"Coop without run" name?

[cluckkatie]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a coop without a run, since I'm planning to make my own out of chicken wire fencing. The runs on many coops online look too small.
However, I'm having a hard time looking for ONLY the part where the hens go to roost at night. I tried searching on eBay "chicken coop without run" but that didn't turn out. Is there a specific name for a coop without a run? Or would I just have to get a dog house? Please note I am getting three hens to start out with.

Thanks

Katie

 

[Welshies]

You should build your own. You may have 3 chickens now, but you will want more. Chickens need 4 square feet of space per bird inside their coop, and many pre built coops aren't predator proof, light enough, or have enough ventilation. Many don't have roosts or nest boxes. A dog house is not tall enough and would have no ventilation, which can be very dangerous for birds. It also doesn't have roosts, even worse.
You'll want a coop that is about 20-30 square feet. Preferably 40, so you can have up to 10 chickens comfortably. Make it tall enough to walk into. You should have 2 12x12" nest boxes, and put the roosts above those. 10" of roost space per bird. You'll want 100" of roost space preferably. I suggest 2 roosts at 4 feet, and then at 5 feet.
You need 1 square foot of ventilation per bird. Cover all openings with 1/4" hardware cloth. Weasels can squeeze through 1/2" holes.
You need to build your run with something other than chicken wire. Even if you live in a city, cats, dogs, and racoons will try to get at your chickens. Chicken wire is totally inneffective at preventing predators and protecting chickens. It is only a means to keep chickens in, not predators out.
You'll want 10 square feet of run space per bird, preferably 20 square feet.

 

[Toothpick]

I bought one from Tractor Supply Company. They call it a coop with a run but in all reality, the run is not sufficient at all for the number of chickens they claim the coop can hold (8). I had always planned to make a run anyway. So the "coop with run" is now simply the coop. The run is roughly 20x20 T-Post and chicken wire. The chickens only go in there to roost.

 

[Welshies]

I bought one from Tractor Supply Company. They call it a coop with a run but in all reality, the run is not sufficient at all for the number of chickens they claim the coop can hold (8). I had always planned to make a run anyway. So the "coop with run" is now simply the coop. The run is roughly 20x20 T-Post and chicken wire. The chickens only go in there to roost.

Yup, most store bought coops hold 5-10 chickens. That's 50 to 100 square feet of run space at least. Hard to ship that over the mail.

 

[Toothpick]

Yup, most store bought coops hold 5-10 chickens. That's 50 to 100 square feet of run space at least. Hard to ship that over the mail.

And I can't help but wonder how many people buy these and keep chickens in them 24/7. I suppose it might be sufficient if it was cleaned every day and well maintained. But I like to see my chickens roam around and I think the chickens are happier if they can forage. I've got a few that jump out of the run and I've seen them two houses down! And that's far, I live in the country, my neighbors are not close. But they always come back.

 

[Welshies]

And I can't help but wonder how many people buy these and keep chickens in them 24/7. I suppose it might be sufficient if it was cleaned every day and well maintained. But I like to see my chickens roam around and I think the chickens are happier if they can forage. I've got a few that jump out of the run and I've seen them two houses down! And that's far, I live in the country, my neighbors are not close. But they always come back.

Yep, mine think they should be running around in -30° C temps! I'm like, NOPE.

 

[Toothpick]

Yep, mine think they should be running around in -30° C temps! I'm like, NOPE.

It's not that cold here but it's 9°F right now. And during the day it gets to about 20°F. I let my chickens decide what too cold is. My younger chicks (4 months) stay in the coop all day. I only see them when I feed them. My old chicks (1 yr?) roam around all day.

 

[Welshies]

It's not that cold here but it's 9°F right now. And during the day it gets to about 20°F. I let my chickens decide what too cold is. My younger chicks (4 months) stay in the coop all day. I only see them when I feed them. My old chicks (1 yr?) roam around all day.

Yep, I let mine run around when it's -4°F or above. Even my 9 week old chicks get out there and enjoy it, but they are confined to a brooder right now after a near-death bout of frostbite.