I Need Lots of Advice... Expanding Coop?

[ejtalbert]

So I have 5 12-week chickens; 2 barred rocks, 1 starlight green egger, and 2 silver laced wyandottes.
We purchased a coop that was supposed to hold 6-8 birds (keep in mind, I'm a beginner) and it most definitely does not. I need some advice on how I should expand my coop, hopefully without having to get another one all together... We don't have a shed that we can use.
Thoughts, Ideas?
Here are the photos of the coop. We extended the run, and closed off the nesting boxes because they were sleeping in them. I had one response to another thread saying I should raise to roosts on the inside too.

 

[3KillerBs]

My first thought is to remove the entire front wall, the wall that the pop door is in, and wall in the entire original run -- leaving the triangles under the roofline as vents covered with hardware cloth for ventilation.

Without seeing the structure in person I can't be sure if that's practical.

 

[ejtalbert]

My first thought is to remove the entire front wall, the wall that the pop door is in, and wall in the entire original run -- leaving the triangles under the roofline as vents covered with hardware cloth for ventilation.

Without seeing the structure in person I can't be sure if that's practical.

This is a good idea, and I would assume practical. Though, does this mean we would have to roof the new run?

 

[Folly's place]

I agree that your first option is to consider the entire structure as a coop, remove that wall if possible, and make the whole thing a lot safer than it is. Your coop section needs upgrading anyway to be more predator proof.
Or, bite the bullet, use this thing as a broody or chick hutch, and get something better.
The least expensive option would be to build an upgraded hoop coop. Consider a garden shed from a big box store, or a used one on craigslist, for example, and add window openings and more ventilation. Your fenced run is not terrible, but certainly not predator proof, so only for daytime use.
We started with bantam birds roosting in out pole barn, assured that it would be just fine. After many deaths overnight from raccoons, etc, we learned, and modified a shed, and it's been so much better since! We do all start somewhere, and then learn...
Mary

 

[ejtalbert]

I agree that your first option is to consider the entire structure as a coop, remove that wall if possible, and make the whole thing a lot safer than it is. Your coop section needs upgrading anyway to be more predator proof.
Or, bite the bullet, use this thing as a broody or chick hutch, and get something better.
The least expensive option would be to build an upgraded hoop coop. Consider a garden shed from a big box store, or a used one on craigslist, for example, and add window openings and more ventilation. Your fenced run is not terrible, but certainly not predator proof, so only for daytime use.
We started with bantam birds roosting in out pole barn, assured that it would be just fine. After many deaths overnight from raccoons, etc, we learned, and modified a shed, and it's been so much better since! We do all start somewhere, and then learn...
Mary

Ahhh the Craigslist. Smart. I will consider this.

 

[TK421]

Hard to tell how securely built this thing is, but if it is currently decent, you Could enlarge it within The existing structure so that the inside coop Fills under the metal roof. I would keep that space underneath-no need for the coop to go to the ground. The goal is 15-20 sq ft of coop floor space. Then make sure you have 40-50 sf of run space. Definitely raise those roosts inside the coop and you’ll be able to open up the nest boxes again

 

[ejtalbert]

Hard to tell how securely built this thing is, but if it is currently decent, you Could enlarge it within The existing structure so that the inside coop Fills under the metal roof. I would keep that space underneath-no need for the coop to go to the ground. The goal is 15-20 sq ft of coop floor space. Then make sure you have 40-50 sf of run space. Definitely raise those roosts inside the coop and you’ll be able to open up the nest boxes again

This I like! So if I raise the roosts they will use them? They seem to like to cuddle together.

 

[ejtalbert]

Hard to tell how securely built this thing is, but if it is currently decent, you Could enlarge it within The existing structure so that the inside coop Fills under the metal roof. I would keep that space underneath-no need for the coop to go to the ground. The goal is 15-20 sq ft of coop floor space. Then make sure you have 40-50 sf of run space. Definitely raise those roosts inside the coop and you’ll be able to open up the nest boxes again

I have made some prototypes with photoshop. Is this what you were thinking?

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes, that's pretty much what I was thinking.

Nice use of photoshop to convey the idea.

 

[ejtalbert]

Yes, that's pretty much what I was thinking.

Nice use of photoshop to convey the idea.

Thank you!