help with coop and run design please (new drawing added)

[kywilber]

Quote:
I am located in Ky. Have only been here 1 year. Last winter i think we only got like 4 inches of snow total and was always gone within 2 days. It might have gotten up to 100F maybe less than 5 days that i have rememberd but alot of people have said this was a weird year for weather.

I was thinking a metal roof to help with the heating in the winter but sounds like it might make more work than it helps. Please keep the tip and ideas coming.

thank you

Kywilber

 

[kywilber]

As for a roost what is good spacing of the 2x4's? is the first one 1ft of the ground and the next one 1ft back and 1 ft up to close or is that ok?

 

[Judy]

They will all want to roost on the highest roost so you might reconsider and make roost or roosts the same height. For 20, about 16 feet of roost is enough. It needs to be higher than the nest boxes, and you need about 5 nest boxes.

Heat is going to be a bigger problem than cold in your climate, so the south placement concerns me. Be sure there is plenty of ventilation. They will also need plenty of shade in warm months. You might even consider making one wall or part of one wall out of hardware cloth. You could always use plastic or some sort of shutter for very cold nights, or even hay bales, since you will have the space to do this.

You will be so glad you built large and walk-in; makes care and storage so much easier, besides promoting a peaceful flock, as others said. Also lets you construct a brooding or hospital or chicken jail area if needed, and you will most likely need it sooner or later, as others indicated.

It might be less expensive to build a more standard roof than to insulate a tin roof, and you would certainly have to insulate tin to keep the litter dry. I also have dirt floors and do not regret that choice.

Browse patandchickens' posts in the coop section; lots of very good info there.

 

[kywilber]

as far as the heat i have a power roof vent that i can set to the temp i want it to turn on. And sofar i have 2 windows to put in. I can put up a roost on the long side. So can make them 20 ft and still have 5ft of open space on the end. As far as the nesting box i was thinking a 2ft cube should be enough room and doing about a min of 8. Is that big enough? How high should the roost be?

thank you again for all your input and help

 

[Judy]

Quote:
2' is a little big for nest boxes. Many make one foot cubes. I like them a little bigger, 16" or 18". My roosts are about 30" high and I don't have a ladder or ramp. I have large fowl breeds similar to RIR. They have no problem flying up to the roost or jumping/flapping down, which is one more reason a large coop is nice, that they have the space to do this without running into anything. The usual guideline on here is one nest box for 4 chickens. Most say the chickens will only use certain ones, anyway, and that has been my experience.

 

[kywilber]

Any idea's are welcome. This is work in progess.

http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8468/working1.jpg

Thank you for your help