There's lots of great advice on this site, proper space per chicken, breeds of chickens & their preferences as far as personalities, preferences for coop vs free ranging, etc. So 1st determine types of chickens & what purpose they'll serve, as egg laying, or sweet natured, good around kids, lap sitiing, family pet, or free range, insect patrol or fast growing meat production...different breed types are better suited for different purposes. Then you learn about the breeds & determine the best housing for the breeds' purpose.
I wanted congenial egg layers. I've learned (after always improving upon previous ideas & now building coop #3) to also take these factors into serious consideration...
* Since I love spending so much time with the flock, coop and predator proof pen design must be comfortable for me to hang out, sit down, with ability to have birds nestle on my lap, check over my birds & tend to them (any mites, bumblefoot or pedicures), Clean & maneuver with as easy access as possible for a person such as myself, with arthritis (be able to stand up, walk in, carry feed, etc., no hunched over, aching back, Thank you!)
* Have ample space...go on the larger side of what's considered necessary for each bird, Plus Extra When (and I do mean "When"...Not If) Chicken math happens, (because it will happen lol) space for chicks, space for sick & recovery, space to accommodate rodent proof feed tins, store bales of wood chips, pooper scoopers & buckets, etc.
* Be of good common sense design, as far as placement of perches, nestboxes, feed & water, & thinking of the poop factor, where it occurs (gravity...poop shouldn't be landing in food or water, or on other chickens!) & ease of me cleaning it all up (again, no aching back or knees please)
* Ventilation without direct drafts (& ask yourself, is your area humid?)...have ability to open more windows or even exhaust fan as even though coop is dry it could still harbor moisture due to humidity
* Weather trends, heat wave summers, wind, rain, snow load, drainage, keeping the coop interior clean & dry, possible awnings, etc. Placement of water heaters in winter, tripping over cords, shade in summer, think of your particular weather & how to keep flock comfortable
* Predator proof...never underestimate the Predator's desire for Chicken dinner or egg lunch...if they can slither, dive bomb, dig, rip, crawl, chew or squeeze their way in, they will. If they find chicken feed or treats and can gain access to that, They will try to make their home Close by. You do not want rats taking up residence. I know others that have rat problems, and once you get rats, good luck getting rid of them. I never have any kind of food laying around uneaten on the ground outside. I do not feed the chickens in their pens unless it is one little handful of scratch or meal worms they will immediately eat and clean up. It's true there are always field mice, rodents and predators roaming around, but don't entice them to take up residency. All of my feeding is set up inside the coop. The only thing set up outside would be a handful of scratch or meal worms, a slice of watermelon, a hanging cabbage or ear of corn, they will be devoured and whatever is left, I remove before nightfall, Which is usually the rind anyway. If you have a wild bird feeder on your property or a bird bath, do not place anywhere near your chickens. The same goes with any fruit trees, they seem to attract possum raccoon and various wildlife so don't plant those types of things near your coop.
Home is where the heart is, make your chickens' home a healthy place they'll love & feel safe in.
This is the basic interior design that has worked best for my flock. I have some heavy birds, so low nestboxes work well. Perches not too high either, on other side, & no one has ever slept in a nestbox. I have Wyandotte, RIR, Buff Orpington, EE, Barred Rock, Australorp & Maran. So far so good.
Coop #3 will have more outlets to better accommodate water heaters with those short cords. More outlets for exhaust fans, under 4 windows, north, south, east & west.
I wanted congenial egg layers. I've learned (after always improving upon previous ideas & now building coop #3) to also take these factors into serious consideration...
* Since I love spending so much time with the flock, coop and predator proof pen design must be comfortable for me to hang out, sit down, with ability to have birds nestle on my lap, check over my birds & tend to them (any mites, bumblefoot or pedicures), Clean & maneuver with as easy access as possible for a person such as myself, with arthritis (be able to stand up, walk in, carry feed, etc., no hunched over, aching back, Thank you!)
* Have ample space...go on the larger side of what's considered necessary for each bird, Plus Extra When (and I do mean "When"...Not If) Chicken math happens, (because it will happen lol) space for chicks, space for sick & recovery, space to accommodate rodent proof feed tins, store bales of wood chips, pooper scoopers & buckets, etc.
* Be of good common sense design, as far as placement of perches, nestboxes, feed & water, & thinking of the poop factor, where it occurs (gravity...poop shouldn't be landing in food or water, or on other chickens!) & ease of me cleaning it all up (again, no aching back or knees please)
* Ventilation without direct drafts (& ask yourself, is your area humid?)...have ability to open more windows or even exhaust fan as even though coop is dry it could still harbor moisture due to humidity
* Weather trends, heat wave summers, wind, rain, snow load, drainage, keeping the coop interior clean & dry, possible awnings, etc. Placement of water heaters in winter, tripping over cords, shade in summer, think of your particular weather & how to keep flock comfortable
* Predator proof...never underestimate the Predator's desire for Chicken dinner or egg lunch...if they can slither, dive bomb, dig, rip, crawl, chew or squeeze their way in, they will. If they find chicken feed or treats and can gain access to that, They will try to make their home Close by. You do not want rats taking up residence. I know others that have rat problems, and once you get rats, good luck getting rid of them. I never have any kind of food laying around uneaten on the ground outside. I do not feed the chickens in their pens unless it is one little handful of scratch or meal worms they will immediately eat and clean up. It's true there are always field mice, rodents and predators roaming around, but don't entice them to take up residency. All of my feeding is set up inside the coop. The only thing set up outside would be a handful of scratch or meal worms, a slice of watermelon, a hanging cabbage or ear of corn, they will be devoured and whatever is left, I remove before nightfall, Which is usually the rind anyway. If you have a wild bird feeder on your property or a bird bath, do not place anywhere near your chickens. The same goes with any fruit trees, they seem to attract possum raccoon and various wildlife so don't plant those types of things near your coop.
Home is where the heart is, make your chickens' home a healthy place they'll love & feel safe in.
This is the basic interior design that has worked best for my flock. I have some heavy birds, so low nestboxes work well. Perches not too high either, on other side, & no one has ever slept in a nestbox. I have Wyandotte, RIR, Buff Orpington, EE, Barred Rock, Australorp & Maran. So far so good.
Coop #3 will have more outlets to better accommodate water heaters with those short cords. More outlets for exhaust fans, under 4 windows, north, south, east & west.
Last edited:
