Having a hard time with Coop Dimensions... help?

[Snoogie]

It might ....kinda 'work' but would be very tight quarters. Even 48" can get tight.

Correct. Again, could be a few inches closer, but....poop on the wall and tight space to get up and down from roost.


Yes. So they don't sleep in the nests, they like to roost/sleep up higher, and you end up cleaning nests every day or gathering poopy eggs.

These are 'rules of thumb' that are not carved in stone but proven good guidelines from many people's long experience - some of them bad experiences.
Crowding can cause a lot of problems both behaviorally and health wise.

Here's great article by Ridgerunner about Space:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

ok, good, glad I understood.

I updated my drawing... this time to scale. I'm hoping the added run may cover the small actual coop. Thoughts?

 

[Alaskan]

In regards to the new picture.... I would extend the roof over the run.

 

[Snoogie]

In regards to the new picture.... I would extend the roof over the run.

The run will have a removable cover.

 

[Alaskan]

An angled roof...so just a continuation of the roof on the coop, would be better able to shed snow.

 

[Snoogie]

weird question, but would this need a foundation structure?

 

[aart]

weird question, but would this need a foundation structure?

Nah, but you might want to set the legs on pavers to slow any rot.

 

[Snoogie]

Nah, but you might want to set the legs on pavers to slow any rot.

Wonderful. But I guess that precludes a security apron, does it not?

 

[aart]

Wonderful. But I guess that precludes an security apron, does it not?

Not if you use smaller pavers/bricks and line them up with the outside edges of the legs, the apron can go outside of them.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Just found your thread.

You plan on big birds with Brahma and Cochin mentioned. No need to clip their wings. They are to heavy to get high up.

A ramp in the floor of the coop is a giant waste of otherwise usable space.
I did that with a hospital coop that had huge space constraints. It took up way more space then expected.

The coop size can work if the roost is on 30 inches wide. I find my Brahma need more landing room and being large a roost 12 inches from the wall is not quite far enough.

Under the coop needs to be 2 foot tall if they are to walk under it.

Just a thought...... Can you do a 4x8 walk in coop? I know your side yard is narrow BUT they would be easier to tend that way. Venting would be much easier as would space for food, water, landing zone etc.