Hello All!

[cdlord]

Ok, second time typing this book....

First of all, great website. Lots of good info.

I am looking to have 4-5 chickens for fresh eggs and perhaps.. man I really don't want to retype this out again.....

I live in Aurora Colorado in an area where I can have chickens.

How stout do I need to build the coop? Insulation, electricity, running water? Just so they don't overheat in the summer and don't freeze in the winter. They give me eggs, i give them a good life. I have a 6'x10' area set aside for this on the east side of my house. Backyard free range isn't an option. I should have enough area for a coop and run. Should the area be 50/50 or more like a smallish coop with a large run? Thanks.

 

[chicklover 1998]

if you are going to contain them in a run the run has to be a min of 10 sq. feet per bird. The coop has to have about 4 sq. ft per bird inside otherwise you run into pecking issues, insulation is a personal choice, if you want to run heat lamps or a heated waterer you will need electricity, you can run water out but if you do it will have to be lower than the frost line I don't want to do that much work so I haul the water out of the house I would make a 20 sq. foot coop and a 50 sq. foot run so a 5 foot wide coop by 4 feet long and have a five foot wide run by 10 foot long the footprint would be about 14X5.

 

[cdlord]

Thanks!

I have 60(ish) sq/ft available and if my math is right, 4 chickens is just right. A 16 sq/ft coop and 40 sq/ft run. Inside the coop I was reading about the nesting/roosting areas. How high does the interior of the coop need to be? I was hoping to elevate it on stilts to add to my run sq/ft and have an "open" weather shelter underneath for the food/water and shade.

 

[drumstick diva]

I just replied to your other post.

 

[cdlord]

Yes, thank you. I asked a mod to close this thread down since the other one isn't lost like I thought it was.