Hubbys gonna make me a coop

[Debby in france]

Okay, he’s said it with witnesses. So I’ve been drawing plans as requested, throwing them away and starting again.

Going for a walk-in for 12 girls (currently got 7 but looking ahead).

Planning on 2 meters by 3 meters And about 2 meters high. In feet I think that’s about 6’ x 9’ and 6’ high ish.
Big removable ladder affair across the long length for them to perch on and poop trays underneath in metal.
The ladder will be able to be tied up out of my way for cleaning but fixed at the top.
Long Nest box along the opposite side with removable dividers (making four next boxes) for cleaning purposes. Flap at top and long side for removing eggs and cleaning.
Spy camera in each nest box which will be linked to my iPad so that I don’t disturb anyone during egg collection.
The coop will be made of wood. With the odd screw thrown in.

The coop will be inside a huge run to allow them to play until I get up in the morning to let them out. I don’t like automatic doors. I love saying good morning to them.
My girls free range in our small oak wood during the day but join us at 6pm when we have beer o’clock. When they preen themselves.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on the design of the coop ? Anything, however bizarre, is welcome.

 

[noregerts]

Okay, he’s said it with witnesses. So I’ve been drawing plans as requested, throwing them away and starting again.

Going for a walk-in for 12 girls (currently got 7 but looking ahead).

Planning on 2 meters by 3 meters And about 2 meters high. In feet I think that’s about 6’ x 9’ and 6’ high ish.
Big removable ladder affair across the long length for them to perch on and poop trays underneath in metal.
The ladder will be able to be tied up out of my way for cleaning but fixed at the top.
Long Nest box along the opposite side with removable dividers (making four next boxes) for cleaning purposes. Flap at top and long side for removing eggs and cleaning.
Spy camera in each nest box which will be linked to my iPad so that I don’t disturb anyone during egg collection.
The coop will be made of wood. With the odd screw thrown in.

The coop will be inside a huge run to allow them to play until I get up in the morning to let them out. I don’t like automatic doors. I love saying good morning to them.
My girls free range in our small oak wood during the day but join us at 6pm when we have beer o’clock. When they preen themselves.

Does anyone have any suggestions or advice on the design of the coop ? Anything, however bizarre, is welcome.

This sounds great and like you've really done your homework. I love the fact that your chickens join you for what we refer to as Happy Hour over here in the US, your beer o'clock . The only thing I might suggest is that you make your coop a little bigger if you have the space. Chicken Math is real and it is powerful.

 

[Debby in france]

Okay, what do you suggest ?

I wouldn’t want to cramp their style, think 3 x 3 would be big enough ?

Forgot to say that It will be in a covered area without drafts or anything.

Also needs a name, at the moment i have Chateaux Tango but that will be sold upon completion of the big one.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

This sounds great and like you've really done your homework. I love the fact that your chickens join you for what we refer to as Happy Hour over here in the US, your beer o'clock . The only thing I might suggest is that you make your coop a little bigger if you have the space. Chicken Math is real and it is powerful.

Lol amen. I'm in the process of making mine bigger and it already is huge for the amount of chickens I have, always look to the future when raising chicks!

 

[aart]

Here's some tips on height(sorry, you'll have to convert).
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

2 other very good articles linked in my signature.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Debbie, are you planning on using new materials? If so, what standard sizes does the material come in? Over here it is typically 4 feet or 8 feet dimensions (1.3 x 2.7 meters roughly). Yours may be different so adjust as necessary. If you incorporate the standard dimensions into your design you can usually save cutting and waste, and get more room for little or no extra cost. For us a 6 feet dimension isn't horrible, the cut-offs can usually be used to make nests or such. Another advantage of a 6 feet width is that your roof needs a slope on it so rain runs off. With a 6 feet coop width you can use standard length materials for the roof and still get some overhang.

For a walk-in you want to comfortably be able to work in there. A six feet height might feel confining. A key component to me is to make it comfortable to you. The more you are out there the better off your chickens will be because you will take better care of them. For anything over 8 chickens I do recommend a walk-in. It is so much easier on you to work in there.

I spent most of a year at Cherbourg many decades ago. The weather was cold and blustery but not bad as far as chickens go. But that was on the coast. I'm not sure exactly where you are or your climate, how much snow will you get? If the chickens will be stuck in the coop only very much in winter that argues for a larger coop.

For 12 chickens my absolute minimum would be a 6' x 8' coop. A 6x12 or 8x8 would be even better. People don't complain about having too much room, they do about not having enough. You can do a lot of different things with the roof. I like simplicity so would raise the front of the coop higher than the back and have it slope that way and put the door on the high side so rain isn't running off the roof onto me when I'm opening that door.

For 12 hens I'd want no less than three nests. It's kind of tight but you might be able to get by with one roost eight feet long but I'd prefer more. In a 6x12 that's easy. In a 6x8 maybe the roost along the back 8' and wrap it around on one end, all the same elevation. Or a ladder type roost where you have two on a 6' end but that makes droppings boards harder.

Ventilation is important. There are so many different ways to do that, some depending a lot on your roof line. My personal preference is to have some overhang on at lest two and preferably all four sides and leave the top 3" to 4" open at the top of the walls, covered with hardware cloth to keep predators out. Ridge vents, gable vents, a cupola, or soffit vents can all work.

I wrote that article about space in Aart's signature. A basic premise is that the tighter I pack them (and I do sometimes) the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues. Most of the article is about your comfort and convenience, though the chickens also benefit. Of the three I find the extra flexibility some extra room gives me to be the most valuable.

 

[Debby in france]

Wow !

A lot to take in today. Will need to re-evaluate my plans. I will get back to you all.

Thank you

 

[Debby in france]

Hi again, what are your feelings on food and water ?

Up to now I have them in the run but this means that in the winter (when I need to close the door to the hen house) they don’t get food until I open the door for them. Should I allow extra room and move the food and water into the hen house ? Should I allow both ?

What’s your opinion ?

As an additional nugget of information we have max temps of about 38c and min of about -2c, we have occasional sprinklings of snow but never an issue and rarely settles for more than a day. When I say rarely I mean perhaps once in three years. Our area is very green, it rains a lot at night and is famous for Prunes d’Agen and beautiful sunflowers oh and truffles (not so beautiful) and cepes. Wine ain’t too bad either

 

[jthornton]

If they are awake you should provide food and water. Mine sleep in a small roosting area that is closed off at dusk and the door opens and the lights come on magicly at dawn this time of year.

Sounds like it will be a nice coop and run for both you and the chickens.

Gets pretty warm there I see 38C = 100F so lots of ventilation is going to be needed in the summer time. Lots of rain need long overhangs on the roof to help keep the water out of the run. I still need to extend the roof of my run over the door area so I don't have to stand in the rain while locking up and unlocking the run door.

JT

 

[noregerts]

We keep the food in the coop to keep it dry and minimize the inevitable rats access to it. Water is both inside and outside the coop. The one inside has a automatic filler with a float but of course they prefer the one outside that I refill every day. Fresher I suppose.
After having chickens for 5 years and going through tons of feed, a motion activated trail camera set up for another purpose shocked us by showing us all the big rats we were feeding!! Now we use a treadle feeder. The camera shows one persistent rat every night but that's all and lots less feed being used.