I need help designing a coop!?

[kateseidel]

We originally built a two "bay" run in - used one side to store wood, one side to store a horse buggy. Now one side stores hay, and the other we converted into our chicken coop

View from the side, with the attached, roofed run


The front (before painting) - we have the hardware cloth open in the summer, and during the winter hang framed plexiglass panels over the "windows"


The "dividing" wall was made by stacking 2x6's into slots so I can move the interior wall - for now, hardware cloth at the top provides lots of cooling in the summer, and I staple up plastic during the winter


Corner roosting - I use chopped hay on the floor - will never go back to sand or shavings again


The spacious run - I keep them locked up a lot due to heavy hawk losses last year. We have VERY rocky ground, which is slightly sloped. That and the roof keeps everything pretty dry and protected. You can't see them, but on the far end I have several planters to grow greenery. Because, a hen likes to snack before she goes out ranging for the day...


Convenient tool area in the coop (I clean it every few days); during the winter, this corner sports a cinder block and a heated watering bowl so the birds always have something to drink when the regular waterer freezes


Nest boxes - I have Orpingtons who prefer the bigger boxes, and my little leghorns and barred rocks like the upper level

 

[Ladybug2001]

I have thought about buying a shed or shed kit and converting it. Also thought about buying a chicken coop kit. Though my dad is a carpenter so it shouldn't be hard for him to build me one. Its just when it comes to our own household things, he likes to cut corners.


That is a pretty neat idea (if you put thought into it, haha) to have a big box for bigger girls and little box for smaller. My new chicks will be all over the place with size and personality.

Haha, not to worried about bears! Hawks will be the main threat when we move. Coop will be in diamond fencing with two dog to protect them. Also I will have a covered run just incase they aren't allowed to free range.



I will have this very full, bright, colorful, wide ranged flock in April.

Current-
Foghorn Buff Orpington Rooster
Pebbles and Diamond Red Sex Links

Future-
Rhode Island Red
Delaware
Barred Plymouth Rock
Australorp
Speckled Sussex
Silver Laced Polish
Chantecler
Cochin
Silver Lakenvelder
Acona
Blue Laced Wyandotte
Mystery Chick!

All are supposed to be hens, but the mystery is obviously straight run and there are chances of a roo, don't want one though!

I do like the little red hen house. Simple design.

 

[Judy]

I do like the little red hen house. Simple design.

Simple is better. A prefab shed has the same advantage. Encourage him to use screws instead of nails for things that potentially may be altered in the future, such as a built in nest box (if you even build any in.) It would be odd NOT to want to change things a bit over time!

Good luck, and have fun!

 

[Hokum Coco]

My Coop is a salvaged 4x8 metal shed here are a few tips and a quick look at my set up. Currently I have 17 Golden Comet hens and one Delaware Rooster.
My floor are planks with a layer of tin for rodent proofing. On top of the tin I have a piece of vinyl flooring cut one foot longer than the length and width of my coop (roughly). Six inches squares are cut out of the 4 corners of the vinyl flooring. This allows the friction fitted flooring to travel up the walls six inches around the perimeter. Shovel out the heavy stuff into a wheel barrow. Pop out the vinyl flooring hose it off pop it back in.
Easy Peasy!

Bedding
I have used all types of litter for coops.

I have not tried sand (sand gets good reviews on this site).

Of all the things I tried to date wood pellets have been the best. (I tried wood pellets as a last resort when pine shavings were not available.) They are super absorbent and swell up and eventually turn to saw dust. The droppings just seem to vanish and turn to dust when it comes in contact with wood pellets .

Replace my litter and clean my coop every October after I harvest my garden.


Works for me in my deep litter method.

I do add to pellets from time to time.

Through the winter months the pellets froze harder than concrete with -40º temperatures. The poop froze before it could be absorbed by the pellets and there was like a crusty layer of poop in certain areas where they collectively took aim (no smell, messy feet or flies @ -40º). From time to time I would take out a frozen pancake of dropping and place it in my compost bin. Come April things started to look after themselves.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet and in my honest opinion a "MUST". Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). In a perfect world I clean the poop boards every day. In the winter months the hens world is not as perfect. I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.


I went back to pine shaving this year (wood pellets were not available).


On days when the temperature is around freezing this is how you will find my coop. Now that I have 17 Birds in my coop the windows in the doors are propped open 24/7. I close the left hand door during severe storms or when the temperature drops below -10ºC or 14ºF. If my coop was facing East instead of North I would be tempted to leave the left hand door open year round.

 

[Ladybug2001]

So I decided that I'm going to fork out almost 400 dollars of fencing to secure my horses almost 8 acres of pasture suitable enough to keep the chickens in and any dogs or coyotes out. Plus if any does manage to get in, I have to miniature horses who hate dogs or cats.

I will have a 5 foot section screened off from the rest of the coop for integrating new chicks, separating hurt or sick chickens, or if any of my hens go broody. In that section I will put this --

http://www.petco.com/product/122552/New-Age-Pet-ecoChoice-Fontana-Chicken-Barn.aspx#description-tab

in there, I think it is cute an would work nicely for chicks (they will be in a brooder in my garage until they no longer need heat) and a hen would be comfortable and secluded to be able to raise her chicks.

I really wish my cochin hadn't been caught by dogs, I think she would have went broody this coming year and maybe would have mothered these chicks coming in.


Still working out kinks, but my dad is finally starting to talk a little, usually when he starts talking he starts listening and asking what I want, then does it.

 

[Judy]

I don't have anything in my 5'x5' "room" inside my coop. When I brooded chicks, I just put lots of hay in there, and double hung a red heat lamp. I also had a plastic open top bin which had more hay, under the heat lamp. They slept in it for a week or two, then slept in different areas of the room, I gather to avoid the heat.

You might be interested in parts of this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/847189/3-weeks-apart/0_20#post_12628534

 

[chiknhurder]

Linoleum would be a bit of overkill but I think it would have advantages over dirt in that it doesn't absorb water, won't stain, can be sanitized, etc. but the same holds true of concrete. Concrete can hold in heat in the cold months if the sun can reach it and it can help keep the coop cool if shaded and can be easily washed or disinfected. Dirt is hard to wash and disinfect.

Personally, mine has a painted plywood floor to keep from absorbing spills and excrement.

There are some people who say to stay away from sand in the coop because it's not good for them. Why? Check out this article here:

http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/07/the-real-scoop-on-using-sand-in-your.html

I bed my coop with shavings during the summer and shavings with a deep straw layer during the winter months. I bed the nest boxes with shavings on the bottom and straw on top and then lightly dust it with food grade DE.

Bottom line is to use whatever works best for you, is good (healthy) for the chickens and easy to clean. Good luck!



Consider raising your coop off the ground which will mean a plywood or similar floor. The advantages are a nice cool place during summer heat and protection from predators like hawks or owls. I have an 8 x 16 storage shed behind my coop that my chickens spent the better part of last summer under during the heat wave. It was nice and cool under there and provided protection.