How big of an opening do I need?

[Shaela]

Hi all! I'm a new chicken mama and I'm working on my coop this week. I have 4 pullets (easter egger, white leghorn, rhode island red, and barred rock) and I'm wondering how big I should make the opening for them to get out of the coop and into the run. It's a very basic design: the coop is basically a big plywood box 3 feet off the ground, and the run is directly underneath it. Therefore, the opening is a hole in the floor of the run and the ramp descends from it - make sense? Is 12" wide x 18" long sufficient for the opening?

 

[PapaChaz]

12x18 should be big enough, you gonna put a ramp to it, right? remember by doing it this way, you're giving up floor space, and any bedding material is going to go right down that hole in the floor.

someone recently asked this question and one answer she got was something along the lines of 'think of 4 year olds throwing things down that hole"

haha

if you can fix the run beside the coop and put the pop door through the side........

 

[PapaChaz]

also something to consider, are you going to be able to get under there to access for cleaning, or to get that occasional egg that WILL be laid under there, or get to a sick or injured chicken?

I did something similar on a coop build years ago, never again

 

[Ty Walker]

My coop has a two 12x12 doors and they work just fine for my 50 leghorn hens

 

[PapaChaz]

My coop has a two 12x12 doors and they work just fine for my 50 leghorn hens

is that going down through the floor to a lower level run or out the side wall to an attached run?

 

[Ty Walker]

It's out the side of the coop and that's what I would recommend because if it's a hole in the floor the top hen in the pecking order will stand their and Jump on the other hens if they try to come in. If it's in the side the lower hen will just push her way thru.

 

[PapaChaz]

It's out the side of the coop and that's what I would recommend because if it's a hole in the floor the top hen in the pecking order will stand their and Jump on the other hens if they try to come in. If it's in the side the lower hen will just push her way thru.

all well and good. My pop doors go out the side of my coop into the run as well. I think the OP is putting it through the floor though, which is why I asked if the run was below or if they could do a run to the side and go through the wall. Mine are 12" square as well.

as for as the top of the pecking order standing there and jumping on the others to keep them from coming in, I doubt it because chickens are a 'group' animal, they don't like being by themselves, and hey, we all know already, 'it's lonely at the top'

 

[BBrady]

I was curious about this too. I have a converted shed with a big door, at least 6 feet by 3 feet I wanted to install a little hen door for them to use when I am not in there cleaning and collecting. I still have a couple months before my chicks will be moving in, and i think i can handle a little 12" square door at the bottom of the existing door. I might use the scrap I cut out, frame it, and then hinge it so it opens sideways and latches some how, or i might have it hinge down tot he ground, as it will be close enough to the ground to be a little ramp. then in the winters, i can keep it closed if they end up needing it closed for warmth. 2 for one, ramp and door.

 

[Shaela]

The run portion under the coop has a whole side that opens up for me to get under there if need be. It will only be used as a "temporary run", because we will be free-ranging our chickens in our large fenced-in yard 90% of the time, which is why I don't want to go through the expense or hassle of building a larger run next to the coop; I'd rather just enclose the portion under the coop to keep them contained (but not in the coop) when I need them out of the yard.

Would it be better if I put a ramp and a door in the side of the coop straight out into our yard, and then just herd them into the run under the coop through the access door when needed? I wanted them to be able to have access to both the run and the coop together which is why I thought of going through the floor...