If you had a 15'x25' building for a coop

[okiemamachick]

Hello I have an out building that's roughly 15x25 it's full of junk now but I'm looking to clean it out this spring. It has two windows and a human door. As of now I have 6 hens and 1 rooster but I'm looking to get more chicks/hatch eggs off and on. My question is if you had this much available room what would you do with it? I'm thinking a built in brooder maybe even an adolescent section and sick bay? Of course nesting boxes and roosts as well as food storage. Any ideas or dreams you'd like to share? What are things I'm not thinking of? We free range so a run hasn't really crossed my mind though my current coop has a run we open it and they are out and about all day. But on the other hand I like the idea of having a run if I need to keep them corralled for any reason but they still can go "outside" without being totally freed. Gah! So many options!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hello I have an out building that's roughly 15x25 it's full of junk now but I'm looking to clean it out this spring. It has two windows and a human door. As of now I have 6 hens and 1 rooster but I'm looking to get more chicks/hatch eggs off and on. My question is if you had this much available room what would you do with it? I'm thinking a built in brooder maybe even an adolescent section and sick bay? Of course nesting boxes and roosts as well as food storage. Any ideas or dreams you'd like to share? What are things I'm not thinking of? We free range so a run hasn't really crossed my mind though my current coop has a run we open it and they are out and about all day. But on the other hand I like the idea of having a run if I need to keep them corralled for any reason but they still can go "outside" without being totally freed. Gah! So many options!

Great thoughts so far there, the only thing I would rethink is that a "sick bay" is not really practical to be built in/adjacent to your coop since, with illness, you want to provide the sort of separation that would *hopefully* give you a chance to prevent the spreading of the disease to healthy birds.

 

[okiemamachick]

Yes! I thought about making it to where no other bird's could reach the area I was thinking more of injuries than illness. I'm also thinking on a place for broody mama's that they can have seclusion but still but still stay aquanted with the flock? Is that practical or does it even work that way lol

 

[aart]

Hello I have an out building that's roughly 15x25 it's full of junk now but I'm looking to clean it out this spring. It has two windows and a human door. As of now I have 6 hens and 1 rooster but I'm looking to get more chicks/hatch eggs off and on. My question is if you had this much available room what would you do with it? I'm thinking a built in brooder maybe even an adolescent section and sick bay? Of course nesting boxes and roosts as well as food storage. Any ideas or dreams you'd like to share? What are things I'm not thinking of? We free range so a run hasn't really crossed my mind though my current coop has a run we open it and they are out and about all day. But on the other hand I like the idea of having a run if I need to keep them corralled for any reason but they still can go "outside" without being totally freed. Gah! So many options!

That's what I would do!
I'd start making a drawing(I'm a design drafter by trade) to examine different layouts.

Main coop for layers with run.
Central location area for feed and supplies.
Broody/brooder coop and run for chicks adjacent to main coop for integration purposes.
Grow out/seclusion coop for extra roosters.
Maybe one of two other enclosures.....or use temporary partition walls(I use one of those it works well).

 

[lovemy6hens]

We are almost done with our new 8x14 coop. It's inside our 16x24 workshop. So many options! We haven't cut an opening for the door yet. I'd like to see your ideas when you get them on paper!

 

[okiemamachick]

Sure thing lovemy6hens! I'm gonna go out and actually measure it and take some notes soon but won't be doing major work until it warms up a bit there ARE so many options I could go gray lol

 

[lovemy6hens]

If you haven't heard about Sketchup and like using your computer for stuff not involving typing, it's worth checking out. It's free & with the tutorials it's fairly easy to get started. I can't draw & can't picture things with out a diagram, so it's been great for me. It has models and parts of models that can be downloaded and edited. Working in 3D has been an adjustment, but i enjoy it now.

What a relief! Coop options have encouraged the gray? Is that what's happening to my hair? Thank goodness! I thought it was because I'm getting older.

EDIT: Sketchup has models of chicken coops people have submitted. There is a template for nest boxes on there too. I think the USS Egg Surprise is the name of one submitted by a BYC member. I'll check and will post the link to the member page.

 

[lovemy6hens]

Here is the link to USSEggSurprise's coop page:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/usseggsurprises-chicken-coop

Thank you for uploading your coop design into Sketchup, @USSEggSurprise!

 

[K-Kritter]

If you haven't heard about Sketchup and like using your computer for stuff not involving typing, it's worth checking out. It's free & with the tutorials it's fairly easy to get started. I can't draw & can't picture things with out a diagram, so it's been great for me. It has models and parts of models that can be downloaded and edited. Working in 3D has been an adjustment, but i enjoy it now.

What a relief! Coop options have encouraged the gray? Is that what's happening to my hair? Thank goodness! I thought it was because I'm getting older.

EDIT: Sketchup has models of chicken coops people have submitted. There is a template for nest boxes on there too. I think the USS Egg Surprise is the name of one submitted by a BYC member. I'll check and will post the link to the member page.

Oh @lovemy6hens , thanks for sharing about Sketchup. I have never heard of it but I am still trying to decide what kind of coop to build and this sounds like it would be awesome. Plus, it might be a fun thing to show my 12 y.o. son, he loves to design things!

 

[lovemy6hens]

You're welcome!