If you could do it all over again, how would you improve your coop?

[birdy_num_nums]

If you could do it all over again, how would you improve your coop? What would you change, delete, add?

I'm a newbie, in the planning stages of my coop. I'll be housing a dozen girls.

 

[bigmike&nan]

This is our coop - it's 4 ft wide by 8 ft long, the run is two feet high, the tallest part of the upstairs coop is just under 3 foot. One side of the roof comes off for cleaning, we have a back door to remove eggs and a side door downstairs for the girls to go in and out of (and for us to rake from).

I think I would be more inclined to want a walk in coop - in my case one that was tall in the front and shorter in the back (coop) area. A run that is taller so the girls can really stretch their necks and flap their wings. I think I would want it to be 6 ft wide by 10 ft long - with the front 6 ft high and the back 4 1/2 ft high. The coop portion would be on the shorter side and would be 3 ft wide.

In a coop like this we could comfortably have 5 or 6 birds max. The following photo isn't a perfect match but it gives you a rough idea (the coop portion could be on the back (downhill) side of the structure going the whole length, not just on one end). I got this photo from the City Chicken Page...

http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/tractors.html

Tis is a picture of our friend Kim's coop - she is the lady we got our SLWs from - after having our coop for 3 plus months her coop seems very practical to me, if you ever need birds and you meet Kim you will be very happy you met her too.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Although I am just building my coop, I know next time I want more room w/ different areas for different breeds. My coop is 7' deep x 10' wide, 8' high in the front and 7' high in the back. w/ a 10'x 15' run... I started out wanting "laying hens" and a roo...BUT now--I want beautiful, eye candy breeds and this forum doesn't help---

 

[WestKnollAmy]

The next time we build one, it will be to add varmint control while building it. Having to go back and make repairs and everything stronger or better was such a hassle. You just never know what the predators can do till all your birds are gone!
Ours is made from old horse stalls and though large enough and ventilated enough, it just needed to keep the critters out.

 

[MiniDriver]

Make it bigger. I'm pretty satisfied otherwise. Same thing, just bigger.

 

[smith2]

Bigger is always better. Hi. My name is Sandi and I am a chickaholic. . . .

 

[Fowl-Language]

Next time, I'll actually follow directions, rather than making it up as I go along! I'm pretty satisfied with the final product but it probably wouldn't have taken as long if I hadn't ad-libbed the whole thing.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I'd make it about three times as big. I thought I could easily stick to ONE breed of poultry...boy, was I WRONG! In addition, I would have made it in a different location...one that would allow even further expansion.

 

[Laurena]

Make it bigger , much much much bigger .

 

[reallemons1]

We are making another coop. We wanted one bigger with seperate comparments and runs to seperate breeds, ages and such. We also wanted one with covered runs. You always end up with more chickens than you think you'll ever get.