Coop Layout

[BEggRN]

We are in the process of upgrading for my girls. We currently have 2 hens, but are planning 4 more in early April. I don't plan to add any more for at least a couple of years and really should keep my flock under 10.
I'd love some advice from the experts about the best layout for the inside of my coop.
I have a rough outline above. It will have a lean to/skillion roof that is 8' in front and 6.5' in back (no real snow to speak of here) that will extend out to the left over a portion of the run. The rest of the run will be covered in hardware cloth. The coop will be attached to the shed which will also house a grow out pen for my babies with their own door and fenced section. We need a human door to enter the shed and then another into the coop portion. There will also be a human door to enter the run, but only a chicken door from the run directly into the coop. I'd like it to open into the hardware cloth covered run because that is what faces our house, and I'd like it easily visible. I plan to have 2 windows on that same front wall and one on either side.
Hope my wordy explanation give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Here is where I'd like your help. Where do you suggest I place the roosting bar(s) with poop board below- including height, nesting boxes (want them to open into the shed for egg collection), and human door to enter the coop for cleaning and to check on my girls?
Am I forgetting anything? Food/water will be in the roof covered portion of the run.
Thanks for any suggestions!

 

[3KillerBs]

I can't make any particular suggestions about the layout, but I suggest that you go out to where it will be located and lay it out physically so that you can stand there, walk through your care routine, etc. and see how it works.

You can buy spray cans of marking chalk to paint the ground, use flagging tape, lay out rope/string, lay down boards or branches, etc. and get a good idea of what is likely to work for you.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^ That.

Walking a space, and imagining a space, are two completely different skill sets. I personally find walking it a far more effective way of modelling. Stakes aren't terrible expensive either. Grab some cheap tape as well, use the side of your shed to check your verticals. Are you planning on deep bedding or deep litter? Make a tape line for the theoretical "top" of your flooring material. Poop boards? Move up some, add your tape line and label it. Roosting boards above that (I don't use poop boards, can't tell you those vertical distances off the top of my head. Depending on breed, you probably want to mark 2' above that line. That's the BOTTOM of your windows, to keep the drafts off your birds.

Now go back down the wall, and look again at your roost bar height. The floor of your nesting box should be below that, but above the litter/flooring - perhaps on level with your poop boards. Go ahead and lay out three square boxes, about 16" high, and similar width. That's all you would need for 10 birds in the future.

Stand back. Walk around. Adjust. Are you keeping water in the run? food? any other storage? Lay those out... Keep adjusting as needed till you are happy.

 

[Acre4Me]

Good suggestion by @3KillerBs above.

also, with windows, you should keep in mind your prevailing winds, etc. nolocation listed, so not sure if you are cold or hot, or deal with high winds or wet or snow. But, irregardless, if you are going to rely on the windowsfor ventilation, you need to keep in mind drafts and keeping your birds ventilated, but out of drafts. So, birds on roosts in front of open windows is often not great all year, but if roosts (and roosting birds) are below the windows, then that is usually ok.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I need more coffee, failed to mention prevailing winds. Good catch, @Acre4Me ! Great advice.

Anyhow, if you are in an area where wind blown snow is a problem, @BEggRN, you don't want your primary ventilation on your winter wind side, unless its very high. Likewise if you have seasonally heavy rains in late spring or early fall. There are a host of good websites which track average wind speed and direction for all over the nation. A quick google search will do you, you don't need perfection, just a broad trend.

and adding a location to your profile would help us help you - many answers are either location dependent, or location affected.

 

[Acre4Me]

need more coffee,

YW! I’m two cups in already of the strong black stuff. Good notes above.

 

[BEggRN]

I'm in north Georgia, so heat is a much bigger issue than cold (for the hens; the cold is definitely a bigger issue for me). We will have ventilation along the rafters in the front and back. The windows will be for light and extra ventilation for 3/4 of the year. They'll be closed in winter. We are planning on deep bedding.
I will get out there today and walk around/lay things out some more. We won't be framing the walls until I have decided where I want my doors, windows, and nesting boxes so I'm feeling a little challenged. I may need to get creative with ways to raise things off the ground. I think I'm overthinking things with my desire to get it all right. This is all we have in place right now. We still plan to raise it a bit (about 12" from the ground) and level it.

 

[BEggRN]

I need more coffee, failed to mention prevailing winds. Good catch, @Acre4Me ! Great advice.

Anyhow, if you are in an area where wind blown snow is a problem, @BEggRN, you don't want your primary ventilation on your winter wind side, unless its very high. Likewise if you have seasonally heavy rains in late spring or early fall. There are a host of good websites which track average wind speed and direction for all over the nation. A quick google search will do you, you don't need perfection, just a broad trend.

and adding a location to your profile would help us help you - many answers are either location dependent, or location affected.

Profile updated with location, and thanks for the advice on how to find out about wind speed and direction.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I'm in North Florida. You will never get cold enough, or deep enough in snow, for it to be a problem for your birds.

Can I ask why you are building a raised floor? and why you are framing with 2x4s for your floor if you are raising it??? (unless my eyes are playing tricks of scale and those are actually 2x6s). Since you are taliking about levelling it, can I assume you've looked at your ground, and already ensured rainfall (a problem we both share) will tend to move out and away from your coop and proposed run?

/edit and you will get nothing but support from posters here with under soffit ventilation. Its spectacular for keeping chickens.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm in north Georgia, so heat is a much bigger issue than cold (for the hens; the cold is definitely a bigger issue for me). We will have ventilation along the rafters in the front and back. The windows will be for light and extra ventilation for 3/4 of the year. They'll be closed in winter. We are planning on deep bedding.
I will get out there today and walk around/lay things out some more. We won't be framing the walls until I have decided where I want my doors, windows, and nesting boxes so I'm feeling a little challenged. I may need to get creative with ways to raise things off the ground. I think I'm overthinking things with my desire to get it all right. This is all we have in place right now. We still plan to raise it a bit (about 12" from the ground) and level it.
View attachment 2500902

In North Georgia you shouldn't need to close windows in the winter except, perhaps, for the duration of a severe storm -- and then only on the windward side if the rain/snow is blowing in.

Chickens need ventilation as much in the winter as in the summer and as long as the ventilation is over their heads while they're on the roost they're fine.

BTW, what do you have planned for a roofline? A monitor or clerestory roof is excellent for hot climates.

This is my Little Monitor Coop. I can give you detail shots of how the monitor is constructed if you're interested.