Help with addition

[Deckgirls]

Hello Everyone!

We had this coop built for us and now that we have it I want to add to it so the chickens have more of a place to run other than just under the coop. The main door and the small bottom door to the coop where the chickens can get out are both on the same side!! how on earth am I going to add onto this coop? I need access to the main door. We aren't very good at building either SO i am kind of clueless as to go about doing this. any help would be appreciated

 

[ECBW]

Attach a "run" to the coop.

 

[Deckgirls]

if i attach a run it will have to go right under the main door though then i would have a hard time getting in to clean and feed etc

 

[ECBW]

Based on your pictures, it seems that your birds (3 or 4?) are pullets, coop is 4x6x6, gable roof, roost at nest level.

I would suggest attaching a run to the side opposite of the man door. Remove the fencing material on that side of existing under-coop run. The chickens can access the run thru the same floor door thru space below the coop.

Or, cut a pop door (10”wx12”h) on the side opposite of the man door to connect to the run. Some design considerations… do not cut the pop door even with the floor, keep the threshold at about 4” to keep your bedding material in. Chickens can walk up to this threshold easily.

If the run is walk-in, make sure build it high enough (say 6 ft) so you do not have to crouch. Mine is 3-foot tall but has removable top panels for when I need to get in to maintain. In fact, mine consist of 3’x6’ and 3’x3’ modular panels that can be stitched to any multiple of 3 dimensions.

While there, should raise the roosts higher than nests.

PS. your pullets look to be similar size as mine. Mine were hatched in April.

 

[Deckgirls]

Thanks for your help! i think we will just take the fencing off the right side and add onto that, easier and no cutting really involved hahaha

these roosts were built right in and can't be removed (well i'm sure they can but they are all nailed down) my sons and I put in new roosts made out of just tree branches above the nests and they love them!!! (why should they be higher? just wondering)

oh thanks! i wish i would have asked how old they were when we got them but im hoping that by september maybe we will get an egg or two. what do you think?

 

[ECBW]

Wise move on adding roosts above the nests. With the new roosts, the "factory" roost is no longer a factor.. Chickens have many instints and tendencies. Roosting at the highest possible point is one. If the nests are the high spot, they will sleep there and poop all over, leading to poopy eggs when your pullets start laying.

 

[Deckgirls]

How does this look? this is a pic from this morning when I went to let them out to play. i think they like the higher roosts

 

[dragonlord483]

Based on your pictures, it seems that your birds (3 or 4?) are pullets, coop is 4x6x6, gable roof, roost at nest level.

I would suggest attaching a run to the side opposite of the man door. Remove the fencing material on that side of existing under-coop run.  The chickens can access the run thru the same floor door thru space below the coop.

Or, cut a pop door (10”wx12”h) on the side opposite of the man door to connect to the run.  Some design considerations… do not cut the pop door even with the floor, keep the threshold at about 4” to keep your bedding material in.  Chickens can walk up to this threshold easily.

If the run is walk-in, make sure build it high enough (say 6 ft) so you do not have to crouch.  Mine is 3-foot tall but has removable top panels for when I need to get in to maintain.  In fact, mine consist of 3’x6’ and 3’x3’ modular panels that can be stitched to any multiple of 3 dimensions.

While there, should raise the roosts higher than nests.

PS. your pullets look to be similar size as mine.  Mine were hatched in April.

Did you make your panels or buy them ? Any pics

 

[ECBW]

The panels are homemade with recycled material. You can see it in my profile.

The story on multiple of 3ft dimension is that when using scrap, recycled, reclaimed material, full size (8ft long) material is scarce. If you are buying new, mutiple of 4ft can certainly be used. Why cut 2ft off a perfectly good 8ft lumber?

The x3ft panels worked out great because it is less bulky than x4ft and would be tall enough for me.