Coop Design Help

[bigern26]

Hello all,

I am new here and new to chickens. We want to raise layers and meat chickens.
I have a 3rd garage on my property and was thinking about turning it into a little barn. Half for chickens and half for rabbits.

My plan would be to have 2 separate runs approx. 12' long and 6' wide for each the layers and the meat birds. keeping them separate.

I cannot free range where I am at so I need to have the runs secure. On the inside I am thinking of a small coop for each, about 6'x6'. one with nesting boxes that I can access from the inside of the garage. The other wall will be all rabbit cages and the extra space will be all storage. I might run electricity out there or just use a solar charger and battery for all the heater water dishes.

One of my concerns is proper ventilation and warmth in the winter and cooling in the summer. In my neck of the woods we get up around 90F in the summer and down to -25F in the winter
The garage door with be coming down and I will be putting in a regular service door and windows to replace it and on the side wall you see would be the 2 runs coming out, a solid non opening window up kinda high and 2 pop doors for each run.

I am looking to get enough chickens for about 4 to 8 eggs a day and I will probably do 25 or so meat birds.

So with all this info and the pics, does anyone have any info, tips, or anything for me?

 

[Judy]

It will be tricky to get adequate ventilation in that building --- which is almost as important in the dead of winter as when it is hot and they need a good cross breeze. Chickens tolerate cold better than heat and are in real trouble at 100 degrees F, requiring at least good shade and a good breeze to survive. There is an excellent article inked in my sig line about ventilation, written several years ago by a Canadian member, which I know you will find informative.

Good luck!

 

[bigern26]

I am planning on removing that partial ceiling and keeping it vaulted. Then I can have some vents near the front and back peak.

I was planning on keeping the coops open toward the ceiling to provide ventilation.
Also I am thinking of having quit a bit of ventilation in the summer as I will need to keep the rabbits cool also.

 

[aart]

I built my coop in an outbuilding...and reroofed it a couple years prior and extended the roof lines to have open eaves.
Coop build on My Coop page, link under avatar.

 

[bigern26]

Thanks for the pics, I looked at the rest of them and your coop gave me many ideas.