Help with coop size

[lazy gardener]

Minimal recommendation is for 4 s.f. in coop and 10 s.f. in run per bird. Any less than that sets your flock up for behavioral, stress induced issues including illness, aggression which can lead up to cannibalism. By the time a chick is 2 - 3 weeks old, she should have 2 s.f./bird in the brooder. Nest boxes: 1 box/4 birds.

 

[jvls1942]

build that coop as big as you can..
If you have 20 chickens coming up now, I will wager that in time to come you will have 40.
and then maybe even more.
I know, you doubt me now. but just wait and see.
I have 10 nesting boxes. had up to 40 chickens. and they used only half of the nests. chickens can't count..
One day i found four chickens in one nest.they were packed in so tightly I could hardly get my hand in to pull them out..
once a hen gets to using a nest, and there is another chicken in it, she will walk back and forth in front of nine empty nests and wait for her favorite nest..
chickens don't all lay at the same time in a day.
my main coop is 12 x 16 ..still too small. I built another one , 10x12 . no problem filling them both up. added a third one, an 8 x 12 lean to..
If you have the room, that is what will happen. it is called chicken math.
make your coop large enough to have room to store at least 10 bags of feed in it with a partition to keep the chickens away from the feed sacks.
you will also accumulate feeders and waterers that you will use when you have baby chicks. provide storage for that stuff too..
make the ceiling high enough for you to walk upright in there. and make the doorway wide enough for a full sized wheel barrow.
suspend the nests off the wall with no leg supports going to the floor..this makes cleaning the floor much easier.
put a very slanted roof above the nest boxes or the chickens will roost on top of them, too.
Or, make closed in cabinets above the nest boxes up to the ceiling for storing the extra equipment that you will undoubtedly accumulate..
IDK where you are located, but if it gets below zero where you live. Insulate the walls and ceiling.
.......that's enough for now''''''
...........jiminwisc........

 

[Aliasofryan]

So I’m toying with ideas of buying a 10x8 storage shed from Home Depot and building a run onto it. Only issue I see is it’s a metal shed and since I live in Alabama the summers are brutal and the girls might over heat quick. That’s the only thing that’s stopping me from buying two lol they are only $280 each. It would save me tons of money in lumber I can always cut windows in the sides and build a fold up roost bar for easy cleaning and build other add ons such as nesting boxes

 

[jvls1942]

If it were me, I would put the coop in the shade.
and/or stretch one of those cheap tarps over it so as not to have it touching. (more shade).
the chickens would be outside during the daytime so they wouldn't be baking in the coop.
that is just me..

 

[Eilsel]

So I’m toying with ideas of buying a 10x8 storage shed from Home Depot and building a run onto it. Only issue I see is it’s a metal shed and since I live in Alabama the summers are brutal and the girls might over heat quick. That’s the only thing that’s stopping me from buying two lol they are only $280 each. It would save me tons of money in lumber I can always cut windows in the sides and build a fold up roost bar for easy cleaning and build other add ons such as nesting boxes

Metal isn't ideal as it's pretty difficult to modify compared to wood, however since time is of the essence I don't think this is a bad idea at all, and that's a pretty good deal for that size of shed. If you currently have chicks you're still several months away from needing nesting boxes, but they'll need more space than the brooder allows pretty dang soon! In your climate you'll want to open it up for airflow as much as possible, so if you build a good predator proof run you could essentially remove most of one wall, if not all of one wall to keep it from turning into an oven. You might try searching for "metal shed conversion" or "metal shed coop" and see if you can find out what others have done. Also check out your state thread to see other coops in your climate!
Good luck with your flock, and

 

[Lostchicken]

That coop posted by Millers farm is nice. I am doing one similar to that. I have 16 chickens in a 4x8 and they are way to cramped. I am building a 8x12 and all my floor joist and the 3- 4x4 support beams that he floor joist are screwed to are all treated lumber. I am using 3/4" 4x8 plywood for the flooring and corrugated sheet metal for the roof. I will have 8 nesting boxes when I finish and room to store my feed barrels inside. My feeder and water will also be inside. This time it will have electricity for lighting and heating. I am screwing all of mine together, it will be less expensive since me and nails just don't get along. I will get one in straight and 6 will bend so screws for me. Good luck on your new coup just go bigger than you think because you can never have to much storage.