coop shape/size

[Queen Bee]

We will start my coop with in the next few weeks or as soon as the weather decides to stop being manic!

I want it to be approx. 144sq ft. , 1/4 of the coop will be for bantam cochins, I need a small area for food bins and the rest will be for large hens. BUT for the life of me, I can't figure out the best lay-out. 12x12 square, 8x16, 10x14???? I have played with it, but they all have some pros and cons! SO, what are you ideas and thoughts???

 

[Alaskan]

We will start my coop with in the next few weeks or as soon as the weather decides to stop being manic!

I want it to be approx. 144sq ft. , 1/4 of the coop will be for bantam cochins, I need a small area for food bins and the rest will be for large hens. BUT for the life of me, I can't figure out the best lay-out. 12x12 square, 8x16, 10x14???? I have played with it, but they all have some pros and cons! SO, what are you ideas and thoughts???

unfortunately you are correct... everything has pros and cons.

I suggest forcing yourself to come up with 4 completely different sketches... and then slowly looking at each one to see which will work the best for you.

Don't forget to think through how the runs will be set up, etc.

 

[aart]

Quote: Good Suggestions^^^

......and look at how it fits on the build site.

8x16 makes the most sense materials wise.

 

[Queen Bee]

Thank you! I have drawn up 100's of designs. The site is slightly raised, easy acess from my house and can be as large or small as needed (we have 100acres) with no restrictions. It will be shaded in the summer ,from 11a-4p... I will keep playing until time to decide.
.

 

[Alaskan]

Thank you! I have drawn up 100's of designs. The site is slightly raised, easy acess from my house and can be as large or small as needed (we have 100acres) with no restrictions. It will be shaded in the summer ,from 11a-4p... I will keep playing until time to decide.
.

pick super big

 

[Queen Bee]

I don't want to go super big because, I want it to remain fun... I really don't want a full time job with the chickens. I want 5 Bantam and 15 large hens of different varieties for eye candy in my egg basket!

 

[Alaskan]

actually, that is why you want super big.... super big means that you have to clean it less often.

Also, poop trays GREATLY reduce the cleaning that is needed. I didn't realize how big of a difference the poop trays would make, but it is a huge difference.

 

[aart]

Making it bigger doesn't mean you need to fill it with chickens...it will be more fun because it will be easier to maintain.

I built my 6 x 16 coop inside a 16 x 16 shed.....and I rigged a temporary wall to split off a 4x6 coop partition for chicks and other isolation needs.
There is a separate door to the coop partition and eventually I built a separate pop door and run for the smaller coop partition to raise up replacement chicks.

The extra room to store feed and supplies(and other things not related to chickens) is priceless.
Tho granted, everything in there is covered in chicken dust.
Gathering eggs and just observing the chickens in the cover of a building is more than priceless.

Check out My Coop page to see the details.