Coop and Run Ideas from and for a Newbie-

[paradisepentacoop]

Hey BYC,
I am looking at building a run and coop with the Magidome bracket set. I think am going a full 8' for the dome pieces to allow for the largest run and enough space for a coop while also not going too crazy.
I have a couple of issues that I cannot think of a solution to and would greatly appreciate input.

• 8' sides will make the pentagon floor of the chicken run approximately 110 sqft.
  • Do you think this will be enough for 7 chickens?
• I am stuck on coop design, where I want it to fit into the geometry of the pentagon made from triangles (think d20 sides).
  • Are there any major downsides to A-framed coops?
    • If I did an A-frame coop, it would be approximately 4' off the ground with 4' sides. No idea how far out it would extend either into or out of the run.
    • 
    • Approximately where the line is.
• Has anyone dealt with Mongoose? I've heard chicken wire does not do much to stop them, but I don't want to break the bank and my hands trying to cover the exterior all in hardware cloth. Based on rough math, the surface area the outside beams will give me approximately 415.5 sq ft to cover
• Is it best practice to have a run roofed? Unroofed?
  • The spot I am going to build the run in gets morning through afternoon sun, approx 8-9 hours of sun. It rains almost every day during the winter here.
  • With the coop as part of the design, I imagine there would be a patch of shade directly under it, but I am unsure if that would be enough.
  • I plan on growing passionfruit on part of the run, though it will take some time to grow.
• For a run flooring. My yard is lava, so I will have to put *something* down for the chickens to not just be on bare rock with scraggly weeds.
  • Opinions on medium I should use? Sand? Mulch? Wood chips? Lawn (oh boy, getting that to grow)?
  • I plan on having a chicken compost ring, similar to a post I saw on chicken enrichment.
  • Should I plan on another ring filled with loamy sand for the chickens to dust bath in?

I am certain I have not voiced all my questions. I greatly appreciate any and all advice moving forward. This puzzle is living rent free in my head and I would like to get at least some of these thoughts resolved before my brackets get in later this month.

Mahalo!

 

[BobStuart]

I think you could fit 4 chickens max. Maybe add to it a little like adding an extra room maybe. The coop would be good if you wanted to start with a few chickens but I think that’s too small for 7.

 

[paradisepentacoop]

I think you could fit 4 chickens max. Maybe add to it a little like adding an extra room maybe. The coop would be good if you wanted to start with a few chickens but I think that’s too small for 7.

For both the run and coop? Or just the coop being too small?
I could start with 4 just to see how they fit as in the -to-be-built run and coop. Still have yet to figure how I am going to start my flock (hatch them, day old, pullet, etc).

 

[StinkyAcres]

With the climate where you are you may want to consider an open air coop. Basically the entire dome is your coop and run with roosts and nesting boxes, so no need to build a second structure. Wood on some sides and hardware cloth on the rest.
A-frame coops are not recommended as they are hard to ventilate properly. Chickens need around 1 square foot of ventilation per bird over their heads.

 

[linguini]

This is so cool. Just a thought: what if you put the top part as the coup (or part of the top part, you can adjust the size of the coop by the size of the floor you put in, and bottom part as the run? That'll give enough room for 7 chickens!

 

[paradisepentacoop]

This is so cool. Just a thought: what if you put the top part as the coup (or part of the top part, you can adjust the size of the coop by the size of the floor you put in, and bottom part as the run? That'll give enough room for 7 chickens!

Between this and @StinkyAcres 's recommendation, that sounds doable! I wasn't sure what to do with the headspace, since the structure is going to be 12' tall!


I might do internal cross bracing so there is still some sunny areas and built in roosts that hold up the coop. This sounds so cute and doable!

 

[paradisepentacoop]

Now the only issue is that they don't sell 5-sided wood for a central support, XD

 

[saysfaa]

Enough space for 7 hens depends on

• the shape of the space (long and narrow is problematic; your plan is awesome)
• There are no choke points such as doorways.
• whether there is clutter (stumps, benches, bales of straw, anything they can get behind, under, on top of to be out of sight of another hen)
• whether there is generous resources - multiple feed and water sources, calcium sources, grit, dust bath space, roost space, and so on.
• how tolerant of confinement the hens are - really active, excitable breeds tend to need more space than docile breeds but not always as much as one might think and there are more factors.
• how big the chickens are - generally bigger breeds need more space but, again, not always as much as one might think
• whether the hens like each other

I think your plan is enough space for 7 if there is clutter, generous resources, a breed that tolerates confinement, and they like each other. It might be enough if they have three or four of those five.

Sorry, I have no experience with mongoose, shade or roofs in a climate like yours.

For the run, wood chips and/or mulch such as compost usually works very well. A mix of components tends to work better than a single component.

 

[Brahmas Beauty Homestead]

Hi , I think utilizing what some others have said such as using the top for the coop is a great idea. You could do it to scale and to fit your shape but I’ll leave a picture of the loft look. I would try to not worry with how much space is needed for the loft as it only would need to be deep enough for you to get a rake across under the roost bar . So if you did say a 3ft deep ledge or loft add your perch and you could even make a separate some kind of light weight tray that fits under the perch to catch the poop that would be easy for you to slide in and out or Down to clean. You would not have to go way up in the ceiling either. It could be just like 6’ up or 5’ up off the ground. Got to think how easy it will be for you to access your girls if you need to take someone off the perch and for cleaning. So you can stand on a step stool or make a ladder or have it low enough to reach but still keeping the square footage on the floor. You could add a rail or several rails or leave it open instead of trying to make it all pentagon shape just keep it simple and square it off well rectangle it. Lol put some drop down braces coming from outer wall boards from higher up than your coop floor and secure some 2x4’s going horizontal to the braces one in front one in back the. Lay your cut plywood on top of the 2x4’s that is suspended in the air using the drop down braces and just create a loft add a perch which a perch can even be made using 2 cinder blocks with a board between them. Maybe something lighter for the loft but shouldn’t need to be with the braces made from wood and not some plant holder metal thing a shelf sits on. lol I know you said to keep cost in mind and your hands you will use chicken wire and I think that will be your first mistake you will regret later down the road. Since not spending the money building a completely different structure for the coop I say put it toward hardware cloth. You need to also make it go out on the ground and up like a L shape so if something tries to dig under the the run it can’t as the hardware cloth or chicken wire can be used for the ground part will prevent them from digging. To keep some light but cover a good amount of space you might could cut some corrugated see through panels and attach around the bottom sections. You can cut them to fit. I would use river sand in the floor and some construction sand this will give a dust bath built in your floor and help keep them off the wet ground. Wood chips are ok but have to get changed out because your not supposed to compost around the chickens it can cause a death sentence from the bacteria. Covering the bottom 2” or 4” will have you not having to put as much hardware cloth. Use the hardware cloth wear thick gloves and cut it using tin snips as you cut it roll it out away from you. It’s very simple. Straight tin snips the yellow . Only thing to now figure out is if your ventilation can be cut or drilled a louvre in the roof as it’s supposed to be above them . I would ask advice on that. You might can not worry having the hardware cloth and when you cover the hardware cloth in the winter with plastic keep a area south side open. I seen someone made a door using like the A Frame spot in the front of your picture. It was big like that. The picture is a way to big set up it’s only to show you loft idea. You have to scale it down to kinda how I explain it. Hopefully I don’t sound to misunderstood but If you want send me a message. Be sure to do complete research before getting your first chick . Like how to raise them from a chick. There are some important things to know . Then the general care and read up on common ailments and sickness that chickens get so when it happens you might have a idea for how to trouble
Shoot to process of elimination to narrow down to what the hen might be experiencing. Good luck to you. These birds are my therapy.

 

[Tahai]

If mongoose are anything like minks, spend the extra money and get hardware cloth. don't forget the skirt around the bottom to prevent digging into the coop