General Tips, to help those just building

[tororider]

Yeah, I originally started with a 4x8' footprint, and am hoping to go to 5x10 or 5x12. Probably 5x10 since I have some used 2x4x10's.

Charlie, the window is a good idea, and I can make it interior to the run so that it doesn't pose a predator/break-in risk and still provides plenty of ventilation.

These are some great tips/ideas, and will definitely help me out in planning my coop/run.

 

[newbiecaroline]

Hi tororider, one thing I really wish was different in our coop

This building was a green house when we moved in last summer, too small though, so glass removed and realized frame was still good, so frame was lifted to this location by 8 strong arms and rebuilt from other buildings around the property.
I now think it should have been sat with the long side against the run. This would have given opportunity to seperate the inside and allowed for two run doors.
the way it is now the walk in door is directly across from the run door. The coop is too long and skinny now to seperate into two. In the picture you can see a window directly across from the walk in door, the little run door is directly under that window, it is on a rope running across the ceiling and down beside walk in door for easy opening. However, this doesn't always work either, the birds sometimes have scratched all the straw up tight against the little run door! Which means I have to walk through them to the other end to manually open it.
Looking at these pics makes me want summer real bad lol

 

[chickflick]

Where are you located. I'm in Davison.

 

[skatcatla]

There are only two things I wish I had done differently.

1) left myself a bit more room to walk around the coop. Unfortunately I had a VERY small space to work in and in order to leave room to open the nest box door I had the carpenter build right up to the wall which makes standing in front to look in the window treacherous. Its not a really big deal though. I don't NEED to look in the window.

2) Built a bigger run! I had room for another 1-2 feet in width and I wish now I had done that.

Otherwise I am pretty happy with the design so far.

 

[tororider]

I am currently in Redford, but hopefully inside a few years I will be in Whitmore Lake, with more room for more chickens.

I am going to build as big as I can, but am really limited by my lot size.

I won't be able to walk into the coop as it will be raise 2 feet off the ground above the run, but I will try to make it as accesible as possible.