Coop help - 30 chickens - carolina coop inspiration - WA

[ChickenLittle5]

I have no advice. I'm in a similar situation trying to figure out the best coop(s) to build, so I'll be following this thread. My chicks aren't due to arrive for a couple of weeks, so I don't have much time to figure this out either. Come back and let us know what you decide to do.

 

[davehob]

I have no advice. I'm in a similar situation trying to figure out the best coop(s) to build, so I'll be following this thread. My chicks aren't due to arrive for a couple of weeks, so I don't have much time to figure this out either. Come back and let us know what you decide to do.

I will try to post some photos, if I don't get too busy and overwhelmed with everything.

I am inclined to follow that carolina chicken coop as inspiration.

Probably increase the coop to 10x10 or 10x12 suspended 3' over the ground. Will probably leave side access (removable) for the suspended coop to clean up and anything else.

I did the math and I think in the coop I could walk in pretty much even if it's supended, in center will have plenty of clearance and on the sides 5' and few inches I think. If I don't make the coop suspended I lose from the run which I think it's more important. There's no way I can go over the 400sqft overall space with roof overhang, cause I will need a permit.

I will double-check soon.

 

[aart]

There's no way I can go over the 400sqft overall space with roof overhang, cause I will need a permit.

Well, you could always reduce the number of birds you keep.
Should be pretty easy to sell extra chicks this year.
Are you getting straight run or all pullets?

 

[paintedChix]

I'm going to cheat and reply to some of this IN YOUR POST...

Are all of these birds supposed to be future hens? Do you know yet if you have any accidental roosters? Several breeds (I starred) are much larger breeds - our breeder stock Marans are HUGE (I have a rooster that is just 14months old and hes 13#s now - not fully mature yet). Our hatchery/breeder stock of Brahma/Ameraucana roosters - 1/2 of them hit over 15# by 1 yr of age; hens were between 10-13#s. What I'm saying is that both roost space and nest boxes will/may need to be larger. Our larger hens refused to lay in the size nest boxes you state you are doing. Maybe open up one to be larger width wise and hope it's both deep & tall enough to make your girls happy.

Carolina coops say 8" roost space - and sometimes the birds themselves will crowd and be OK with that. But in bad weather - hotter &/or more humid - they will want to spread out quite a bit more. You will want them to have the availability to do so.

On all of the breeds you've chosen, many may be smaller than breeder stock sizes. Nothing wrong with that - just something to be aware of.

Ameraucana 3
DORKING - SILVER GRAY 1
**Rhode Island Red 3 - hatchery stock may be smaller??
Brabanter Gold 2 (I haven't looked up how big these are supposed to be - when I saw the word "Brabanter" I thought of the draft horse breed first & almost fell off my chair, LOL!! I'm still a horse person first, I guess...)
SILVER SPANGLED SPITZHAUBEN 1
Amberlink 2
**Brahma Buff 2
Lakenvender 2
Black Austrolorp 2
**Marans - Cuckoo 2
**Marans Black Copper 2
Sapphire Gem 3
Cream Legbar 3

Using as inspiration the Carolina Chicken Coop, including a link here to a particular one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N83RZE_OsaI

Goodness, but that is BEAUTIFUL!! I've always liked those, they just don't work for me. I can't afford to buy theirs and I don't have the knowledge, equipment or the time to build something like that... They have really expanded their offerings.

Relevant information about this coop
- located in WA state, Seattle area, urban area
- lots of predators (coyote, hawks, foxes, cougar, bobcat, moles -not necessary a predator, others)
- create the same concrete footing that goes 3' down to protect against some predators - WOW That's a LOT of concrete! But I believe that would work GREAT! Other predator peeps would have to say whether your pred types would dig that deep.
- 30' x 10' overall enclosed build and covered - if coop is 8' you will have approx 22' of run. 22x10 = 220/10 = 22 birds. This is bare minimum and if you truly aren't able to free range at all - i believe you would soon have lots of issues - from dirty run to behavior/health.
- thinking 8' x 10' coop - as stated above about 10 birds too small. 8x10= 80/4=20 birds
- minim 3 x 10' roost bars
- 8 nest boxes, a set of 4 on each side, opening sideways
- deep litter system with Carolina Coops Industrial Hemp Bedding (or similar with suggestions) - lots of bedding besides hemp that can be used if desired

Ideal goals:
- low maintenance - is it? ?s about reach ability by posters above are good ones
- healthy & comfortable place for the chickens - I don't think it is, especially if they in that area all the time.
- stay within 400sqft overall with roof overhang (no permit needed that way) - have you considered two different coop & run layouts?
- was thinking to add some drawers on the bottom of the coop - I was having a hard time comprehending this one. But after picturing it a couple of different ways - yes, that would be do-able... I took it out of the figure above for run space.

A few questions:
1. will the coop size be enough for the 30 chickens (10'x8') so 80 sqft - NO
2. will the run size be enough - NO
3. are the ventilation windows & top cupola be enough ventilation
4. should I insulate the coop
5. if I build some drawer-like boxes under the coop on heavy-duty hardware, and insulate those boxes, will those be good boxes to raise chicks with a heat lamp (through out the winter) - I think you might be able to make that work. I believe it would need to be 4 separate ones and two of those would need to pull out from the outside of the run set up. Not sure how you would do that w/o compromising the "drawer" &/or the run though.
6. can someone suggest an automatic water system and heated option (collecting water from the roof) - using one like the Carolina coops would work. Could use a stock tank heater to keep barrel (s) from freezing. You need to search as to how to heat the drinking bar. OR remove the drinking bar during winter and do a smaller upright drinker that connects to the barrel. Heat it as well. Several plans in the Water/Feeder thread section.
7. does any know if the 3' footing stop the moles digging inside the coop
8. Looking for feedback on some dimensions as well:
nests - based on the chickens I have 12" W x 14" H x 12" D - w/d might be too small
roosts - allowing 1' per chicken, so 3 x 10' roosts, 24" above the floor (considering there will be 4"+ of deep litter on the floor, should this 24" be measured from the bare floor?), will have more than 18" from the parallel walls and 18" apart)
door - 12"W x 14"H - is this a pop door to let chickens out from coop to run? You need to make it high enough off the floor of your coop to keep your deep litter inside your coop. Otherwise the size sounds right. If you are considering an automated door - might be better to choose one first and make the door cut-out to fit it.
9 does anyone have a suggestion about how to make the mortise and tenon joinery for the 4x4 frame more efficiently
10 what would be ideal flooring in the run? Understand wood mulch easy to get there? just leave the dirt? NO - litter - mulch, pine straw, leaves, shredded paper, hemp, weed/grass clipping from mowing/weed eating. How would a deep litter system look for the run? my pics below aren't of the coop, but of a walk way area we are putting in of just mulch. Attached a link to the various deep litter we've done. DLM
11 suggestion for outsourcing high-density polyethylene sheets - google, amazon, maybe even call Carolina coops to see where/how they got theirs if they will divulge that.
12 suggestion for a better quality hinges hardware source - google, website's of your local hardware stores, talk to barn/outdoor building contractors.

If I will think of other questions will update the list of questions.

I apologize if there are too many questions may be already

Thank you in advance for all the feedback

And another consideration - there are ways to make your run larger for "free ranging". They include hot poultry netting (not covered - I have had hound/hunting dogs jump over ours and snag birds & hawks touch down inside as well), putting up temporary pens that can be covered (for me - takes more than one person, but doable AND gets old in a hurry!!), building separate tractors that you can put your birds in and move around during the day - then put back into the fully protected coop/run at night (works well - takes time and again, can be a major PIA).

And totally off the subject but couldn't pass it up - the draft horse breed - Brabant -

What is a Brabant?
The American Brabant is a draft horse with 25 to 100% European Brabant bloodlines. It presents with a variety of appearances but is typically shorter in stature, short coupled and thick boned, with a good head and kind eye.
American Brabant Association

A neat video from Rural Heritage - Brabant Belgain Draft horse O & LOOK - at 11:42 they talk about fencing for chickens to FREE RANGE and get out & eat their grass!! OMG - they used their Brabant horses to move a chicken coop!

I use my shetland ponies for "draft work" on a smaller scale & LOVE IT!! (sorry had to include - guess I'd better go do some posts on the "horsey threads" again...)





Edited to add - I am hoping to have a series of 5x8' a-frame & hooped coops that will be side by side in our pasture (s). Want the birds to till/compost the sand/weeds. Working on getting all the tractors set to have them pulled by the ponies - either a single or a pair while being ground driven. Currently have 6 A-frames in our front yard - none completely finished so all light enough for a person to move by hand (2 aren't on wooden bases yet, none have the framing in to hold the nest box - eggs laid on ground at moment, feed is currently dropped on the ground - not in a feeder, permanent waters not set up yet). The goal - to be able to hook single or pair of ponies to first "tractor" - pull forward 8'. Stop/unhook ponies - back to 2nd tractor. Hook ponies, pull forward 8'. So on, down the line. If really doing right, I'd set up a barrel waterer on a heavy frame "sled" with a way to get water to all the tractors - unhook it to move them forward. then move water sled w/ ponies. THAT would take more than a pair - probably a 3-abreast. Currently don't have any fully trained 3-abreast. Hmm... Move the tractors every other day or so... Each one has 4-6 mature birds in it - breeding groups that I've started collecting eggs from now.

 

[CrisAnderson27]

Is there a height restriction? You could do a 6' tall coop, 3' under for 9' tall total, then drop it down for the run. In that way you could make the coop 12x12 if you wanted, and have plenty of room. 30 birds in 400sf space is totally doable. I've currently got 25 and 3 geese in 384sf (32'x12'). It's kind of an open coop/run setup I built into my barn. I'm planning on building a connected 20'x40' run down the road...but for now it's perfectly serviceable as/is. Even with 55 birds (I'm hatching eggs for the next month or so), it would give me a solid 6' plus per bird. More than enough to last until I get the run built...at which point that number goes up exponentially.

Anyhow...I know the Carolina Coops look super nice...but think hard about thinking out of the box if you want to keep your birds, and keep the space. A 3 sided (well built) on the ground open faced 10x10 shed type design...full of roosts and feeders, and a solid 10'x30' roofed extended run off of it would be very natural for the birds, protect from predators, and fulfill your needs. Your birds would always be visible to you in the area, as well.

Just something to think about.

 

[aart]

What did you end up doing @davehob ?