COOP SIZE ADVICE

[HOOSIER GRIZZ]

We are 2 years into a full farm renovation in central Indiana. So far we've only been able to remodel the house and repair/replace fencing (30 acre pasture) and barns. We are FINALLY ready prep to get some animals in the coming year. We plan to start with chickens.

I had shoulder surgery last week and am trying to use this down time to do some coop planning. I have a good amount of lumber saved up and want to build my own coop. I've read to the point of going blind and wanted to ask for some advice from the group.

We want to raise for eggs and meat (for our use only, no plans to sell). I am leaning toward Orpington and/or RIR's. Because we have a large pasture which (now) has a good fence, we want to let them range and see how that goes. So to start I am wanting to build a coop (no run initially).

I think 6-8 hens and a single rooster will be a good start for eggs. However I also want to try to brood some meat birds. So my fllock may vary in size from >10 to as many as 30 during warm weather. How do you handle that variance as far as coop size? I initially thought to make it big enough to comfortably house the 30. But I am reading that the large space might be too cold for the 8-10 birds in the winter. Should I just do that and add a heat source for cold weather? (I'd much rather avoid the heat source if possible). Any other thoughts? Thanks for your time...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm in Wisconsin. I never use heat for anything but brooding chicks.

The bigger the better in my opinion. The worse thing is crowded chickens. It causes aggression. You will never be unhappy with more room.

I have a 40 by 40 foot shed and I could always use more room, so we added on a lean to last year. Larger allows you to divide up areas, make separation pens for brooding and isolating birds while still keeping them in the flock. Always plan big with chickens.

You will also need to add chicks yearly or every other year to keep up your egg production as most lay well for a season or two than production falls off. Brooding right in your coop is always a handy thing that makes adding more simple.

 

[scrambled please]

First I don’t live in cold country, I’ll just brainstorm, if you’re going to pasture, you just need sleeping accommodations, probably poop boards under to keep it neat and get fertilizer easily. Heat rises.
Are you going to have the extra girls in the spring? How fast will they grow and be processed?
My temps
Don’t go low but I have places outside they can huddle when it’s wet or cold, under a tramplin, under my deck. I don’t feed them excessively, they are out scratching and eating most of the time. When I first started I over fed and they layed around and pooped everywhere.
Someone will give you way better advice than me on this but thought I’d chime in.
Sound like a lovely set up.

 

[123RedBeard]

Consider a full sized "Woods style" coop ... 10'X16'-20' deep ... dirt floor ...

You can brood your young in their too ... as the boys get bigger ... you may want to give them a separate run, and leanto type place to roost at night (all sides enclosed with predator resistant fencing)

Over winter, your birds have plenty of inside space when it snows ... and "Chicken math" ...

 

[flyin-lowe]

I am in Central Indiana as well. I keep between 10-16 hens and my coop is 6x8 and the run is 24x8. I've had them three winters now with no issues without heat. I leave the 4 windows in the coop open all year round and have plenty of ventilation. Dealing with heat, insulation, etc. will cause more problems with then it will do good. Chickens can do fine in Indiana winters with no heat.
My neighbor has over 100 chickens that free ranged for several years and he never lost any to predators and his coop had no actual door or anything. He got lucky for several years but once the predators found them he started having a lot of attacks and losses.

 

[Suzi18]

One thing I will add is although I have and love Orpingtons, they are big and cant move very quickly. If you plan on free ranging them they are basically a sitting duck 'chicken' .

 

[aart]

But I am reading that the large space might be too cold for the 8-10 birds in the winter

Fallacy....ventilation is most important, making the 'holding heat' theory moot.
Larger, taller coops are better for ventilation.
Larger coops will give you flexibility in the future.
Meat birds are best raised separately from layers,
tho layer chicks can help meat chicks be more active.

Plan for a secure run, you'll need it eventually.

Here's some good info, cause you know you wanna read more
Space:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

Ventilation:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts

Heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/


Oh, and, Welcome to BYC!
Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[HOOSIER GRIZZ]

One thing I will add is although I have and love Orpingtons, they are big and cant move very quickly. If you plan on free ranging them they are basically a sitting duck 'chicken' .

Thanks for the responses. You can learn a lot by reading, but nothing beats advice from someone with direct experience.

I feel confident now that my first instinct to make it big was correct.

I've been reducing the number of predators for 2 years now, but I've hunted long enough to know they will always be around. So I knew I may have to build a run. We'll see how it goes. My other initial animal purchase will be a couple of LGD's. If that's not enough we'll build them a run. I was trying to avoid that because I wanted to make the coop on skids so I could move it w/ the tractor.

Thanks again. I'll keep you all postef on our progress.

 

[jthornton]

Just to add, here is a copy of Prince T. Woods Modern Fresh Air Poultry House, it's a good place to start planning.

A couple of notes: You don't need a rooster for eggs, they are only needed if you want chicks. I have RIR hens and I'm getting some Cinnamon Queens in the spring as they lay more and larger eggs and have 100% sexing at birth (for the first generation).

Unless your fence is made of 1/2" hardware cloth with hot wires on the outside your only keeping out dog size predators.

You could build a hoop coop and when you can watch them let them free range.

JT

 

[HOOSIER GRIZZ]

Well after reading more and digesting the advice given I think I will change gears on the coop. I have a large barn already. I think it will be only a minimal amout if work to enclose one bay of said barn to keep my birds in there. If I need that bay for large animals (which I currently do not have) later on I figure I will know a lot more than I do today (which is not much) and can use that gained wisdom to build what I need for the birds much more efficiently.

So the bottom line here is I now have a 12' x 30' space (300 sq. ft.) for my chickens. Since I now have more than enough space for the chickens, I am thinking of trying a couple of turkeys in there as well.

Does anyone know if blackhead disease is
prevalent in central Indiana? the USDA office is closed due to the govt. shut down and I know no one in my area that raises birds..?