Coop for 6 large birds

prez2028

In the Brooder
Mar 18, 2022
8
23
44
Eastern Kansas
I have recently gotten 6 chicks (they are about a week and a half) with the idea I had already found a coop we would get that would provide safety and an area to move in, easily clean and easily gather eggs. That was until I found out how small the coop was. I have 4 RIRs and 2 ISA Browns, and I am realizing that I will need closer to 20-24 sq. Ft to house them. I am planning on doing free range, so it will mostly be for overnight and more winter time use.

So I figured I would look at some other options, but due to the current state of things, I am finding anything that would be big enough is way out of our current budget and I am trying to find practical, simple plans that will still meet all the needs that I listed above and won't break the bank. I know we have coyotes, foxes, the occasional cougar (they call them Pumas around here), bobcats, neighborhood cats, snakes and raccoons. At this point I am just overwhelmed and not sure which options are the best.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!
 
Hello and welcome to BYC!

It is definitely challenging to find a premade coop that is suitable and affordable. I'm embarrassed by how much I spent on my first coop that I bought from a shed company--but I love it. If you have a shed on your property or could purchase a used one to convert into a coop that is one option.

I'm finding that I would really like to have a second coop, and I'm not willing to pay the prices that I did for my first. I'm not much of a builder, but I'm contemplating making a "hoop coop" something like the one in the link listed below. If you search the forum, online, or on Youtube you'll find lots of examples. I don't find them particularly attractive, but I don't think the chickens will care.

1647637659053.png


http://wholeviewfarm.blogspot.com/2013/07/building-hoop-coop-how-to-construct.html
 
Welcome to BYC. Unfortunately, almost all premade coops are small, badly-ventilated, and wildly exaggerate how many chickens they can hold.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

  • 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
  • 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
  • 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
  • 1/4 of a nest box,
  • And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.
6 hens
  • 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop because a stubborn chicken WILL press itself into/lay an egg in the back corner where you can't reach.
  • 6 feet of roost
  • 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
  • 6 square feet of ventilation.
  • 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice
If you or a friend are handy, my Little Monitor Coop: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/ could easily be altered for 6 chickens by making it 4x6 instead of 4x4 and moving the access door to the center of the long wall opposite the nests.

Alternately a hoop coop is a easy build and a shed conversion is great if you don't want to build the structure itself. Here are some ideas to look at:

Small Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dallas-urban-coop-single-slope-design.72422/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coreys-coop-de-doop.55619/

Shed Conversions

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

Hoop Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-tractor.69336/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-coop-brooder-with-roll-up-sides.75720/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-biddie-bordello-a-hoop-coop-run-combo.72189/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/permanent-hoop-coop-guide.47818/
 

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