If you could build the perfect coop, what would it be and what would it have?

[Daphne16]

So our current coop is a raised 4x6 with a 6' long door that hinges up and is a pain to open. There is no external access to the nest boxes. It is also getting very worn out by the weather since we never painted it. We have a 10x10 dog run with chicken wire over the top.

We are going to build a new coop this summer and I am trying to find designs that will work better than our old one. We are in Connecticut. So if you could build the perfect coop what would it have?

My list so far:
Walk in (I am only 5'2" so doesn't need to be crazy tall)
External nest box
A door that opens normally not up

 

[duluthralphie]

Mine would be perfect as it would never have a building inspector anywhere near it.....

 

[aart]

My Coop works pretty perfect for me,
but had a head start with a large shed already in place,
and did beaucoup researchnd planning for 6 months before starting the build.
The only thing I would change is bigger and additional temporary partition pens(only designed in 1)am still tweaking the temporary partition wall for ease of installation...and a solid roof on at least part the run.

 

[jthornton]

A woods coop.

JT

 

[lazy gardener]

Agree with JT. My coop is nice and big, has external access nest boxes which are part of the coop foot print. (That IMO is necessary in northern climates)
It's really a nice coop, and does well, but, if I were starting with a clean slate, I'd build a soil floored woods coop. And I'd have more space around it. The perfect coop would be a woods coop surrounded by about 50 acres of prime farm land. And the coop would have water plumbed to it, electric, separate broody area, and electric fencing around the perimeter.

 

[MarcieR]

I will be watching this thread. We are getting ready to build a permanent coop. Last spring/summer we used a TSC coop that hubby strengthened and modified and we used it as a tractor. This fall we parked it at the end of the garden (strung netting from electric fence posts), made a tunnel so they could clean up the garden. They did an excellent job! For the winter we used a corner of my garden shed, insulated and that's where they spent the winter. Now we have added to the flock and want something better!
Our plans are to use a 6x24 deck on the north side of the garage which will give them access to a large yard we will be fencing in. It needs to be tall because I am. We want to make it easy to clean with vinyl on the floor and walls made with the smooth panels used in showers. Possibly a floor drain so we can hose it all down. That side of the garage has 2 large windows. We want to change one out to a door so we will have weatherproof access for feeding, etc. The other window may be modified to nest boxes accessible from the garage, also. I want a brooder included possibly with it's own door to the outside where we can put up a smaller fenced area for integration purposes. Also an easily removable "wall" to give the chicks their own area inside. Gee, you think I should have the husband read this? LOL

 

[cholland]

X2 on the Woods coop design. I'm in the process of building one right now

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

Woods coop is awesome, I took that in mind when building my coop, lots of ventilation and pretty big. I love my dirt floor and hay loft! If I had it to do over again I would go bigger, just because

Gary

 

[duluthralphie]

Actually if I had half the money Bill Gates has my chickens would have this coop:

With lots of covered runs and trees, bushes and places to run play and hide.. Also it would be heated and air conditioned.

 

[BantyChooks]

So our current coop is a raised 4x6 with a 6' long door that hinges up and is a pain to open. There is no external access to the nest boxes. It is also getting very worn out by the weather since we never painted it. We have a 10x10 dog run with chicken wire over the top.

We are going to build a new coop this summer and I am trying to find designs that will work better than our old one. We are in Connecticut. So if you could build the perfect coop what would it have?

My list so far:
Walk in (I am only 5'2" so doesn't need to be crazy tall)
External nest box
A door that opens normally not up

I am afraid my perfect coop would closely resemble Ralphie's, so that's not much use to you. In terms of "can I afford this within the rest of my lifetime", I'd say I already have my dream coop. The floor, which is vinyl over pressure treated plywood, is raised far enough off the ground to see under. That eliminates hiding places for baddies, which was a major issue with my last coop. It has removable roosts, painted walls, an attic for storage, and a closet to keep the chickens from pooping on my tools. It's a walk in, obviously... can't stand anything but. It has nice latches that lock when you swing the door into them. I can't think of anything else I would want in it—except more space. It's 12' x 12'. I'd really like a 20' x 15' or bigger so I could keep more birds over winter.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/albums/coop-build-2017.7428049/

What's the most useful for me is sections. Places to put birds that can't be together. I have movable pens already, but my dream coop would definitely be big enough for in-coop brooder areas. Until I get some bigger and more weatherproof separate housing, I have to make sure they can all live together in winters because the pens get entirely buried in snow. I don't know about you, but I refuse to do one more lick of shovelling than is entirely necessary to make it in and out of the house.