Design Dilemma

[Urban Chaos]

I would like to add a grow-out/Broody pen to my current coop. We are in the city and have limited space. I have 2 ideas. In both I build a temporary divider within the run (its 20x5ft).

With design #1 (would have permanent 2nd coop), I have a coop built on at the end of the run - meaning I will have to cut into the hardware cloth on the back end to build the box onto. Pros = more room in the run for original flock and young'uns, Con= having to cut into back end.

Design #2, I would build a small coop and lower it in from the top. Pro=wouldnt have to cut into hardware cloth. Con=less room for the birds. We do free range for large parts of the day and it wouldn't mean over crowding or suffering, they just wouldn't be as spoiled as they are now.

and I know my sketches leave much to be desired but I like the paint program.

Vic

 

[ll]

Design #2 - no cutting

Good luck.

 

[chicken_noob]

Design #2 and instead of setting the little coop on the ground hang it/mount it on short legs. If you can get it off the ground now its pro- no cutting the wire... and pro- no loss of ground space... pro- shade for the lil chicks... just my 2cents

 

[Dingleberry]

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[suzyQlou]

#2. I like the idea of adding legs to the little coop as chicken_noob suggested. But if you don't elevate the small coop, the bigger birds would probably still hop on top of the little coop and use that space. Well, I guess that depends on how tall the little coop is. From the scale of the human door in the drawing, it looks like the little coop would be the right size for a chicken jump. Of course, then you'll be cleaning a little more poo off the roof of the little coop, but you wouldn't necessarily be loosing floor space. The bigger chicks would just use the little coop's roof as an elevated floor.

Ummm, I just had another thought. How do you plan to clean inside the little coop? Would it be a pain to walk through the run? Is it tall enough? Too poopy? Will there be a convenient door through the temporary divider? That would be a reason to go with #1. Then you could build clean-out doors to the little coop that you would access from outside of the run.

 

[farmer_lew]

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I agree. Put the inserted coop on legs. That way you don't lose any ground space and gain shade at that end of the run. It's a win-win!