Coop Advice?

[chickenpredatorkiller]

I was wondering if some of you "seasoned pros" could help me out with ideas for my coop that I will be building. I have had chickens before but I had to give them away because my family moved to Florida but now we are moving back and I am planning on using my old... small chicken coop for "parts". It is a 6' by 4' coop made out of plywood (not the solid plywood.. I don't know the name for it but it looks like a bunch of pressed wood chips.) My plan so far is to put it in an old dog pen that is approx. a 40' by 25' triangle in the woods. What I am planning on doing is I want to put the new coop and run inside the dog pen and have the new run kind of small, but completely enclosed with hard mesh and 4 by 4's and when I am home, I will open the run door and let the chickens "free range" in the larger dog pen. It is in the woods really close to my house (we have 1.3 acres) and that is the only place we can have a coop. The reason I am planning on doing it like that is that there are predators like Racoons in the woods and one got 4 of my 6 pullets that I had last year

The new coop needs to be made from around 100 $ ( I know its hard to do) and be able to hold 15 chickens. We have some wood from the old coop plus some scrap wood laying around, but not much. I need advice like whether it should be elevated or on the ground or on cinderblocks, or just any type of advice that you can give to someone building a coop for around 100 $ Thanks!

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

bump

 

[jeepguy982001]

well mine is elevated it doesn't reduce run size and i hang my feed underneath it. So it stays dry and gives my chickens a place to stay dry or shade if its hot also. And you don't have to worry about mice or rats moving underneath it. As far as materials go i'd say you best bet is to use pallets. Most businesses give them away also look for construction sites for scraps both of wich will let you take whatever you want usually.

 

[chickenpredatorkiller]

how many chickens fit in your coop? and is it economical to have a coop big enough for 15 chickens elevated?

 

[jeepguy982001]

mines only 4x6 and i have 5. As far as economical i'd say it could be. My coups highest wall is 5 ft on the front. 4ft on the back so you'd save on materials. My main door i use for cleaning is just above wheel barrow level. The usual rule most people go with is 4sq ft per large fowl bird. But you live in a warmer place the i so you prob could get by with a little less. I think most people do elevated coups is it doesn't reduce run size and reduced cost because your not building 6 or 7 ft walls its 4 or 5ft.

 

[Mehjr10]

Here is a link for our coop 8 x 8 x8 https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/683809/harts-chick-shack I had to buy some 2x4 and screws other than that it was all salvage, I currently have about 37 I think living in it. I put mine off the ground to keep the moisture out from the ground and help with the termite problems that we have in the south.