Critique My Coop

[PirateGirl]

I saw you mentioned fencing underneath the coop. Learn from my mistake here make one side of that a panel/door that can be opened/popped off for easy human access. There will be times that you will need to get under there for one reason or another and you don't want to be crawling through the chicken poop on your stomach to reach... a bird will hide in the further spot and need to be caught, an egg will randomly be laid out of reach, the feeder or water dish or something will end up under there in ways you can't even imagine... I've honed my skills at reaching things with a broom handle, but I really wish I had an access door!

I still urge you to think about the human access for cleaning etc. for your coop. when you flip open the roof can you easily reach every corner of the coop, even with it up on stilts like that? Could you pick up an egg/catch a chicken/clean the whole floor area from any part of this coop? It's similar in dimensions and design to mine, but I don't feel like my arms are long enough to do that. Now is the time to test your reach, now is the time that modifications can be made.

 

[JDN]

If you hinge one of the walls open for human access it will be significantly easier to clean. Right now cleaning would be a challenge.

Nah, just prop the lid, position a trash can at the chicken door, and sweep everything in.

 

[Al Capon]

I still urge you to think about the human access for cleaning etc. for your coop. when you flip open the roof can you easily reach every corner of the coop, even with it up on stilts like that?

Ditto Dat^^^

Triple Dat^^^

6 roosting chickens will have that thing full of poop in 6 weeks or less, that's 9 cleanings/year.

If you're planning on cleaning thru that little hole, you better get a swear jar ready.

A hinged side would be easier. Put down 40 cent vinyl tiles on the floor to aid in cleaning, poop and litter slide right off.

 

[annampet]

It's not bad, but IMHO it is small for even 5 chickens. You mention that it is 4x4. 16sqft. That is only big enough for a maximum of 4 standard chickens. If you're talking bantams then you're okay.
I have a few things I would like to list out. Some are suggestions, others personal opinion and some are my free-floating thoughts written out to the best of my ability.

1. Look at the wall with the ventilation slats. They are not bad, but more is really much better. I would suggest taking that whole top section of that wall and cutting it out with a screen cover to create better ventilation.
2. Locate which side of the building will be facing East. Cut a window on that side; it will provide more light for your chickens and let them establish a natural light cycle.
3. In the back wall, under the nesting boxes, add a hinged sweep-out door. It will make cleaning much, much easier.
4. Have you considered an automatic livestock waterer? You could connect a hose to it and put mount it onto solid siding outside to conserve space indoors and not have to worry about a water shortage in the warmer months.
5. This may not be an option depending on how you wish to maximize run space. I was thinking you could lower to the floor to ground level and expand 2-3 feet in either direction to add more floor space. Keep the roosts and nesting boxes where they will be at to save on space. It would also give you the space to place a feeder indoors.

I hope I am not being harsh in my suggestions and opinions.
Cyprus

Not harsh at all! I appreciate your insight and feedback! I like the idea of #2, I'm going to have to talk to my carpenter about a window. I mentioned last night to him that it's going to be dark in there and we need more light, just need to figure out how and where. #1 and #4, I'm not sure if those will work for us. I'm in NE Michigan and winter weather can be harsh at times. Ventilation, good, whole top section gone, probably not good.

 

[annampet]

I saw you mentioned fencing underneath the coop. Learn from my mistake here make one side of that a panel/door that can be opened/popped off for easy human access. There will be times that you will need to get under there for one reason or another and you don't want to be crawling through the chicken poop on your stomach to reach... a bird will hide in the further spot and need to be caught, an egg will randomly be laid out of reach, the feeder or water dish or something will end up under there in ways you can't even imagine... I've honed my skills at reaching things with a broom handle, but I really wish I had an access door!

I still urge you to think about the human access for cleaning etc. for your coop. when you flip open the roof can you easily reach every corner of the coop, even with it up on stilts like that? Could you pick up an egg/catch a chicken/clean the whole floor area from any part of this coop? It's similar in dimensions and design to mine, but I don't feel like my arms are long enough to do that. Now is the time to test your reach, now is the time that modifications can be made.

Thank you! I really like the tip on the panel/door! That needs to happen and I never would have thought of it.

I will keep thinking about access. I'm still comfortable with having the roof flip open and having a door on each side. With the nesting boxes opening in the back, it will give me access there too.

 

[annampet]

Nah, just prop the lid, position a trash can at the chicken door, and sweep everything in.

This is the plan exactly

 

[annampet]

Triple Dat^^^

6 roosting chickens will have that thing full of poop in 6 weeks or less, that's 9 cleanings/year.

If you're planning on cleaning thru that little hole, you better get a swear jar ready.

A hinged side would be easier. Put down 40 cent vinyl tiles on the floor to aid in cleaning, poop and litter slide right off.

I appreciate the feedback

I do have a plastic floor ready to install (from tips I learned here!) A hinged side would be easier but I think flipping the lid and sweeping should work. I'll keep thinking about it though! ETA: I'm thinking I'll be cleaning it every other week or once a week. So your comment about cleaning it say even at 4 weeks blows my mind. In a smaller coop would that even be feasible?

 

[Cyprus]

Not harsh at all! I appreciate your insight and feedback! I like the idea of #2, I'm going to have to talk to my carpenter about a window. I mentioned last night to him that it's going to be dark in there and we need more light, just need to figure out how and were. #1 and #4, I'm not sure if those will work for us. I'm in NE Michigan and winter weather can be harsh at times. Ventilation, good, whole top section gone, probably not good.

I wasn't thinking to take off the whole roof
I meant to add a screen under the wood. Then you can open the top

The screen would be under the wood, over the top where the red and highlight is.

 

[annampet]

I wasn't thinking to take off the whole roof
I meant to add a screen under the wood. Then you can open the top
View attachment 1538365
The screen would be under the wood, over the top where the red and highlight is.

Ahhh!!!! LOL I'll have to think that through. It's a great idea for summer months! But would interfere with my cleaning plan.

 

[Cyprus]

Ahhh!!!! LOL I'll have to think that through. It's a great idea for summer months! But would interfere with my cleaning plan.

Then how about a screen held down with an eye hook? One on the bottom to hold it down and one connected to the roof to attach it to the roof for cleaning purposes? You could use a storm window screen cut to scale.