Coop & run completed, what would you change/add?

[scottandash]

First off, this forum has been so incredibly helpful for my wife and I as we kicked off country livin' this year. We moved from the city last year to live on 30 acres about an hour West of Detroit. We started small with our little hobby farm, getting 10 baby chicks and converted one of our sheds into what I hope is a proper chicken coop. The shed is 10x15, and the fully fenced in and hardware clothed run is about 500 square feet. We aren't sure on free ranging yet, so we wanted there to be plenty of space.

Questions- how many birds would YOU be comfortable putting into this set up (I know the recommended bird per SQ ft, but it always feels crowded to me), and what should be added or changed to this set up?

Neither my wife nor I have ever done anything like this before so we are learning on the go!

Thank you everyone who contributes so much to this site!

 

[Theorrin]

Welcome to the flock! I can't really answer your question cause I'm one of those that likes ALOT of space for my babies so the more space the better. Edit: this looks amazing btw

 

[nuthatched]

Looks good! Are the monitor windows on top screen?
If not, I'd remove the plexiglass and install hardware cloth. And possibly add roof peak vents or the passive vents that look like chef hats.
I'd also add another roost/poop board on the opposite side

 

[aart]

Gable vent that's visible looks pretty good.
Nice roof overhang probably protects them?
Are the soffits open?

Great to have HC run walls, but with the top wide open you may still have trouble with preds, hawks can drop in and anything could climb over.

 

[scottandash]

Gable vent that's visible looks pretty good.
Nice roof overhang probably protects them?
Are the soffits open?

Great to have HC run walls, but with the top wide open you may still have trouble with preds, hawks can drop in and anything could climb over.

Yeah there is hawk netting on the top, but building a rafter system with roofing is on my list. My carpentry skills have me uncertain of my ability to do so, but we shall see

 

[perkolator]

Looks like a nice setup. I'm sure the netting over the run will be fine for now, but eventually I'd put fencing there; I'd imagine with 30ac and similar sized neighboring properties, there's some sort of local predator that can get past that if they're hungry enough.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want to be generous with space, 20-25 standard birds. That'd be 6 to 7.5 sq ft in the coop per bird (which would be good during cold, blustery winter days where the flock may not want to come out unless you weather proof the run) and 20-25 sq ft per bird in the run.

My flock currently has a more minimal 4.8 sq ft in coop, but 44 sq ft per bird in the run. My build is meant to house 12 birds and I currently sit at 10.

 

[Ridgeback825]

You could add roosting bars and keep 40 birds without a problem. The cold winter would be your limiting factor. I have zero experience with cold as im in Florida. I love the coop and would add some activity pieces in the run.