Coop thoughts?

[Lenny loves chickens]

Is this a good coop for 12 chickens? What's your opinion

https://admiredselection.com/produc...3d05pfex_lMGzWThiAxdciZd-OKONNaEaAgp3EALw_wcB

 

[rosemarythyme]

Measurements are 74" x 60" but gotta subtract from the width as it includes nest boxes, so closer to 74" x 48" or so. So space for 6 chickens IMO. More ventilation will need to be added.

 

[DobieLover]

That's a lot of money to spend on a coop. You could spend that on modifying a shed into a coop and building a huge run on it for less money.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is this a good coop for 12 chickens?

OverEZ are much better built than many prefabs, but they're still too small for the numbers they claim to hold and poorly-ventilated.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

12 hens

• 48 square feet in the coop. 6'x8' is more practical than 4'x12' since a long, skinny coop like that would be difficult to work inside.
• 12 feet of roost
• 120 square feet in the run. 10'x12' or 8'x15' -- 8'x16' means fewer odd cuts than either of those. 6'x20' is possible, especially if your run is an open-topped, fenced area instead of fully-enclosed with a solid and/or wire roof but risks social problems because subordinate hens need to be able to pass the dominant hens at a respectful distance.
• 12 square feet of ventilation.
• 3 nest boxes.

At 12 chicken size, if you're looking to buy rather than build you should covert a shed -- because with any prefab you're going to have to do work on it anyway to add ventilation and, probably, modify the roosts and nests.

Shed Conversions

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

But will it be okay if they only sleep in it! And free range all day?

From an article I'm writing:

But I free range/have a huge run and my chickens only use the coop to sleep and lay eggs! Why do I need all that space inside?​

You might not. As I've said, these are guidelines, not hard-and-fast rules.​

If you never close the pop door so that your coop and run function together as a fully integrated system that is the equivalent of a huge, open-air coop, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.​

If you are always out there to open the pop door at the crack of dawn or you have an ultra-reliable automatic door so that your chickens never lack access to their free range territory during the daylight hours, then your flock might be just fine for years, even decades.​

If you live in a mild climate where chickens can always go out into their run/range and are never kept in by snow or storms, then your flock might be just fine for decades. People who keep chickens in places with tropical and subtropical climates do successfully go without a coop at all, just offering a covered roost and some nestboxes.​

But when something happens ...​

When a determined predator moves in and breaks through the fencing so that you have to confine the flock to the coop itself so that you can fix the run,​

When an extreme weather event prevents your chickens from leaving shelter for days,​

When an emergency calls you out of town and you can't find someone willing to be there at the crack of dawn to open the pop door,​

Then you could have a mess on your hands.​

Which brings us back to the issue of flexibility and options. Any time you push a system hard against it's limits you have to count on everything remaining stable -- exactly as it is without any changes. How well that's likely to work depends on your specific circumstances. You may never encounter an unfortunate circumstance -- some people DO hit the lottery, after all. ​

My own "something happens" is having Avian Flu in my state -- so my chickens are shut up for at least a month.

Maybe I could put a dust bath there

If your chickens are outside all day they will dig their own dustbath in a place of their choosing.

 

[Silkie Princess]

That's a lot of money to spend on a coop. You could spend that on modifying a shed into a coop and building a huge run on it for less money.

I agree....I would never spend so much money on a pre-fab coop

 

[DobieLover]

I have look at sheds and for a 6x8 what I originally was gonna do is anywhere from 3 thousand to 5 thousand. But if you can find or know where to find one cheaper I am open to suggestions. Indo look one marketplace and stuff often to see if there are any cheap ones

Look for a used one. Check CL and FB Marketplace. Talk to local shed builders and ask if they take old sheds from customers that are buying new. They may have something that you'd likely be able to have for the cost of delivery.

 

[rosemarythyme]

But will it be okay if they only sleep in it! And free range all day?

Gonna page @3KillerBs on this because I know she has a great write up on why having a certain amount of space in the coop can be important, because situations can arise where birds need to be "cooped up."

For me, I've had to lock the birds in the coop due to flooding. But there's a variety of other things that could happen that could require you to lock them in.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Gonna page @3KillerBs on this because I know she has a great write up on why having a certain amount of space in the coop can be important, because situations can arise where birds need to be "cooped up."

For me, I've had to lock the birds in the coop due to flooding. But there's a variety of other things that could happen that could require you to lock them in.

That's makes sense thank you.

I usally just put them in garage for stuff like that but it would be helpful to not having to lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

I will say for a prefab coop these are probably among the better ones. Not perfect but a lot roomier and less flimsy for sure.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Assuming nestboxes are only on 1 side, that's about 33 sq ft, so 8 hens if you allow for 4 sq ft a piece (or 11 hens at 3 sq ft a piece).

One possible thing to consider is you could possibly remove a few nest box partitions to open up a little more floor space, maybe put feeders in it or something.