Coop location /space

[mym1414]

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.

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 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.

So chickens hurt themselves coming down from high roost bars or is the concern that they kick up the bedding on the bottom?

And it gets really hot during the summer but a couple months out of the year it can get to the mid to high 30s in the morning/night time . Is that okay for the open air method?

 

[OneLostHen]

Id say yes. It's ok.
I believe them to be more cold hardy than heat tolerant. Plus if you feel the need to temporarily cover a window or 2 for cold drafts, thats always a possibility.

I have the coop you initially posted I think. I modified it a bit, but so far love it. It doesn't seem like it would allow for more than 6 birds to sleep in it though. I have it under my patio and it opens out into a run. I figured keeping it out of the elements would make it last much longer.

I took the nest boxes off as none of my birds are of laying age. I'll probably add the nest box from the coop to the edge of the run instead. Used the holes of the nest boxes to get more air flow.

 

[CabritaChicks]

36°F is cold, but not extreme, and mid-90s is hot, but manageable depending on coop placement. Mine is in full shade, and I chose my roofing material carefully. If you click the link under my profile image that says “my coop,” you can see it. You could reduce the size of the back window (I added a shutter for hurricanes) and make the front slats closer together, or simply add screen windows instead. Underneath, I installed small solar fans for days when there’s not much cross-breeze.

 

[Ridgerunner]

So chickens hurt themselves coming down from high roost bars or is the concern that they kick up the bedding on the bottom?

Chickens can injure themselves if they hit walls, nests, feeders, waterers, or other stuff on the way down. They need enough of a landing area that they can safely land.

And it gets really hot during the summer but a couple months out of the year it can get to the mid to high 30s in the morning/night time . Is that okay for the open air method?

As long as it is above freezing they are fine with the open air method. They need protection against being hit with cold breezes which means protection on a few sides, not necessarily everywhere. The ventilation really helps.

I've seen chickens sleep in trees with temperatures in the range of -10 Fahrenheit. Ventilation is about as great as you can get. Those trees were positioned so they were out of the wind. When we coop them we restrict them in where they can go so we have to be careful about breezes and ventilation. Because of how we restrict them when we put them in coops I'm kind of reluctant to just say no problem, but with decent breeze protection they should be able to handle temperatures above freezing.

 

[NatJ]

So chickens hurt themselves coming down from high roost bars or is the concern that they kick up the bedding on the bottom?

They can hurt themselves by running into the walls.
Or they can drop straight down and hurt themselves by landing hard.

When they have enough space, chickens will sort-of fly down at an angle, and that gives them a softer landing.

And it gets really hot during the summer but a couple months out of the year it can get to the mid to high 30s in the morning/night time . Is that okay for the open air method?

I've had chickens in below-freezing temperatures, but with a tarp keeping wind from blowing directly on their roost, and they were fine. I didn't pay much attention to the thermometer, but the water froze every night and some days. That would mean some days were below 32 degrees and some were above it. I would guess nights down into the 20s, but not positive.

It depends a bit on what kind of chicken you have. If you are getting chickens that are basically normal sized and have normal feathers, I would expect them to be fine. You might need to provide more shelter for Frizzles (their feathers stick out and do not keep them warm as well), and for young chicks (haven't grown all their feathers yet), and maybe for some of the extra-tiny bantams like Seramas. My own chickens included some bantams that were between 2 and 3 pounds in weight, with normal feathers, and they did not seem to have issues.

 

[Debbie292d]

They can hurt themselves by running into the walls.
Or they can drop straight down and hurt themselves by landing hard.

When they have enough space, chickens will sort-of fly down at an angle, and that gives them a softer landing.


I've had chickens in below-freezing temperatures, but with a tarp keeping wind from blowing directly on their roost, and they were fine. I didn't pay much attention to the thermometer, but the water froze every night and some days. That would mean some days were below 32 degrees and some were above it. I would guess nights down into the 20s, but not positive.

It depends a bit on what kind of chicken you have. If you are getting chickens that are basically normal sized and have normal feathers, I would expect them to be fine. You might need to provide more shelter for Frizzles (their feathers stick out and do not keep them warm as well), and for young chicks (haven't grown all their feathers yet), and maybe for some of the extra-tiny bantams like Seramas. My own chickens included some bantams that were between 2 and 3 pounds in weight, with normal feathers, and they did not seem to have issues.

I'm thinking the same, but perhaps they could get a Cozy Coop radiant heater just for those instances. We use them in our growout pens for the frizzles/silkies, younger ones when nights are below 40°F. Those are low-wattage and shut off if they tip over. They will not heat up much of any area, but chicks/chickens that are chilled can go lay or perch next to it.

 

[NatJ]

I'm thinking the same, but perhaps they could get a Cozy Coop radiant heater just for those instances. We use them in our growout pens for the frizzles/silkies, younger ones when nights are below 40°F. Those are low-wattage and shut off if they tip over. They will not heat up much of any area, but chicks/chickens that are chilled can go lay or perch next to it.

Yes, a heater can be a good thing to keep in mind in case it is needed.

Whether it is even an issue will depend on what breeds they choose to raise.

Someone who wants any of the common standard-sized chickens with normal feathers, and who does not raise chicks in the coldest few months, will probably not have to worry about temperature in that climate with an open-air coop, provided wind cannot blow directly on the roosting area.

 

[Bawkbok]

We did not discover BYC and all the educated folks here until we were well into our first year of chickens. It was too late at that point to start over with building a coop given the initial investment. We bought a prefab with attached run that was 9'x3.5'. Marketed to hold 8-10 birds. Maybe parakeets. We put 3 smaller hybrids in it and they outgrew it quickly -- as did I. The water and feed stations take up space and you want to put perches in it which also requires space. We've since expanded to a walk in run space of 150' - for four chickens (current legal limit). They're happy but I personally want more space for them. We only have a half acre yard but they run the entire thing every day for several hours at various times of the day. We still do the prefab (bought a larger one) simply due to building and permitting constraints. Please learn from our mistake --- if you think it's enough coop space, it probably is not.

Chickens are active, they like to scratch and roam about and chase each other to steal the other's bug. If they will be confined most or all of the time it is imperative you have enough run space. For prefabs - they will probably only be inside for roosting and nesting. This means the run space should be adequate to allow them to run, fly short distances, jump from perches to ground unimpeded, space to dust bath, which is important for feather cleaning and overall health.

Prefabs serve their purpose when one is restricted by local ordinances and if your county indicates you can have them that's usually written in the bylaws. Be aware - even though it is documented in the bylaws, our county seat told me before we got chickens that if a neighbor complains about the noise, they will confiscate the chickens and tear down the coop. So just because it's written approval by law, if someone wants to be an unkind neighbor this could be bad news for you.

As an aside, in this county, potential removal of animals only applies to chickens, not to dogs or cats......hhhmm, makes one wonder where the priorities lie. Roaming cats and dogs are a bigger nuisance than a noisy chicken but perhaps I'm biased.

A word on breeds - do your research and then research some more. Breeds that are listed as docile, friendly, quiet and good with confinement still get LOUD when they sing the egg song, get alarmed by a sudden unexpected noise or just decide they want to squawk for a while. When that starts, they usually all chime in. Think about a dog howling and the affect it has on other dogs. Same concept.

Best of luck with your decisions. You're doing the right thing by asking and planning ahead.

 

[CabritaChicks]

We did not discover BYC and all the educated folks here until we were well into our first year of chickens. It was too late at that point to start over with building a coop given the initial investment. We bought a prefab with attached run that was 9'x3.5'. Marketed to hold 8-10 birds. Maybe parakeets. We put 3 smaller hybrids in it and they outgrew it quickly -- as did I. The water and feed stations take up space and you want to put perches in it which also requires space. We've since expanded to a walk in run space of 150' - for four chickens (current legal limit). They're happy but I personally want more space for them. We only have a half acre yard but they run the entire thing every day for several hours at various times of the day. We still do the prefab (bought a larger one) simply due to building and permitting constraints. Please learn from our mistake --- if you think it's enough coop space, it probably is not.

Chickens are active, they like to scratch and roam about and chase each other to steal the other's bug. If they will be confined most or all of the time it is imperative you have enough run space. For prefabs - they will probably only be inside for roosting and nesting. This means the run space should be adequate to allow them to run, fly short distances, jump from perches to ground unimpeded, space to dust bath, which is important for feather cleaning and overall health.

Prefabs serve their purpose when one is restricted by local ordinances and if your county indicates you can have them that's usually written in the bylaws. Be aware - even though it is documented in the bylaws, our county seat told me before we got chickens that if a neighbor complains about the noise, they will confiscate the chickens and tear down the coop. So just because it's written approval by law, if someone wants to be an unkind neighbor this could be bad news for you.

As an aside, in this county, potential removal of animals only applies to chickens, not to dogs or cats......hhhmm, makes one wonder where the priorities lie. Roaming cats and dogs are a bigger nuisance than a noisy chicken but perhaps I'm biased.

A word on breeds - do your research and then research some more. Breeds that are listed as docile, friendly, quiet and good with confinement still get LOUD when they sing the egg song, get alarmed by a sudden unexpected noise or just decide they want to squawk for a while. When that starts, they usually all chime in. Think about a dog howling and the affect it has on other dogs. Same concept.

Best of luck with your decisions. You're doing the right thing by asking and planning ahead.

I really enjoyed this post! I’m not the original poster, but I can definitely relate. Great advice: find the chicken breed that’s right for you! I made the mistake of 'per-emptively purchasing' or being 'gifted' and realized that was not in my family/flock best interest.

Start by checking some of the major hatcheries (Cackle, McMurray or Meyers) and using their search tools to narrow down your options. Then do a little cross-referencing. Once you have your “ideal” choices, come back here and we’ll give you an honest, solid suggestions.

Things to consider: temperament (docile or flighty), egg size, hen size, aggression level, and temperature tolerance, among others. Find your goals: large non-stop champion layers? pets that provide breakfast sometimes? easter egg basket? ornamental that make afternoon outdoor tea hilarious for friends?

Everyone here is fantastic and happy to help—especially if you can narrow things down a bit. And remember, you can always have a mixed flock . It may sound complicated at first, but it quickly becomes second nature!