Coop Ideas - Flooring, Size, and Position relative to run

[tori729]

You might look at some of @Shadrach's ones https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/shadrach’s-multi-coops.74344/

I'm pretty happy with having multiple tiny coops and adding more as needed. I haven't had trouble with our current arrangement of two small coops in one big run.

Thanks this is great! I think if we end up with unhappy chickens especially if I add more, we might just put together a kit if we need more space.

 

[Kiki]

Please don't take this the wrong way but if this guy is claiming to be a coop builder I'd find someone else to help you....he doesn't know a thing about what chickens need.

 

[GCrumb]

Thanks this is great! I think if we end up with unhappy chickens especially if I add more, we might just put together a kit if we need more space.

You may find that used shipping crates are cheap and easy to find where you are, especially since you're in a coast state. Add legs, put a hinge and latch on one side for access, a ramp and pop-door, some vents, paint the outside and clad the roof. The crates that motorcycles come in seem like a really great size.

My chickens are weirdly fond of those plastic nest-boxes that just hang on a wall. With those and the crate-style building (with the frame on the outside) it'd be very easy to sanitize or de-mite, compared to other wooden coops.

 

[tori729]

You may find that used shipping crates are cheap and easy to find where you are, especially since you're in a coast state. Add legs, put a hinge and latch on one side for access, a ramp and pop-door, some vents, paint the outside and clad the roof. The crates that motorcycles come in seem like a really great size.

My chickens are weirdly fond of those plastic nest-boxes that just hang on a wall. With those and the crate-style building (with the frame on the outside) it'd be very easy to sanitize or de-mite, compared to other wooden coops.

Thanks! I looked on Marketplace and couldn't find anything. We are about the furthest away from the coast as you can get in SC though so there's that.

 

[tori729]

Please don't take this the wrong way but if this guy is claiming to be a coop builder I'd find someone else to help you....he doesn't know a thing about what chickens need.

So I was able to have him expand the coop to 6x6 yay!

 

[21hens-incharge]

So I was able to have him expand the coop to 6x6 yay!

My 2 cents....

It's still to small for 12 full grown chickens.
6'x6' will be hard to reach to clean if it's not a walk in coop.
Wire floor will build up poop as already pointed out and is very hard on their feet. In addition it can lead to leg injury as their toes will be caught if the holes are small or their entire leg if the holes are large.

Roost.....you need 12 linear feet of roost that is at minimum 14" from the wall and 14" minimum from the next roost to allow room for heads and tails.


A 4x8 coop is barely big enough for 8 birds at 32 square feet. A 6x6 is only 36 square feet so barely big enough for 9 birds.

When birds are given only enough room to stand shoulder to shoulder there will be increased stress and behavior issues.

Please rethink either the number of birds or the size of the coop.
That design is not made in looking out for the health of the birds. You need a different plan.

 

[21hens-incharge]

PS....

If you go to home depot and lay out a sheet of plywood you can get a visual on what 3'x4' looks like. It is less than half a sheet!!

A full sheet is 4'x8' and wall framing takes 3.5" off EVERY side. Keep that in mind.

That 3'x4' ends up being just under 2.5' x 3.5' if framed with standard 2x4 lumber.

Way way way to small.

 

[KyCoop]

Alot of things concern me about this project one being the cloth covering the run. It might , might keep a not very hungy hawk out but if a racoon gets up there it will fall through and let the buffet begin. This happened to my neighbors and how I attained their lone survivor out of 6.
Please , please read the Predators and Pest posts and you will find out a lot from other folks losses and how to prevent them.

 

[crystalsc]

Thanks! I looked on Marketplace and couldn't find anything. We are about the furthest away from the coast as you can get in SC though so there's that.

@tori729 Oh hey, we’re in the same area. we should compare coop notes!

 

[tori729]

My 2 cents....

It's still to small for 12 full grown chickens.
6'x6' will be hard to reach to clean if it's not a walk in coop.
Wire floor will build up poop as already pointed out and is very hard on their feet. In addition it can lead to leg injury as their toes will be caught if the holes are small or their entire leg if the holes are large.

Roost.....you need 12 linear feet of roost that is at minimum 14" from the wall and 14" minimum from the next roost to allow room for heads and tails.


A 4x8 coop is barely big enough for 8 birds at 32 square feet. A 6x6 is only 36 square feet so barely big enough for 9 birds.

When birds are given only enough room to stand shoulder to shoulder there will be increased stress and behavior issues.

Please rethink either the number of birds or the size of the coop.
That design is not made in looking out for the health of the birds. You need a different plan.

Thanks! We aren't doing wire anymore and I currently have 8 chickens so it should work for now at least.