Designing my first large coop, need some input.

[domromer]

Made some changes, still thinking of a total redesign. The A frame sounds nice in theroy but looses a lot of practicality.

 

[elliemay0305]

Given today's date, hint hint, I think you will find that the kind of 'roosters' being referrred to are the oval-shaped hard-shelled ones you would make an omelet out of

Pat

yes that is what i was talking about!!

i was for sure people were going think i was crazy! i sure did

 

[domromer]

Yeah, I didn't really get the connection.

 

[domromer]

These is the 2nd idea.

 

[azelgin]

I like your #2 design. Nice graphics, too! I have a couple of suggestions. Just the things I would change, if I were building it for myself.

Looks like your run is tall enough to stand up in. That's great. I built one of mine that has an area only 5' tall. I always bang my head when I'm in that section. I'll be bent over trying to catch a chicken and when I stand up I get nailed.

I'd put the nest boxes in the wall where your window is now, move the pop door into the access door and put an opening window in the wall where the nest boxes was.

Heres why:

With the pop door moved over, it will give you the length of that wall for your roost.

With an opening window on the back wall, you can extend the roof overhang to give some protection from rain and snow. It will also allow you to have some cross ventilation between the pop door and the window, without putting a draft on the chickens, weather they are on the roost, or, in the nest boxes. When the weather gets really bad, you can close the window some, to keep the chickens more comfortable. I'd probably roof the run too. I have found shade is really important down here where I live. The chickens can handle the cold much easier than the heat.

Good luck with your coop. Looks great.

 

[bigmike&nan]

Pat made some good points. Last year when my neighbor was good enough to help us build our first coop my design idea was much like yours. While we were framing it out he suggeted making the slope of the roof the same BUT making side walls that were 2 feet high... Boy do I owe that guy a couple dinners - and we have the ramp door in the floor of the coop, part of the run is protected on the sides for those rainy and windy days when the chickens still want to be downstairs hanging out... Good luck with your design. Oh, we also lined the inside of the upstairs with a remnant of linoleum, in one year we have never had a hard time cleaning it up inside... And one side of the roof LIFTS OFF so you can let the sun beat down on the shavings on a nice day, and a back door for easy access to the nesting area and E G G S and when you want to bring the guys in on those bitter cold nights and keep them in the basement (we get that here in New Jersey).

And your second coop drawings are cool, nicer... I would suggest you extend the run to twice it's length. Then in the winter or times when you can't let them free range a couple of hens would be ok in that big a space for an extended period. Though if you asked our chickens FREE RANGE OR DIE !! LOL

 

[patandchickens]

That design looks a lot more functional

You'll want gutter under the low end of the roof, or it will drip onto the nestbox roof and cause leakage no matter how well you try to flash it (also will dump on YOU when trying to access nestboxes).

What are the dimensions? It seems to have shrunk? (judging by door size) and the run seems quite small?

You will also want a lot more ventilation than is shown, probably including (but not limited to) the window being openable.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[domromer]

Quote:
I designed this one to house just 4 chickens the sleeping area is 6x6 and the enclosed run is another 6ft long and 6 ft wide.

The run is just going to be used when we aren't home or have someone watching them for us. During the day they will have access to a grassy yard of their own that is 15ft wide by 30ft long. Thats why we made the run so small. 99% of the time they will be in the big yard.

Good idea about the gutter, maybe i should make a larger roof over hang.

The window will have a welding wire screen so it can be kept wide open in the summer.

I worriy about balancing their needs for ventilation with the need to keep them warm in temps that often reach zero. This was so much easier where were lived in the NorthWest with our last hens!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
If you want, but put the gutter on anyway, otherwise when you collect eggs on a rainy day it will simply dump a waterfall onto your back rather than your head

I worriy about balancing their needs for ventilation with the need to keep them warm in temps that often reach zero. This was so much easier where were lived in the NorthWest with our last hens!

IMHO the best thing is to build in lots of ventilation and be able to shut it down (weatherstripped) incrementally and part by part. You might consider larger vents on those 'pointy' sides, as well as a long 6-12" wide vent atop the tall wall, going most of the way across. Make flaps or sliders so you can shut them down partly or totally as you prefer, and you'd be in good shape.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[BellLisamo]

the second design looks much easier to do.

or like someone posted above, in plan #1 add 2 ft under the roof to push it up higher for more floor space