[Design] Coop - DIY

[Spasta]

Hello,

My first post on this forum .
At this moment I can't produce a nice coop for my chickens because I'm recovering from an operation.
That's why I started with the design of the coop I would like to build in a few weeks.

I'm not that far but would like to share the process with you guys.
I hope to get a few good tips and tricks for my coop .
There will be different faults in my write up because I don't speak English that good but you guys will understand.

The coop will be used for 3 ore 4 big Wyandotte chickens.

Iso-view:

Open 'Legnest' for the eggs:



Big door at the backside to clean the coop:



Without the roof so you can se the internal structure:



Materials:
I want to make the outside with 'tooth and groove' wood system. Do you know what I mean with that?
I read a lot about problems with 'bloedluis' (aphid?) in the connection between all the wood panels so I think I'll make a flush wooden panel on each side at the inside from the coop.
When I'm making a double wall I can insulate between the two walls.

To-do:
- Bottem (gliding system for a easy clean?)
- Stair for the chickens
- Middle wall in the housing for the eggs
- Design inside walls
- Roost post (is that the name from the pillar where the chickens sleep on?)
- Poop board
- Door in the front & back
- Window above the front door
- Drinknipples in the coop
- Something to feed them
- Am I missing something?

Questions:
- What dimensions do I need to use for my roost post for the big Wyandotte chickens?
- What height do they need for the big Wyandotte's? (25cm?)
- What dimensions do I need to use for the front door
- What dimensions for the place where they put there eggs (don't know the english word for this?)
- What width should I use for the chicken stairs so they can get in the coop

This are my first chickens so I have no idea about the dimensions and stuff. That's the reason for all my questions .

Gr. Hans

 

[pdirt]

Welcome to BYC. There are some great articles here on BYC on coop construction and dimensions.

A few of the common ones I have incorporated in our coop:

* About 3 square feet (about 1 sq meter) of floor space inside the coop per chicken
* Have PLENTY of ventiliation in the coop (see BYC user aart for a good article on ventiliation)
* Ventiliation is best up high at least 18 inches (about 1/2 meter) above the tops of the chickens' heads on the roosts, approx. 1 square foot (about 1/3 sq meter) ventilation per chicken
* Avoid ventilation that will allow drafts to blow directly onto the birds
* About 10 square feet (about 3 sq meters) of ground space per bird in the run
* About 1 foot (1/3 meter) per chicken of roost space, most recommend using 2x4 with the flattest/wide side face up

That said, you will want about 12 square feet (about 3.6 sq meters) of floor space in your coop. So a coop about 1 meter wide, 1.2 meters long and whatever height you want plus about 1/2 meter between top of chicken heads and the vents near the roof.

The sketch you provided does not appear to account for ventilation of any sort. It also looks like it needs to be a good deal taller to make sure enough space for ventilation and space between the top of the birds' heads and the ventilation. Your sketch looks similar to many of the pre-fabricated coops you can find for sale online or farming goods stores, keep in mind that most of those have horrible ventilation and they usually grossly over-estimate the number of chickens it can house.

I wouldn't bother with a gliding bottom piece. It will quickly get caked with droppings and will be difficult to remove/re-install. Your large clean-out door looks like a better idea. If you want windows, you will probably want them placed so they chickens can see out or you can see in to them. If so, make the window from glass or plexi-glass, not mesh/wire. Mesh or wire will allow a draft directly onto your chickens, not what you want. Use mesh/wire for the roof-level vents.