Coops & Runs for San Diego County

margiedickinson

Hatching
Jul 26, 2022
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Hi BYC Members,

I am a complete newbie to chickens. I want to start a flock at our semi-rural residence in San Diego County, Vista to be specific. I have done a lot of reading on care and feeding, but I can't decide the best type of coop and run to get. I want to start with 4 chicks, but have room to expand to 8 or so. What type of coop is best for this climate and predator threat -- coyotes, hawks, racoons, skunks, snakes, etc? Do I get a coop that I can stand up in for ease of cleaning? Is a raised coop better for keeping out predators? Please share your advice and mistakes. Many Thanks!
 
Welcome to BYC!

I’m going to suggest you do the stand up option for ease of cleaning. Bigger than you think you need is always better because chicken math is a real thing.

You can use a skirt buried under the ground around your coop, and run if you’re building one, to keep out digging predators. A run covered in 1/4 HWC to keep out all but the smallest snakes will also prevent raccoons from reaching in and help with mice. Same goes for any windows on the coop. A padlock on the door would keep out raccoons.

I have no suggestions for a coop, my climate is very different. Here’s a link to the coop articles , give it a browse because there are tons of great ideas
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/chicken-coops.12/
 
What type of coop is best for this climate
What is your climate, winter&summer highs&lows, precipitation etc?

...in San Diego County, Vista to be specific...
Welcome to BYC! @margiedickinson
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
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You don't need a typical coop like the prefab ones since the weather is mild. Keep it open and airy with as much hardware cloth (instead of solid walls) as possible. If you have a shady spot in your yard, locating it there is a plus for the hottest days. @igorsMistress actually your coop should work here :)
Good to know, thanks. I’m not super familiar with the weather patterns there.
 
I have a bunch of family in Vista and it’s very mild SoCal climate, with a few microclimate areas that can get colder. I know coyotes are a common larger predator there.

My sister wants chickens and for her coop we determined using dog kennel fence panels, chain link panels, or a cattle panel hoop coop would be good choices without having to fabricate much, and provide good strength against a coyote once it’s got hardware cloth perimeter and skirt installed on it.

Inside the run for a coop she’s going to use either a kids playhouse, an upcycled furniture type structure (armoire, dresser, cabinets, etc), or a simple pallet wood coop…or just go open air with maybe a windblock wall or something simple.
 
Welcome to BYC.

IIRC, you're in a warm-to-hot climate, right?

Consider an Open Air coop -- a big wire box with a 3-sided shelter at one end.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-positive-local-action-coop.72804/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/california-living.68130/

I don't have a coop page for my own Open Air coop yet, but it's featured in my hot weather article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

Some basic information in re: coops,

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.
4 hens
  • 16 square feet in the coop. 4'x4' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber.
  • 4 feet of roost
  • 40 square feet in the run. 4'x10' or 5'x8'. 6'x6' is a bit too small, 6'x8' is more generous and easier to build than 5'x8'.
  • 4 square feet of ventilation. A 2'x2' window is theoretically enough, but in practice doesn't create any air FLOW so better to spread the venting around (and even better to exceed the minimums, especially in warm climates).
  • 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice

8 hens
  • 32 square feet in the coop. 4'x8' is approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle. 6'x6' should be walk-in because even the tallest chicken-keeper won't be able to reach the far wall.
  • 8 feet of roost
  • 80 square feet in the run. 8'x10' is a nice looking number but, remembering the common dimensions of lumber, a roomier 8'x12' is actually easier to build. 6'x14' looks good on paper but would require a lot of weird cuts.
  • 8 square feet of ventilation.
  • 2-3 nest boxes.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/
 

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