Designing the “ideal” coop....

[Ridgerunner]

That's my philosophy, predator resistant run during the day and predator proof coop at night. It is not fool proof, practically any predator can hunt during the day as well as at night, but it sure improves your odds.

 

[we3ernes]

That's my philosophy, predator resistant run during the day and predator proof coop at night. It is not fool proof, practically any predator can hunt during the day as well as at night, but it sure improves your odds.

So, in our situation, would you divvy the space evenly between storage/coop/and covered run? 8’x8’ each? Or less for storage and more for coop?

I have worked with chickens before, but mainly know what I DON'T want to do. While I was there we didn’t have roosters, raised the chicks in a different location, and didn’t have to deal with flock integration (I was part of the start up of this flock, by the time these other factors came into play we had moved). So my knowledge of day to day care is pretty good, but I am really lacking in the flock management aspects.

 

[Peter.J]

Not too sure what you mean by storage, but you can store your food/scratch where ever you want thats convenient/secure.
As far as rats/mice I just use the hanging feeders which so far seem to work just fine. One thing i will say, i would be hesitant to poison mice anywhere around chickens. Chickens will catch mice and eat them; so you're potentially introducing that poison into your own food chain.
As far as the birds, i have the woven wire fencing with 2"x4" holes so nothing very big is getting into there. I don't mind if some finches or sparrows go in and out and get a free meal or two. If it did become an issue i guess i would just put some bird netting up.
Good call on planning things out.
We just moved into our place too, first month we planted an orchard of 22 fruit trees all around the exterior of a pasteured field; now i'm realizing this will de-rail my ambitions of raising sheep on that field (didn't know how destructive they were to trees). So i'm already wishing i had planned things a little different...

 

[we3ernes]

Not too sure what you mean by storage, but you can store your food/scratch where ever you want thats convenient/secure.
As far as rats/mice I just use the hanging feeders which so far seem to work just fine. One thing i will say, i would be hesitant to poison mice anywhere around chickens. Chickens will catch mice and eat them; so you're potentially introducing that poison into your own food chain.
As far as the birds, i have the woven wire fencing with 2"x4" holes so nothing very big is getting into there. I don't mind if some finches or sparrows go in and out and get a free meal or two. If it did become an issue i guess i would just put some bird netting up.
Good call on planning things out.
We just moved into our place too, first month we planted an orchard of 22 fruit trees all around the exterior of a pasteured field; now i'm realizing this will de-rail my ambitions of raising sheep on that field (didn't know how destructive they were to trees). So i'm already wishing i had planned things a little different...

For storage I’m thinking the metal trash cans of feed and scratch; smaller bins of grit, oyster shells, DE; shelves for bales of bedding and maybe alfalfa; hang up room for brooms, rakes, and other tools; shelves for egg cartons, medical supplies, and other smaller cleaning supplies. Plus room for all the things that I haven’t thought of yet!

 

[lazy gardener]

We just moved into our place too, first month we planted an orchard of 22 fruit trees all around the exterior of a pasteured field; now i'm realizing this will de-rail my ambitions of raising sheep on that field (didn't know how destructive they were to trees). So i'm already wishing i had planned things a little different...

If those trees haven't been in the ground long, you might be able to move them without setting them back too far. Or, do you have an alternate pasture option for your sheep? It all depends on how important sheep are to you, and how much space you have to work with.

shelves for egg cartons, medical supplies, and other smaller cleaning supplies.

I would not want to store egg cartons in any area where they could be subject to coop dust, insect or rodent contamination.

 

[Ridgerunner]

More for coop/run space and less for storage. You can store a whole lot of stuff in an 8x8. I don't have a room for storing chicken stuff, it's just the area in the shed next to the coop. My storage space is a couple of metal trash cans next to the interior coop wall, a bucket with oyster shell, and a couple of shelves. To build my coop I closed off the end of a shed. I don't store a bale of bedding, when I get one I use it immediately. Brooms, rakes, and other tools are not chicken tools but just stuff I use around the place. They are in my equivalent of your pole barn, hanging on the wall, or in my workshop. Egg cartons are in my garage, I carry eggs to the house in a bucket. I do have a bottle of dish washing liquid and bleach on the shelves, that's mostly for cleaning up after butchering. You do need room for storage, absolutely. You'll have to work out how much you actually need. But you have the rest of the pole barn for that. I'm a great believer in flexibility. Building a special storage room in that pole barn costs money and may prove to be larger or smaller than you need.

Where you are even if that "run" space were outside it would still be available pretty much year around. It can all be considered "coop" if I understand what you are doing correctly since it is all in the pole barn. I don't see a reason for an interior wall to separate coop and run but separating an area even with chicken wire adds to your flexibility.

Having one rooster really isn't going to change things that much if at all. I know you read a lot of concerns about roosters on here but the vast majority of those are usually about cockerels, not mature roosters, and they are usually in tight spaces. Since you will be hatching chicks you will deal with cockerels and yes, it is possible they can become human aggressive, but they are generally just not that much of a problem. If one becomes a problem, eat him and get another. It doesn't have to be hard.

Pretty much the same with integration. Lots of us integrate all the time with pretty much no problems, either with broody hens or brooder raised chicks. You've probably read the posts on here on how to do that. Lots of room, let them get to know each other before they mingle, lots of room, don't force them together but let them manage when they want to get together, and give them lots of room.

Definitely study and plan, ask questions. But be prepared for something to not go according to plan. Stay as flexible as you can and don't box yourself into a corner.

 

[Peter.J]

Good tips Ridgerunner on integration. I think a lot of people over complicate it. I usually just throw them in the run any time of the day. Sometimes it works out seamlessy, but more often than not theres at least a couple days of some pecking order business but then the dust settles; free ranging them on these days seems to help even more...

Lazy Gardner, thanks for the idea but we really don't have another good spot to put the trees. We have flood irrigation for this field, and now the trees which works out pretty good. I think i'm just going to have to let the trees grow for a year or two and then maybe make pallet boxes around each tree or something like that. And if i get ancy and want sheep sooner I guess I can always make some paddocks in certain areas...

 

[we3ernes]

I would not want to store egg cartons in any area where they could be subject to coop dust, insect or rodent contamination.

Thanks, will definitely keep that in mind.

 

[we3ernes]

More for coop/run space and less for storage.

Where you are even if that "run" space were outside it would still be available pretty much year around. It can all be considered "coop" if I understand what you are doing correctly since it is all in the pole barn. I don't see a reason for an interior wall to separate coop and run but separating an area even with chicken wire adds to your flexibility.

Having one rooster really isn't going to change things that much if at all.... If one becomes a problem, eat him and get another.

Definitely study and plan, ask questions. But be prepared for something to not go according to plan. Stay as flexible as you can and don't box yourself into a corner.

Thank you for this as it answers a lot of my questions. I tend to “paralysis through analysis” which can be worse than impulsiveness at times.

I generally duplicate tools rather than trying to remember to bring them with me. Thus I have scissors at my desk, scissors at my workbench, and scissors in my craft room (heck I think there are even scissors in my husband's brew room.) I have duplicate cleaning items in the areas they need to be. So I probably will have a dedicated broom or rake in the coop and another in the goat shed even though they are in the same building. But I definitely take your point that I won’t need as much space as I’m thinking. So probably 4’x8’ for the storage/vestibule.

I think the main difference between the coop and the covered run will be the flooring. I’m planning a solid, scrubable floor for the coop and dirt for the run (under the bedding material). The plan is for all interior finishing to be done with panels and screws so that things can be altered over time.

I’m not really scared of roosters or integration, but I am concerned about my ability to butcher animals. I am hoping, since it is such an integral part of homesteading, to be able to eventually. I know I don’t ever want a huge flock and I do want to raise chicks, which logically means butchering (or selling I suppose), but this is my area of concern. I’m hoping it is like any of the less pleasant aspects of life . . . doable when it must be done.

 

[aart]

I know I don’t ever want a huge flock and I do want to raise chicks, which logically means butchering (or selling I suppose), but this is my area of concern. I’m hoping it is like any of the less pleasant aspects of life . . . doable when it must be done.

Slaughtering is definitely one of the steepest learning curves(of the many).
Took me all winter with lots of research on equipment, techniques, and anecdotes to get the nerve up for my first. I don't think I've ever experienced the full body adrenaline tremors like I did when I killed my first bird. After a dozen it got much 'easier' from experience and tweaking my set up and process. You can do it.