Coop location /space

[mym1414]

Okay I’ll most likely not be able to do the deep litter method then. Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside? And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

 

[NatJ]

Okay I’ll most likely not be able to do the deep litter method then. Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside?

If it does not stink, even when you put your head inside and sniff, then it is fine.

There are many levels of "cleaning." In a shallow coop like the one you pictured, it might work well to use a layer of sand, and scoop droppings each day with a kitty-litter scoop. For some people, the scooping takes only a few minutes each day, and that keeps it clean enough for long periods of time (weeks or months with no cleaning except the daily scooping).

And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

Chicken coops do not really seem to attract spiders, unless there are so many other bugs that the spiders move in to eat them. So it might not be an issue.

I don't really know about pesticides and chickens: I haven't wanted to use them, so I haven't cared enough to do research about them.

Hopefully someone else can give helpful advice there.

 

[perkolator]

No need for spraying chemicals, chickens are a form of pest control. Spiders will always be everywhere in our lives - they say we humans are always in close proximity to a spider, no matter where you are on the planet; even microscopic ones living directly on our bodies, such as the mites that live on our skin and hair

I think you need to do more planning if you want to have chickens. Those prefab coops get a bad rap because they have many flaws. You can clean as much as you want to, but realize that most chicken setups, no matter how clean you keep them, are never going to be completely devoid of smells. Just looking at the close proximity to the houses + all that shade + comments of ground saturation, I wouldn't plan to have many chickens in that backyard as I'd assume neighbors and spouses would quickly complain about the new aromas and maybe even their sound bouncing off the house

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok so maybe it’s a better idea to put the coop on my raised flower bed . I can reach it with an extension cord if I have to . What will electrical be used for ?

NatJ explained it well, and thanks for clarifying on the climate as we all have different weather conditions to deal with.

I know people have chickens around other subdivisions but didn’t really get details on exact rules when I spoke to city hall. They just told me I can have chickens . Do you think I Should get this in writing ?

I would want to see the exact ordinances (including restrictions on numbers, noise ordinances, and anything related to setbacks or housing of poultry) so you don't set up a coop and then find out later that you're too close to a neighbor's house and have to remove it. Or that you built bigger or smaller (yes that is a thing) than legally allowed.

Can I go 3/4 days in between cleans though if it’s not wet outside? And if I remove the chickens can i use pesticides inside the coop or around? I was thinking last night about pests… I had widows and an assortment of various other spiders in the backyard. I have pest control come bimonthly and it seems to control it . Im worried the coop will become a breeding ground / haven for them ? (Arachnophobe here )

"It depends" - until you actually have the chickens you won't know how much/how often you'll need to clean compared to someone else. As a general rule again, the more overall space and litter volume for each bird, the less you need to do. I do a full coop cleanout once a year. That is not possible with a small set up. When I had a much smaller coop and much smaller flock, something like 6 weeks was as long as I could go on the coop, but my run was much bigger to compensate.

I do have pest control service. They only treat my home and targeted specific problems (i.e. wasps nests). I do NOT have them treat anything anywhere near the chickens, the one time we had a wasp nest about 10' away I made the pest guy come back and remove it entirely so dead wasps wouldn't drop near the run. The chickens absolutely will eat spiders and insects for you.

 

[mym1414]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Patiowell-5-ft-x-4-ft-Resin-Storage-Shed-Floor-Included/5015672761

Would this be a good shed to modify into a coop? Add 3 nest boxes and roost ladders ?

 

[Debbie292d]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Patiowell-5-ft-x-4-ft-Resin-Storage-Shed-Floor-Included/5015672761

Would this be a good shed to modify into a coop? Add 3 nest boxes and roost ladders ?

We got a handbuilt wooden one on FB Marketplace about that size for $350, but had to shingle, paint it, and add screens/windows and a chicken door. I would check there first just to be sure, but for $379, if you only want five adults in there, that's a good price!

I'll explain ours a bit: This is mostly for a growout pen. Right now, there are five 8-week-old chicks in it. We'd be able to raise them into adults in there as you figure 4 sq feet per chicken, and ours is 4' x 4', but these are silkies who take a bit less room.





Hubby was going to put four nest boxes as they are 1 sq foot and would fit, but I told him I only needed two, so he still made them go across, just twice as big lol.

 

[NatJ]

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Patiowell-5-ft-x-4-ft-Resin-Storage-Shed-Floor-Included/5015672761

Would this be a good shed to modify into a coop? Add 3 nest boxes and roost ladders ?

I would not put roost ladders in a coop that size, just one roost that runs straight across. Don't put it too high, because you don't want them to hit a wall coming down: maybe one foot from a wall, and two or three feet up from the floor. (Edit to clarify: a foot from one wall leaves three or four feet for them to come down before they hit the opposite wall.)

Chickens will often use a ladder to go up as high as they can, but in my experience most of them will come directly down off the roost no matter how high it is, instead of coming down in stages even when they do have the option. That's why I suggest no ladder and just keeping the roost relatively low.

If you want to to try deep bedding instead of frequent cleanouts, you could move the roost up when the bedding gets deeper. Putting a board across the inside of the doorway is a good way to keep the bedding inside, just make sure it's easy to take the board out when cleaning time does come.

I live in the Bay Area so luckily I don’t have snow but maybe I’ll need a mister for the couple weeks in the summer ? It usually reaches and stays around 90-100 for a couple weeks.

I am not sure you need a coop with solid walls at all.

Some people in hot climates build an open air coop:
a solid roof
walls covered with wire mesh
partial walls on two or three sides to make a sheltered area for the roosts (just enough to keep wind and rain off the chickens)

Basically, it's a predator-proof covered run that also includes roosts and nestboxes.

If you try that, I might size it like a run (at least 10 square feet per chicken), instead of trying to have coop and run as two separate things with a door between them.

If you're looking at prefab ideas to start with, maybe a dog kennel (then add hardware cloth to keep chicken heads in and raccoon hands out). Or maybe something like a gazebo, with hardware cloth on the sides instead of leaving it open or using window screen.

 

[CabritaChicks]

My two cents: I once bought a coop very similar (probably from the same manufacturer) for what I told myself would be just three RIRs. Reality check—it was a nightmare to clean. Back-breaking, flimsy, and it got filthy so fast that the birds ended up sitting in their own mess. The roosting bars looked convenient at first, but they were way too low.

After modifying it about ten times—and constantly worrying about pests like cockroaches and mites because of how quickly it got soiled—I finally admitted defeat. I built one that’s much easier to clean, maintain, and, frankly, looks way better.

Here’s the one I bought (basically made for bantams and hobbit-sized humans). I assembled it, blissfully unaware of the headaches ahead including adding in decent size water and food (which meant they didnt have much room to move around). Then I added ventilation. Then I made it longer. Then wider. Then I fixed the roosting bars. Then, then, then… I sold it for $50 after dumping another 300.00 into it. Ha!

And here’s the one I built—never looked back. (Pun intended.)

My opinion is to built it right the first time, to save on costs and headaches- and then yes. Chickens are relatively low maintenance. It is the mistakes that make them high maintenance.

 

[mym1414]

We got a handbuilt wooden one on FB Marketplace about that size for $350, but had to shingle, paint it, and add screens/windows and a chicken door. I would check there first just to be sure, but for $379, if you only want five adults in there, that's a good price!

I'll explain ours a bit: This is mostly for a growout pen. Right now, there are five 8-week-old chicks in it. We'd be able to raise them into adults in there as you figure 4 sq feet per chicken, and ours is 4' x 4', but these are silkies who take a bit less room.

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Hubby was going to put four nest boxes as they are 1 sq foot and would fit, but I told him I only needed two, so he still made them go across, just twice as big lol.

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Thank you for the suggestion. Yours looks really nice! Great ideas

 

[mym1414]

My two cents: I once bought a coop very similar (probably from the same manufacturer) for what I told myself would be just three RIRs. Reality check—it was a nightmare to clean. Back-breaking, flimsy, and it got filthy so fast that the birds ended up sitting in their own mess. The roosting bars looked convenient at first, but they were way too low.

After modifying it about ten times—and constantly worrying about pests like cockroaches and mites because of how quickly it got soiled—I finally admitted defeat. I built one that’s much easier to clean, maintain, and, frankly, looks way better.

Here’s the one I bought (basically made for bantams and hobbit-sized humans). I assembled it, blissfully unaware of the headaches ahead including adding in decent size water and food (which meant they didnt have much room to move around). Then I added ventilation. Then I made it longer. Then wider. Then I fixed the roosting bars. Then, then, then… I sold it for $50 after dumping another 300.00 into it. Ha!
View attachment 4193162
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And here’s the one I built—never looked back. (Pun intended.)

View attachment 4193167

My opinion is to built it right the first time, to save on costs and headaches- and then yes. Chickens are relatively low maintenance. It is the mistakes that make them high maintenance.

Oh wow! That does look like the one I originally posted and the plan that I had for it about expanding it lol. Okay I’ll take your advise because I also believe in doing it right the first time and don’t want to have that headache