First Timers Coop Design from Scratch

[Debbie Collins30]

Hi!!

Super excited that we've ordered our first batch of chicks! Our expected delivery is the last week of May. We live in Ontario, Canada and are trying to ensure our coop build has everything we'll need. We've been doing lots of research online and there's SO much information to sift through. We've started designing our coop but have lots of questions.

We've ordered 20 Black Australorp day old pullets (80% accuracy in sexing) and one cockerel with the hope of getting an extra accidental cockerel which would leave us with 19 hens and 2 roos. We're planning a raised coop, between 3 and 4 feet off the ground, that's 8x12 feet with an enclosed run (with a roof) that will enclose under the coop plus an additional 8x12 full height run. This will leave them with 96sqft inside and 192sqft of safe outdoor space. We hope to free-range them during the day and when there's not too much snow on the property and if predation doesn't become a big issue.

We're thinking the interior of the coop will be 3.5ft from floor to ceiling at it's lowest point (roof slanted towards the back) and read that bigger birds should have lower roosts so we're planning the roosts 12 inches off the floor of the coop and nesting boxes at floor level inside the coop. We're a bit worried about draftiness when the birds are roosting with such a low ceiling inside the coop. With good cross ventilation at the top of the coop, will it be too drafty for the birds? Our weather here gets pretty cold at night in the winter (-20C or -4F) and sometimes colder and windy. The gable vents on the west side where most of our wind comes from will be sheltered by the roof of the run and we don't plan on putting any venting that can't be closed at roost level. During the winter we also plan to turn the outside run into a bit of a sunroom using clear plastic vapor barrier (with adequate space for venting obviously). The coop will have windows and additional venting options to open up for the summer to ensure it doesn't get too hot.

We're planning three eight-foot roosts at the end of the coop against the opposite wall from the door, all three 12 inches off the floor. How much space between the roosts is appropriate? (thinking each roost will be 4 inches wide) We're planning on having a pull-out drawer under the roosts, how far past the roosts should the drawer extend? Would 12 inches beyond the roosts be adequate to catch all the night poops?

Also, is there any rule about having nesting boxes on the same wall as their door? The current plan is to have the boxes flank the door on either side. This would give us access from inside the run making it easier to collect eggs in the winter. This location for the nesting boxes also ensures that the light from the windows in the coop doesn't leave the nesting boxes too bright.

When we get the plans all drawn up I can post pics too so that any details I'm missing will be more clear.

I might be overthinking this a bit, but any tips anyone has about things you wish you'd done or things a first-timer should know are all welcomed!! I'm happy to be here and hope to learn loads from you fine folks!!

Thanks!!!

I use Nite Guards to protect my chickens. I found these online. I had terrible trouble with racoons. My barn was a house of horrors. Our chickens were roosting on our vehicles. I googled predator deterrent and found these. I've been using them for 4 years. It was a miracle! My predator problem solved! I highly recommend Nite Guards

Hi!!

Super excited that we've ordered our first batch of chicks! Our expected delivery is the last week of May. We live in Ontario, Canada and are trying to ensure our coop build has everything we'll need. We've been doing lots of research online and there's SO much information to sift through. We've started designing our coop but have lots of questions.

We've ordered 20 Black Australorp day old pullets (80% accuracy in sexing) and one cockerel with the hope of getting an extra accidental cockerel which would leave us with 19 hens and 2 roos. We're planning a raised coop, between 3 and 4 feet off the ground, that's 8x12 feet with an enclosed run (with a roof) that will enclose under the coop plus an additional 8x12 full height run. This will leave them with 96sqft inside and 192sqft of safe outdoor space. We hope to free-range them during the day and when there's not too much snow on the property and if predation doesn't become a big issue.

We're thinking the interior of the coop will be 3.5ft from floor to ceiling at it's lowest point (roof slanted towards the back) and read that bigger birds should have lower roosts so we're planning the roosts 12 inches off the floor of the coop and nesting boxes at floor level inside the coop. We're a bit worried about draftiness when the birds are roosting with such a low ceiling inside the coop. With good cross ventilation at the top of the coop, will it be too drafty for the birds? Our weather here gets pretty cold at night in the winter (-20C or -4F) and sometimes colder and windy. The gable vents on the west side where most of our wind comes from will be sheltered by the roof of the run and we don't plan on putting any venting that can't be closed at roost level. During the winter we also plan to turn the outside run into a bit of a sunroom using clear plastic vapor barrier (with adequate space for venting obviously). The coop will have windows and additional venting options to open up for the summer to ensure it doesn't get too hot.

We're planning three eight-foot roosts at the end of the coop against the opposite wall from the door, all three 12 inches off the floor. How much space between the roosts is appropriate? (thinking each roost will be 4 inches wide) We're planning on having a pull-out drawer under the roosts, how far past the roosts should the drawer extend? Would 12 inches beyond the roosts be adequate to catch all the night poops?

Also, is there any rule about having nesting boxes on the same wall as their door? The current plan is to have the boxes flank the door on either side. This would give us access from inside the run making it easier to collect eggs in the winter. This location for the nesting boxes also ensures that the light from the windows in the coop doesn't leave the nesting boxes too bright.

When we get the plans all drawn up I can post pics too so that any details I'm missing will be more clear.

I might be overthinking this a bit, but any tips anyone has about things you wish you'd done or things a first-timer should know are all welcomed!! I'm happy to be here and hope to learn loads from you fine folks!!

Thanks!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I use Nite Guards to protect my chickens. I found these online. I had terrible trouble with racoons. My barn was a house of horrors. Our chickens were roosting on our vehicles. I googled predator deterrent and found these. I've been using them for 4 years. It was a miracle! My predator problem solved! I highly recommend Nite Guards

Those are good. My favorite is the Predator Guard. I think it is the only one with a replaceable battery and an on/off switch so if you want you can save battery power gained during the day for storage purposes.

 

[leslielbk]

My coop is 4x19 feet. The right half is the old original, I moved the door to the front, installed a new panel on the back to accommodate for the door width and built the duplicate half on the right. I have mostly heavy breeds. there are two roasting poles suspended from the ceiling so I can clean underneath them easier. I built them with two by fours. The higher one is two and a half feet off the floor and 8 feet long. That's the one they like. The lower one is about two feet off the floor and 6 feet long - the only girls that use that are the ones that get pushed off the top one LOL. I started out with 19 chickens, but I sold the rooster because he was mean. The rest I lost to predators or illness. I'm down to 12 now and I'm considering getting a few more. There's a ton of space in there and I could easily accommodate 22 to 25 but I live in Florida and they can be outside all year.

 

[freeheartfarms]

Ok, so here's the first draft. I've included some explanations. The panels under the coop will open 180 degrees up to allow access underneath but will be full wood frames that will be flush with the wood base frame to ensure they're predator-proof. We scored the big tinted window on the front for free today. It's 32x80. On the graph paper, each square represents 12 inches.

View attachment 2046085

Um WOW! This drawing is on point! I am super impressed
I'm about to begin building my first coop. Never built a damn thing before in my life, so this is really inspiring! Do you have much building experience?

The current coop we use to house our birds now was an older structure that came with the property that we made a few improvements on. Kinda nervous about building something entirely on my own. Glad I found this thread.
Good luck!

 

[NewAustralorpMom]

Um WOW! This drawing is on point! I am super impressed
I'm about to begin building my first coop. Never built a damn thing before in my life, so this is really inspiring! Do you have much building experience?

The current coop we use to house our birds now was an older structure that came with the property that we made a few improvements on. Kinda nervous about building something entirely on my own. Glad I found this thread.
Good luck!

Thanks! My husband is the designer, I'm just collecting tips for him. I'm lucky that he's really handy and a very experienced builder/electrition/jack of all trades. I'll post progress pics here. We likely won't get started building right away though as we've still got a good amount of snow on the ground here.

We got our order confirmation yesterday and have a confirmed pickup date of May 22/23! With this date in mind, I figure we've got 4-6 weeks after that to have the coop done??

 

[aart]

I'm lucky that he's really handy and a very experienced builder/electrition/jack of all trades.

Those skills certainly makes chickeneering much easier...even(especially?) store bought coops need to be modified.

 

[Ridgerunner]

We got our order confirmation yesterday and have a confirmed pickup date of May 22/23! With this date in mind, I figure we've got 4-6 weeks after that to have the coop done??

If he is an experienced builder he probably understands how unexpected funerals, other priorities, illness, or weather can wreck any building schedule. That time of year, even in Ontario, you may be able to put them out pretty early. Many people that try raising them in their house decide they want them out NOW! because of the dust, noise, or possible smell. I suggest you finish as early as reasonable.

If you have electricity you can put them out in that coop right after hatch. That's how I do mine.

 

[NewAustralorpMom]

If he is an experienced builder he probably understands how unexpected funerals, other priorities, illness, or weather can wreck any building schedule. That time of year, even in Ontario, you may be able to put them out pretty early. Many people that try raising them in their house decide they want them out NOW! because of the dust, noise, or possible smell. I suggest you finish as early as reasonable.

If you have electricity you can put them out in that coop right after hatch. That's how I do mine.

Just came in from measuring! We've got way more space than I thought in the location we're looking at.

So, we could use the coop as the brooder? I'm a bit worried about night temperatures. In may, the temp can get down to 10C or 50F at night. They'd have their heat source, but do you think it would be enough?? We've got a good inside space in a heated shop for them that'll be safe, convenient and not a huge deal with mess and smell and has good daylight. We're going to run power to the coop anyway, but I don't mind keeping them inside for a month or so....(more if we need to).

 

[rosemarythyme]

So, we could use the coop as the brooder? I'm a bit worried about night temperatures. In may, the temp can get down to 10C or 50F at night. They'd have their heat source, but do you think it would be enough??

As long as the coop is draft free that's not that cold. I brooded outside in the run down to 40s at night without issue.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I agree with the other posters. It does depend on the brooder type one uses but with electricity in the coop, all is possible. I've used Ohio brooders when outside temps were in the 20sF and inside was just a tad over freezing. 75 chicks and didn't lose any.
They only need a warm spot and can run around in quite cold temps.