Designing new coop, need advice

[McChooky]

I have (2) 8' top bars running crosswise on one end (side by side)and an 8' roosting bar running lengthwise on the other.This only works in a raised coop with a door in the front that opens downward

 

[NagemTX]

I also did a cinderblock and landscape tember setup for roosting in two pens. My coops are open air hoopcoops because of where I live. The heat is so much worse than the cold here.

 

[Penpal]

Go to your profile and put in your location.

 

[Ronon]

Tractor Supply didn't have chicks yet, but a local feed store did. We rounded up these 8 chicks. Went for a mix of RI red, dominique, barred rock, buff orp, lavender wyandotte, and easter egger.

We've already named the RI red "Karen" because she won't stop asking to see my manager. Definitely the loudest one that won't shut up.

 

[McChooky]

They're an adorable mix of breeds!

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

so cute! @Ronon I would suggest putting the feed and water on bricks in the brooder to keep it a bit higher than the shavings. chicks will fill those with poop and shavings really fast otherwise. welcome to the world of chickens! it's so fun and a big responsibility to have these sweet animals counting on us.

 

[Penpal]

Oh, New Mexico. Your coop is going to need shade.

 

[Ronon]

so cute! @Ronon I would suggest putting the feed and water on bricks in the brooder to keep it a bit higher than the shavings. chicks will fill those with poop and shavings really fast otherwise. welcome to the world of chickens! it's so fun and a big responsibility to have these sweet animals counting on us.

So funny that's exactly what my Mom did a few minutes later

 

[LaurelC]

A consideration is to build a predator proof run and have a convertible roosting area. I don't have very many good shots of our old coop back in the suburbs, but it was a 12x12 run with a 4x4 area in one corner that was converted to a roosting area. During the winter, I had removable walls (just some hardie plank siding with a couple of 2x2s on the back to hold it together) and a sheet of plywood that was covered in vinyl to act as a poop drawer.

During the summer it allowed for the birds to fly to/from the roosting area (the roost area had permanent external walls to prevent raccoons from reaching in and grabbing the hens) and my nest box was a secondhand dog house that i hinged the lid on.

If I were to do it again, I'd have made the nest box accessible from outside, but otherwise it worked very well for us in the PNW.

 

[Penpal]

I love nesting boxes that are accessible from the outside.