Coop Design Questions

[Better Than Rubies]

Yep, I think I understand. Thanks, PirateGirl.

 

[ScottandSam]

so any pics yet

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Oh, no; I don't even have chickens (yet, Lord be willing), and I haven't built a coop yet, either. I'm hoping my parents (mom, in particular) will let me get a job, and I can save up money to buy the materials. But honestly, I still don't know how big to make it, or if I should make it a walk-in coop or not. But I do have the run frame (only one small part of it; the frame isn't finished yet, either), and I could take a picture of it and the spot I want my chickens, if you'd like to see it, perhaps?

 

[Labradors]

If you could build a coop at least a couple of feet off the ground, chickens LOVE to hang out underneath. It gives them some shade in the summer and extra floor space

Linda

 

[Better Than Rubies]

Just saying, this may sound like a silly question, but how tall do chickens normally get?

 

[lcwmt]

A sloped roof for sure! Less math involved to get the pitch right. We built our own coop, and we have almost zero carpentry experience!

We are not builders either. Our newest coop has a 6h' wall facing South, a 5h' wall on the North. We stood the framed walls up, placed a 2x4 along the tops and marked the angles. It worked for us and was pretty fast.
Its built on 16" centers. We have wind and are concerned that things be sturdy/
The roof is plywood sheathing covered with corrugated metal - The snow/rain runs off to the North side and the plywood will help if there's heavy snow load.
For 6 full size birds and one Banty we have a 4x6' coop with 2 nesting boxes. Their mobile hoop run is attached to the side with the pop door for the Winter. It is 4" x 10" x 6" at the peak. The hoop run is wire covered and has clear greenhouse tarp plus shade cloth plus an open area ground level to 3' high (on the South side) for ventilation.
Even when there is snow on the ground, the birds free range from dawn to a little before dusk. They also spend a good amount of time sunning in their new digs.
Everything is DLM with PDZ under the roosts.

Until today they also had access to their original, modified Feed Store Coop: 4' x 5' x too tall for me to access the nesting boxes. They are closed off from that now until all start laying in the new coop. As of today, 5 birds are using the new nesting boxes in the coop.

[one of these days I'll get my article done and posted. Its been an adventure.]

 

[jvls1942]

make it way larger than you think you will ever need..
I am not a fan of A Frames.
too much wasted space for the material used to make one..
on a tiny building like you intend to make, snow load is not a factor.
make the slope at least 4/12. that is 4" of slope for each foot of roof..
anything less than that is asking for water leaks when it rains..
the size you plan on is OK . you will have 8 feet of roost for ten chickens..