Coop Suggestions

[3KillerBs]

So I'm looking at designing something like these two.


View attachment 3269819View attachment 3269820



The things the wife and I want are, a walk in run and walk in coop. The slant roof keeps things simple.

But doing the "chicken math" I would need a 6' x 16' with 6x6' being the coop and 6x10' for the run if we did a walk in coop. As a raised coop could reduce that to 6x12', but the wife really wants to be able to walk in.

I realize 36 square feet for the coop is over the minimum but thats what I'm going for for the coop. Everyone says build bigger than you expect and I want the birds to have plenty of room.

As for the PT wood, so you guys would be OK with the whole structure being PT or just the ground contacts?

Those are very pretty coops, but the ventilation is not well-designed.

The place you need vents the most is the top and bottom of the roof slope, because heat and ammonia both rise, and you need to think in terms of square feet and not square inches -- big rectangles, not little circles. Especially since you're in a hot climate.

Also, those windows, though the right sort since they're top-hinged, are placed according to humans' sense of aesthetics rather than chickens' needs.

You want the airflow over their heads, not across their roosts.

This:

Not this:

BTW, an Open Air coop works by creating a pocket of still air inside the sheltered end so that there is free exchange of gasses but no wind.

P.S. My aging back and knees agree with your wife. Being able to walk in is wonderful for any coop that's too large to easily touch every wall from the access door.

 

[aart]

So it will last?

But really the question was is it ok.

On the ground, a lot longer than the usual lumber.
I suppose it's OK to use it everywhere.

BTW, an Open Air coop works by creating a pocket of still air inside the sheltered end so that there is free exchange of gasses but no wind.

Not all "Open Air" coops do this.....only the Woods design(if it's correctly done).

 

[ValarieF]

So the fact that the coop we bought is too small for our six hens has been weighing heavy on my wife and I, especially since they're getting bigger by the day.

Initially we were going to press on with what we have and just see where it goes as we didn't have any major extra expendable income. We recently unexpectedly have come into an extra $500.

Our thoughts are 1 - buy another coop just like we have and join the runs together, which I have seen done in youtube videos. Or 2 - buy another coop altogether. We could add a little extra money if needed.

Now, our thoughts on the first option are the fact that we would have two separate coops. We've trained our birds to go in the current coop and they're very good about doing so, like clockwork. Would they naturally go into the second coop or what? This option would be the most cost effective.

As for option two its a matter of finding a decently made coop/run big enough. Suggestions are welcome.

As far as building a coop I'm a carpenter by trade and currently work at a lumber mill. I know what material prices are. If you can provide plans for a coop/run build big enough for 6 hens for under $700 or so then feel free to share.


I'm really looking for opinions on option 1 but all are welcome.

Pic of current coop for reference...

ETA - we have a 24x36ft extended run to let them out into every day so not to worried about huge runs attached to the coop neccesarily, although we would like to have something. View attachment 3268725

I turned part of my shed into a coop. If you can go out and buy an old shed and covert it its easy and they will love the room in there and you.

 

[3KillerBs]

On the ground, a lot longer than the usual lumber.
I suppose it's OK to use it everywhere.


Not all "Open Air" coops do this.....only the Woods design(if it's correctly done).

The same thing happens in my open air coops.

It works less scientifically than the Woods Coop, but I can go into Neuchickenstein on a windy day and stand by the roosts without my hair moving.

 

[Raptor Chicken]

So I was thinking 3-4 nesting boxes, more? Whats the minimum for 6 chickens?

 

[aart]

So I was thinking 3-4 nesting boxes, more? Whats the minimum for 6 chickens?

They say 1 nest for every 3-5 layers.
For 6 layers I'd go with 2 or 3.
....or go for 4 because, you know, chicken math.

 

[3KillerBs]

So I was thinking 3-4 nesting boxes, more? Whats the minimum for 6 chickens?

Technically, you should only need 2. It doesn't hurt to have a spare in case a broody decides to occupy one.

 

[saysfaa]

This is one plan. (Different than the 8x12 I talked about earlier)
6' wide, 8' deep, 7' high on one side, 9' high on the other side.

It features

• 6' of roost across the back, above a poop board
• Three nests accessible from outside the coop via an access door in the rear wall
• A 2'x6'x2' high storage area across the back, accessible via doors in the rear wall. Optional is to make the ends of the storage area taller by using the space to either side of the nests.

If features

• About 2' of roof overhang on each side, making the deck of the roof very close to10x10 - this maximizes osb sheets, shingle bundles, and drip edges. Or metal roof panels. And allows rain protection of the ventilation spaces.
• Solid walls around the roost (all of the 6' across the back and the back 4' of the sides). All the solid walls stop 1' short of the roof to allow the ventilation needed in your climate.
• Hardware cloth covered front wall and front 4' of each side wall.
• 2' wide hardware cloth apron around all sides

It features

• 2x4 stud wall and rafter construction. Mostly 24" on center spacing but flexed just a little to support the structures along the rear wall. Being only 6' wide, there is plenty of margin to work with as far as carrying the loads.

Not shown are the doors for people and for chickens. Placement depends on your site. I would do a 3' people door and shift a stud over to allow for it.

Price comes in at $690.44 before tax. At current Home Depot prices in your town.
And before all hardware because I don't have time right now to figure out how many nails (or screws) of which kind it will take. Or choose hinges and latches - I can get pretty obsessive about such things.
And before the frame of the door.

My figures for materials are the second and third pictures.
Sorry the math sheets are messy. I don't have time to clean it up right now.

It also, may have some mistakes. But I don't think there are any big mistakes.

I would upgrade a few things if at all possible. At least the sheathing. I would like either thicker osb or plywood or thicker plywood. My coop is sheathed with boards rather than either osb or plywood so I haven't done the research on the best option for that.

 

[saysfaa]

The two coops you showed pictures of don't have nearly enough ventilation. The little holes have a few inches, total. The windows help a lot assuming you never close them. If you never close them, you don't need them... better to put the money elsewhere - like into a bigger roof to shelter the open areas.

Six square feet is the general rule of thumb but you live in a hot climate, so really need more than that.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's great that you've got your own coop planning thread going but have you spent any time looking at the extensive "coops," section on BYC yet? Look at the small and medium coops, it's everything you need to get ideas on how to either creatively or by a standard (like the pics you provided,) build a coop. Everything from zero cost to medium cost to massively expensive is there. Personally I've never understood why people spend way more money on pre-fabs than you would spend building something much better. I was no carpenter when I converted an old dog house into a nice solid coop for 6. Cost = case of bud light for dude friends to move it.