Easy but strong coops for a non-carp exp family??

[KauAnnie]

My Mama wants to build a coop but our family has no building experience whats so ever.

We want it to be big enough for about 10 chickens.

A flat roof, because my parents think a A-shaped roof would be too advanced.

Time is not an issue, we already plan on taking a few months to make it.

We dont need a run, we already have one...

Ohh, also I want it to be easy to clean because Ill be cleaning it haha

Any ideas? I have looked at a bunch of coop ideas everywhere and Id show it to my parents and theyd give me this, "are you crazy?" look.

Here are some I really like:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=28684
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=49390-coop-build
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=61-coop-story

And just for kicks, heres the ones I wanted to build but when I showed them to my parents, theyre faces just dropped

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=26991-coop-creation
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=3415-coop_design
https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7562-Coop_building

So.. any advice or experiences? Or other coops similar to my wants?

Backround:Right now my chickies are in the old rabbit hutch. I have 1 juvi EE, 1 1.5 month Silkie and 4 unknown mixes. (Look here to help me decide what my mixes are made of- https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=547716 )
And my Mama white cochin and baby are in a small 1.5x1.5 wooden box that I built to show my parents how easy it is to build a coop lol.

 

[teach1rusl]

You guys are in Maui??? Have you looked at open air coops?? If you're in a tropical area, you probably just need something with three sides and a roof (with nest boxes and roosts of course).

 

[the Pollo Loco]

Your'e in Maui... Invite me over and I'll build it for you!!!!

no really, building a coop is so easy even a kid can build one, your imagination is the limit... as long as you have the right tools, no problem!!

 

[Cargo]

Since you are in tropical climate zone Just build a bigger run (Min. 10x15) and cover half or all of it with a roof so they can get out of the rain. Think covered porch.
If you get a lot of sideways rain, you can put a wall on the prevailing wind sides.

If you have a normal coop it will just be hot and muggy all the time. Most of the coops you will see online are made for places that have a winter.

 

[KauAnnie]

Haha yeahh maui! I live in the mountain though so it rains quite often and its about 70 degrees at night and 80 in the day in the summer. So winter will be in late 60 to 70s in the day.

The open coop idea sounds good! I never thought of it like that

I wanted a closed coop because it storms really hard in the winter. . . some things for me to think about

 

[Hawkeye95]

Quote:
You could build a simple 3 sided lean to. You wouldn't have to enclose it. But if you really want walls, just put up 3 walls, and a roof and you're done! That way the birds have some place to get under for rain storms. You can even put up a tarp or extend your roof further out over the run. It doesn't seem necessary to actually build a coop when your "winters" are a low of 60!

 

[KauAnnie]

Quote:
You could build a simple 3 sided lean to. You wouldn't have to enclose it. But if you really want walls, just put up 3 walls, and a roof and you're done! That way the birds have some place to get under for rain storms. You can even put up a tarp or extend your roof further out over the run. It doesn't seem necessary to actually build a coop when your "winters" are a low of 60!

Yeah, I see what your saying. I think I just might do that. . .

 

[Farmer_Dan]

while you're on the crazy freak my parents out kick, I'd have to throw this one in, has to be one of my fav's.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=14263

 

[teach1rusl]

Here's a link concerning open air coops - Post 34, 38, and 43 show some different styles of 3-sided coops. Depending on whether your run is secure (roofed or covered in sturdy wire), you might have to wire in the front totally for night time predator protection. And you mentioned winter storms, so you might opt for a deeper coop rather than a shallow one. But they're all simple designs that should be easy to build.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=126634&p=4

 

[KauAnnie]

Quote:
HAHA ohhemgee, I showed my dad a coop that was huge and he said
"Thats bigger then our house!"
"So?, theres more chickens living in there then people in this house"
"Ok how about we turn your room into the chicken coop?" (I live across the garage in the old office)
"Im gonna move back in?"
"No you can live with the chickens!"

Hahah my dads just sooo nice!