unless a varmint digs under the fence. I'm designing to prevent that. I could build a inner coop with something like 1/4" hardware cloth.
Thanks to the Canadian that weighed in. The birds I'm buying down here should certainly be acclimated to our environment. I'll have to watch them in the summer for heat stress, but I'm not worried about cold. This morning it was 70F and raining. I opended the coop at 6 AM while still dark out and the birds ran out! They are not afraid of the weather!
I think I will start with a basic open air concept. So now to do that! I did change up the design a little and it will allow for up to 29" of coop depth instead of the original proposed 24". I'll just do a simple sloping roof to keep the rain off of the roosting birds and food. The real focus now is containing the noise!
So looking forward to the insulated barn this year.. I agree my birds dealt with the cold very well. At least for the most part - only one suffered from dealing with the cold - and I culled her because it's not acceptable in a flock raised in our parts!My Coop is a salvaged 4x8 metal shed I have kept as many as 18 birds in it with no issues.
Here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up.
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.
Easy Peasy!
I have been around the sun 63 times.
It is not my first "Rodeo!"
Nobody "I know" heats a chicken coop.
Healthy "cold hearty" chickens die from heat not cold.
I live in Canada last year was subject to -40º (C or F take your pick) no light or heat in coop NO PROBLEMS. You have to feed heavier during cold snaps with extra corn I find.
Chickens have been raised on this continent for over a hundred years without heat.
If you feel you must supply heat to your chickens I suggest keeping your chickens in the house that way you can huddle with your birds when the hydro goes out.
Chickens will die from cold if not given the chance to acclimatize. Hydro is more apt to go out in an ice storm or blizzard when subject to below 0º temperatures in my opinion.
How would you supply heat then to your un-acclimatized birds ???
Diary of last winter cold snap check out the link:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738994/chickens-arctic-conditions-prolonged-period
Watering
For along time I used heater tape around a bucket with chicken watering nipples. It worked excellent. However me being me I neglected to change the water as often as I should.
Last year I switched to white rubber contains the wife found somewhere. The freeze solid every night but the ice just pops out of them in the morning and I replenish them with fresh warm water. They have black ones at the feed store that are similar but large than mine.
The chickens congregate around them like people having their morning coffee. The only draw back is my yard is pepper with small ice bergs the size of the buckets.
April looks after that however..
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 anywhere from 10 to 15 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). Come April things started to look after themselves.
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.
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!.
Chicken coop is salvaged 4x8 metal shed.
I house an assortment of birds in this baby barn (¼ inch veneer plywood between birds and elements) no heat no light no problems.
I have a heated room for feed and chick raising. No matter what you have to heat chicks, so I purchased eco glows and had the contractors install a fire safe heating unit in one room of the barn. I will keep it at 10C so I can run my brooders from January - May. My other chickens will not receive the same luxury - but will have insulation this year. I really am hoping the insulation helps delay the time it takes for the water and feed to freeze. Fingers crossed. Really not looking forward to this winter I'll tell you that... It's so much harder to do chores..
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