Coop/run size questions

[BigECarter]

We have a 3'x7' three- sided coop attached to a 10'x12' pen. I don't have the exact numbers but I think it was $300 for wood, $200 for hardware cloth, $200 for galvalume roof. We had siding and dirt. So that's $700 without labor. $1000 contractor built actually sounds reasonable, depending on the quality of materials (hardware cloth vs chicken wire, etc.).

 

[Jersey Boy]

 

[Jersey Boy]

This was approximately $650 in material.

 

[AliNaz]

My kids are only 10 and almost 3. I would spend half the time chasing my 3 year old and the other half hearing my 10 year old daughter complain about the heat and the bugs. lol. Yes, about 1/2 of the quote is for labor. I can't go with chicken wire, even though it is cheaper, because we have foxes, raccoons, opossums, owls, and who knows what else on our property. I feel that 1/2 inch hardware cloth is the only way to go in our case.

Is that your coop/run Jersey Boy?

 

[AliNaz]

I forgot to mention that I do not have an old shed. I thought about buying one and converting it, but the ones that are large enough at Lowe's are over $700. After adding the cost of materials for the run and the labor, it would add up to more than what I was quoted.

 

[Jersey Boy]

Yeah built it myself. Turned out a lot better than expected. Lol

 

[AliNaz]

It's very nice. Did you use the garden coop plans? How big is it and how many chickens do you have again?

 

[Jersey Boy]

It's based off of the garden coop design. I built it from a picture I found online. I never had the plans. It's a 4x6 coop and 10x6 run.

 

[Sciencediva]

We built the "Garden Coop" which is designed for 8 chickens (hen house and run included). I absolutely love the coop and the run and know the birds are save at night in there! The footprint of the whole thing is 10x6. However, I really use the run as an extension of the coop and we added a fenced-in "yard" where the chickens spend most of the day (about 30'x30' with bushes and trees in the back to hide and nap in the shade). I cannot imagine all 8 birds living in the run, I think it would be too small!

 

[LLMama]

Very pretty sciencediva. Well AliNaz, my husband and I did build my coop (I am very lucky he is really handy, we built our own human house) and we spent $150 with and spent approx. 5 hours just building the coop. We were alos lucky we had some scrap wood we used and my 15 month old took a nap for a good portion of the time. I decided on the dimension of 3 x4 ft plus the nesting boxes. We did not build the run yet, I will still have to buy the hardware cloth tomorrow and finish closing all the holes and painting tomorrow.
I might have jumped the gun and told the farmer today that I will come and get my 4 hens tomorrow (approx. 2 mo. old). I was just getting so excited, I wanted to get them. I will be a busy builder tomorrow.

I am thinking of making the run 6 x 8. That will make 48 sq. ft. for 4 birds. That should work, i think?
Anyone have any suggestions?

The entire front will swing open for cleaning and will have windows at the peaks and the nesting boxes are in the back.