Coop plans are alomsstt done.

[Chicken-Lover0808]

I finally ALMOST have my coop designs done, for under $300 i think it'll turn out nice!

Now im just ready to get started building! Excited and ready to get some chickens.
Hopefully ill have pictures up soon.

Plans:

4x4ft. coop, 4 nest boxes, good roosting area on the oppisite side.
3x8ft. run(wrapped with chicken wire, and gonna put about 1ft. of hardwire cloth for the skirt, with rocks on top.)
Probably gonna line the bottom of the coop with sand, since i can get it free.
Hopefully all turns out well!

 

[Chicken-Lover0808]

*hardware cloth

(not hardwire)

 

[CarolynF]

Very Exciting! Based on the size of your coop & run I'm guessing you're getting maybe 3 or 4 hens? Assuming they're std. size. Mine is very similar. Oh, for 3-4 hens you only need 1 nest box. And your ladies will have more elbow room that way.

Since you're putting a hardware cloth skirt you must be thinking about predators. But has anyone mentioned to you that chicken wire will not keep out predators? The only thing chicken wire will do is keep your chickens in. And raccoons can easily grab your chickens by reaching thru the chicken wire and do serious damage. There are way too many accounts on BYC, you might want to check it out. I'd like to suggest, at a minimum, you add 3' of hardware cloth to the bottom of your chicken wire fence. Your chickens will thank you!

Enjoy your new chickens!

 

[Chicken-Lover0808]

Quote:
Thanks, and i didnt know about the chicken wire, the coop will be at my high school and they keep predators out of there usually...and hardware cloth is expensive so i was trying to keep csts down but if nessesary to keep my hens alive then i will do that. Last year we had about 15 white leghorns and 10 broiler birds and nothing ever came close to them or oour barn area so hopefully nothing will happen. I think ill be getting 5-6 hens(which it'll probably be a little crowded but they'll probably free range alot i just want to be able to keep them in the coop and run during school hours so stupid kids dont mess with them, if ya get me there...you probably know how high schoolers are. This is my first time building a coop and it's for an FFA project. So hopefully everything turns out okay. I'm hoping to sell the eggs throughout my community and at the farmers markets around here. Maybe even donate some to local shelters...just to have an ongoing project with my dearly loved chickens))))))))

But thanks sooooo much for the help!!

 

[bryan99705]

I want to encourage you to enjoy your birds but am concerrned your going to have fighting and pecking issues if you put 6 birds in a area that would be snug for 3. Any chance you can look at a tractor type design with a lot of wire over a wood frame that would allow you to give them more square footage? I realize your going for inexpensive but maybe go 5x12 as the basic footprint, 2 nest boxes attached to a end , a open bottomed box with just a roost pole inside across the other end, leave the floor open and bolt on a couple lawn mower tires. This would give the birds more room which gives you less fighting issues and the only issue you would have to be concerned with is moving it and not injuring a bird by running over it with a edge