Ideals on redesigning coop

[Aidenous]

Looking for suggestions a redesign of our coop. I'm not sure why the previous owners designed it like this but there is a lot of wasted space and the hens are crowded. I'd like to keep a little room for storage but not as much as it is now. For some reason the roost is divided into two areas. One is two small. There are 2 next boxes in the run that isn't in the drawing. I am attaching pictures as well as an approximate drawing. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would put the nestboxes along one long side, and roosts along the other. Definitely get rid of that weird lattice area.

I also would switch to 2x4 for roosts, and move them away from the wall a bit so birds aren't rubbing on the wall.

You may want to add windows, and a smaller chicken pop hole door.

 

[50-45-1]

I assume the 2 openings in the lower wall of the structure are chicken doors?
I would remove all the lattice and wall structures and rebuild a wall 2 ft in from the people door. Storage area on right side of the entry door.
Set up the nest boxes in the left.
Then you have a large approximate 9X8 area for the chickens. Design the roosts where ever you like. I am in michigan and our winters get pretty cold so we build a roost are enclosed within the coop so there body heat could heat a smaller space at night. My roost area is about 6X6 with removable roosts for easy clean out. I have about 12 chickens and 5 guineas for this area.
This is going to be nice coop for your birds!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd get rid of all the internal walls and just segment off a portion closest to the doors for storage (you can maybe recycle some of the lattice here if you wish, or just using chicken wire will suffice, or you could even build a cabinet if you don't want a dedicated, separate storage).

The rest of the space is good and you'll have a lot of options as far as where to place roosts and nest boxes once it's all opened up.

Not sure if there's more ventilation in the roof/roofline but now would be a good time to consider adding some, if there isn't any.

 

[Alaskan]

Is there any ventilation? Any windows?

If not I would add them.

Did you want to have 2 separate chicken areas like it is now? Or are you keeping only 1 flock?

 

[Aidenous]

Just one flock. There is a window at the top and they had another one on the other side but covered it up for some reason.

 

[Ridgerunner]

It's rough guessing why people do some things. One guess as to why they may have had two separate roosts/areas would be maybe one as a brooder or for integrating younger birds. Or maybe they had some Silkies that needed the ladder roost and they wanted separate bantam full-sized flocks. Or maybe one area was a breeding pen. Since it was inside they were probably not worried about predators inside. Maybe the lattice was left-over and cheap?

Glad you showed that last photo. That cupola will give you a lot of good ventilation up high like that if it is open under the overhangs. And probably enough light.

I don't know what your goals are for chickens, what your flock will look like, how you will manage them, or whether you will be integrating in the future. Not knowing your goals I don't know what's best for you but I'd rip everything inside out. Since your doors open outward I'd build a wall across about 3 feet in from the doors for storage. Then a human door into the rest of the coop. Put roosts across the far end of that with nests along one wall. I don't know how many chickens you are planning on, you can build those nests either internal or hang them external. I prefer to walk into the coop to collect eggs but you can make them external opening if you wish.

Since I brood in the coop and am often integrating younger chickens I'd build a combination broody buster/brooder on the other side wall with a juvenile roost over it. But that's just personal preference in line with my goals.

 

[aart]

Nice floor plan drawing!!

For some reason the roost is divided into two areas.

They may have wanted a separate area to raise chicks or grow out cockerls or who knows, but having separate areas can be mighty handy.
The 4x8 area is clear, is the 2x7.5 area actually separate from the 2 other areas?

Are the cupola eaves open?
Would be great winter ventilation.
Could open both end windows in summer.

What are your goals and how many birds are you keeping?

 

[wild chick]

I agree with others, if you just have a few hens for eggs, you'd be happier without the partition. If you have plans of integrating chicks whether raised by you or a hen, that separate area might be handy. Even injured birds or jail time for bullies, that separate-but-still-with-the-flock place comes in handy.

 

[Aidenous]

I should have mentioned that they left 17 chickens so as much as I’d like to raise some babies I don’t think we can now. They free range during the day. I just found out from a neighbor that they had their dog (Great pyrenees) sleep in the coop at night for protection so that’s one reason they had extra space. Since there are so many of them I think they would be happier with more space.

Our yard is fenced and their run at night is fenced (I’ll be changing out the chicken wire for hardware cloth soon).