Coop Recommendations

[Happy_Hen]

I've decided that it's time for a coop upgrade. A couple of years back, when I first got chickens, we just threw a coop together, but it's honestly not the best. I hope to get chicks next year, and I want to be prepared. My plans are to get ten chicks and have them free-range. I've looked into some chicken coops and some chicken tractors, but I'm still on the fence. Please, if you have any ideas, share!

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/medium-coops.19/

 

[JedJackson]

The recommended minimum is 4 square feet of coop space per large fowl chicken, which is 40 square feet. Most pre-made coops aren't going to be that big, and the ones that are will be expensive. And it a really better to have more space than that per bird, in my opinion. There are lots of coop plans on this website that can help if you decide to build it yourself. Looking in places like Craigslist can sometimes be fruitful as well.

You say you want to free range, but I would advise having a run even so in case of a predator outbreak, or if for any reason you want to keep the chickens inside, such as having a visitor with a dog or children that are afraid. That is up to you, but having at least some kind of run will make your life easier in the long run.

Chicken tractors are valuable if you have a lot of land, and they can be sold off easier, too, when the time comes. But you'd need an awfully large one for 10 chickens. Splitting it into two coops or tractors is an option as well, but that creates more work.

 

[Happy_Hen]

Yeah, you're right about the run. That's a good point. Thank you!

 

[aart]

How many of that first flock do you still have?
Keep in mind that integration of new birds works much better with LOTS of space.

 

[Happy_Hen]

How many of that first flock do you still have?
Keep in mind that integration of new birds works much better with LOTS of space.

We had to give away many of them to a family friend, but we kept four of our girls. And yes, you're right, and that makes a lot of sense.

 

[Happy_Hen]

What are some coop necessities?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I've decided that it's time for a coop upgrade. A couple of years back, when I first got chickens, we just threw a coop together, but it's honestly not the best. I hope to get chicks next year, and I want to be prepared. My plans are to get ten chicks and have them free-range. I've looked into some chicken coops and some chicken tractors, but I'm still on the fence. Please, if you have any ideas, share!

Since you are in Texas, you can keep it simple for max ventilation in our hot muggy summers. 3 walls and a hardware cloth front would be just fine, nice long roof overhang, with ventilation at the very top covered with hardware cloth.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

What are some coop necessities?

Ventilation, roosts, nest boxes. If you are going to build your coop yourself (which I highly recommend) build bigger, as others have said, the more room the better, and if you decide to get more chicks or have a broody hatch chicks, it'll be easy breezy.

 

[Happy_Hen]

Thank you all so much! I will definitely be doing lots of research so I'm better prepared!