Help! What size run?

[Squawkers]

Yes, if you’re looking for plastic and easy to clean it’s great. I have 5 hens in the coop currently and it’s 24 square feet, so for my set up it works great. I line the bottom with 2 big black trash bags before I put shavings in, so cleaning is even easier. I just grab the edges, ball it up, and dump it in the trash. It is very durable and good quality! I’ll do my best to explain now, but I’ll take pictures tomorrow too.

Oops, sorry, I accidentally posted it before I was done. I have two nests right in front of the right door (the one that opens first). I, sadly, don’t have roosts in yet. I’ve been TRYING!! But life happens. I have it planned though. I’m planning on attaching a roost lengthwise in between the nests and the wall. It will be six feet long. I also want to add another roost going from the adjacent wall connecting to the nests (but I’ll have to make different nests for that) I probably did a terrible job of explaining it I’ll take pictures tomorrow!!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I just remembered we raised half a dozen CX in ours too, last year. But we harvested at (IIRC?) about five and six weeks. So they were not in there very long. It's handy for short-term needs. I've used it as a broody breaker and an infirmary too.

 

[Squawkers]

I found old pictures!!! It took some digging This is the outside. I highly suggest that if you do go with something like this, it needs to be elevated. Any bit of water will leak in through the bottom. I have mine on bricks.

This is inside. I want to actually build nesting boxes and put in roosts soon, but I don’t have saws or other tools to do so. My parents have everything I need, but I’m waiting on them to be ready to help me. I’m trying not to be impatient, but it’s so hard. I hate that they don’t have roosts. The little red bucket is for oyster shells. The nesting boxes are in a really good spot. I just open that big door and they are right there. They also help keep shavings from falling out when I open the door. I never open the other door unless I’m cleaning because shavings would dump out (another thing I want to do is put a barrier in front of the doors that way I could open both of the doors without mess)

Their fan

Because I really can’t explain what I have planned for the roosts and nests I drew it. The red lines are the roosts and the blue is the nesting boxes. I know 18 inches is standard distance in between the wall and roosts, but I’ve had them closer before and it worked fine for me. In the picture I have the roosts 2 feet apart and the longer one will be higher. So I think that’s plenty of room for them to fly up to the roosts and to keep chickens from pecking each other on the heads while they are across from each other. I’m planning for the longer roost to go above the chicken door and be 2 feet high. The smaller roost will be about 18 inches high (because it will connect to the corner of the nest, which won’t be as tall as the other roost) So, there will be a total of 10 feet of roost space. I think that’s a great amount for this coop. I’ve learned it is always better to have more roost space because chickens are jerks. I want to do covered nesting boxes with the cover sharply slanted because I’ve had chickens long enough to know they’ll quickly find their way on top of the nests in this drawing the nests are standard 12”x12” but I’ll brobably do 14”x14”. The nests will be open from both sides so I can gather the eggs from the back. The first picture is looking from the top and the second picture is looking from the side. I know wall thickness among other things will throw my calculations off a tad bit, but for the most part, I think it’s good. If ya’ll have any suggestions I’d be happy to hear them!!!

 

[DobieLover]

So, the dimensions you mentioned are around 18 sq. ft.

Those dimensions include the nest box. The nest box is not to be included in floor space. If you look up the model and the picture, it's clearly too small.

And a terrible design.

 

[DobieLover]

I'm looking for a plastic coop since they are typically more durable and easier to clean

I would disagree on the more durable statement. Especially with a teeny prefab chicken coop. UV light and temperature fluctuations will break down the plastic and make it very brittle.

It is also MUCH easier to make modifications to a wood structure. Always. And you can prime and paint wood to make it easier to clean but honestly, it isn't necessary.

My coop is a converted old wood shed. I clean it once a year using a cobweb brush on the ceiling and in the ridge vent and bottle brush to loosen the caked on dust, a leaf blower, shovel, broom and shop vac. The poop boards are cleaned daily. No need to wash down walls or roosts. It's completely impractical as the birds will walk in and track their poop everywhere and crap on the walls. It will eventually decompose.

 

[PimsGarden]

Wanted to show off my smaller coop so y'all can see how small you can go with 6 birds and still be comfortable for them without any fighting etcetc.

I built mine which can tend to cost just a little more than buying one, however it's worth the time and energy. I house 5 hens and a rooster in this coop comfortably, they all sleep on the top roost and use the double wide roost on the bottom right to get to the top. I have 2 silkies so I made it easy for them to get up there. The floor is plywood that I have floating above the real floor and on top of that I have this plastic material commonly used for yard signs that I can easily clean so the wood doesn't rot from poop or water spills.

I've switched from pine shavings to pine pellets for bedding for a few reasons, mostly because pellets absorb moisture in the poop and make it easier to clean, it also doesn't mat together like shavings and in case water spills it will absorb it all instead before it becomes a problem. I also took out the nesting boxes that were under the top roost because they didn't want to use them. They lay in the two corners closest to the double doors. I leave pine shavings in those two corners for them to nest in and that's what they prefer.

There is tons of ventilation between the screen window (hardware cloth) I made, the gaps between boards and at the top where the roof meets. It's getting cold here so I'm stapling old feed bags to certain areas to prevent direct drafts on them, but leaving plenty open for airflow too. I hope that makes sense, ventilation is very important so long as the cold drafts aren't on the birds when it gets super cold. I also lifted the coop up two feet to prevent anything from burrowing under, it also helps prevent mice from living in or under the coop. I've had a skunk get into the run, but the coop is impenetrable with multiple locks on both doors!

Oh and I used Milk Paint for the outside and inside, it's non toxic for animals and wasn't crazy expensive.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@Squawkers, your birds also need a dish of grit for digestion in addition to the OS.

 

[Squawkers]

@Squawkers, your birds also need a dish of grit for digestion in addition to the OS.

I sprinkle grit in the run every time I move it (usually every week but at least twice a month) and they free range 90% of the time. I always see them eating from our gravel driveway (I guess they prefer those)

 

[Squawkers]

@Goatlover09 do you think something like the Rubbermaid shed would work for you? If you really want plastic it’s great. It’s super easy to clean!

 

[bill3607]

I found old pictures!!! It took some digging This is the outside. I highly suggest that if you do go with something like this, it needs to be elevated. Any bit of water will leak in through the bottom. I have mine on bricks. View attachment 3966063View attachment 3966064View attachment 3966065

This is inside. I want to actually build nesting boxes and put in roosts soon, but I don’t have saws or other tools to do so. My parents have everything I need, but I’m waiting on them to be ready to help me. I’m trying not to be impatient, but it’s so hard. I hate that they don’t have roosts. The little red bucket is for oyster shells. The nesting boxes are in a really good spot. I just open that big door and they are right there. They also help keep shavings from falling out when I open the door. I never open the other door unless I’m cleaning because shavings would dump out (another thing I want to do is put a barrier in front of the doors that way I could open both of the doors without mess) View attachment 3966073View attachment 3966074View attachment 3966075View attachment 3966076
Their fanView attachment 3966078

Because I really can’t explain what I have planned for the roosts and nests I drew it. The red lines are the roosts and the blue is the nesting boxes. I know 18 inches is standard distance in between the wall and roosts, but I’ve had them closer before and it worked fine for me. In the picture I have the roosts 2 feet apart and the longer one will be higher. So I think that’s plenty of room for them to fly up to the roosts and to keep chickens from pecking each other on the heads while they are across from each other. I’m planning for the longer roost to go above the chicken door and be 2 feet high. The smaller roost will be about 18 inches high (because it will connect to the corner of the nest, which won’t be as tall as the other roost) So, there will be a total of 10 feet of roost space. I think that’s a great amount for this coop. I’ve learned it is always better to have more roost space because chickens are jerks. I want to do covered nesting boxes with the cover sharply slanted because I’ve had chickens long enough to know they’ll quickly find their way on top of the nests in this drawing the nests are standard 12”x12” but I’ll brobably do 14”x14”. The nests will be open from both sides so I can gather the eggs from the back. The first picture is looking from the top and the second picture is looking from the side. I know wall thickness among other things will throw my calculations off a tad bit, but for the most part, I think it’s good. If ya’ll have any suggestions I’d be happy to hear them!!!View attachment 3966091View attachment 3966122

Apparently, your girls are ok with your nesting boxes, because they are using them.

You’re doing a fine job with what you have. The only suggestion I would have is to go to your parents and tell them some crazy guy on BYC named Bill asks if they would please take time from their busy schedule and help you with the roost, and thank you.

Keeping in mind, this may not help, but make it worse.