I'm planning on building a massive new coop

[Wackums]

I want a chicken coop and I plan on building it. I got wood from the place I used to work about a year ago for free, and they're mostly 16 foot 2 by 4s. I think I'll make it 16x12x8 with a 16x16 run. My ideas (besides the roost and water and food) is a swing for them to play on, a spot where they can lay eggs safely, a place where hens can hatch eggs and see everything (If that's a good idea for them to see everything let me know or not please) and I want some more simple ideas for it. I'm gonna have raw ground below them, some windows maybe so they got some light, but what else am I forgetting? I'm not very experienced building, but I got a general idea and if I need help I can ask my neighbor how to do it. Thank you!

 

[blackdog043]

Are you gonna build a walk in coop, like a shed ? If you are, the link below may help you with your build.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=icreatables+how+to+build+a+shed

 

[PetesChicks]

Definitely build a walk in. Your back will thank you every time you go in. Mine is a 10x16 she’d that I converted to a coop. Check out the coop pages for ideas on what you will want to add to it for the chickens.

Make sure you put in plenty of ventilation, they need fresh air year round. 1 sq ft of ventilation covered with hardware cloth per 10 sq ft of coop is standard. More is better.

@aart will most likely be posting on your thread, she is full of useful information. She has a whole list of heights for different thing, to make the best use of space.
Good luck!

 

[Mtnboomer]

Nesting boxes should be darker cubbies +/- 1 sf so then can be away from the flock and feel safe and secure. The coop will need plenty of ventilation. Stay away from poultry fencing except as a top as predators can and will find a way through it. Welded wire would be better for at least the 1st 3ft of run walls. Anchor the wire to the ground preferably with buried timbers to discourage predators from digging under the fence.
Orient the coop on an east-west axis. This will help block cold north winds while allowing westery winds to help ventilate as well has maximize solar gain in the winter to warm the coop.
Optional considerations would include roof water collection in a rain barrel for example to reduce usage of potable water and to have it close by when needed, drainage of rainwater in the run (if uncovered), dusting locations, and roosting areas.
Main considerations should be security and ease of access/maintenance. Accomplishing these ensures safe happy birds!
Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where are you located? It can help to know what extremes you are looking at in summer and winter.

Anything that touches the ground needs to be protected from rotting. That might be treated wood, cinder block, concrete, whatever.

If your run is covered, you need to be able to walk in there without bending. I don't know enough on how many chickens you plan to have, your flock make-up, your climate, how you will build the run, and such to comment about size.

If your lumber is 16' long you might be more efficient if you build it 8 feet wide, not 12. Less cutting and waste, though some of that cut-off can be used for nests and such. Though how you build your roof plays into it too. You need enough slope for water to run off and maybe leaves or snow to slide off. I personally like overhang so you can leave the top of the walls open for ventilation with the overhang keeping rainwater out. If you build a single-slope roof, the wider the span the larger and heavier the support beams need to be. In a truss-type roof you can use smaller lumber but the span is still important. They are more complicated to build and they still need to handle wind load, plus maybe snow, ice, or leaves,. Whether 8' wide or 12, the roof will be important.

As far as location, do not put it where water drains to it and stands. Put it where it will stay dry. To me that is the main criteria for location. Anything else can be dealt with.

You need enough natural light in there so you and the chickens can see what you're doing. If you leave open space up high for ventilation (covered with hardware cloth against predators) some light will come in from that. You can put in real windows (maybe get some cheap for Craigslist or a rehab store) or you can make windows by framing in Plexiglas or something like that. In the southern US I like the windows on the cooler northern or eastern sides. In the cold north you might want them on the warmer southern or western sides. I personally prefer the coop a little darker, cooler and more soothing. Some people like them bright as the blazing sun on a white beach. I don't know that it really matters that much, but you and the chickens do need to be able to see,

 

[Mtnboomer]

Not all pressure treated lumber is the same. Most framing lumber (2x whatever) is for above ground use. 4x4 or 6x6 will be rated for ground contact or underground. Do not use landscape timbers. Although these are cheaper, they are not treated with the same chemicals and so will still rot in as little as 3-5yrs.

 

[Wackums]

Where are you located? It can help to know what extremes you are looking at in summer and winter.

Anything that touches the ground needs to be protected from rotting. That might be treated wood, cinder block, concrete, whatever.

If your run is covered, you need to be able to walk in there without bending. I don't know enough on how many chickens you plan to have, your flock make-up, your climate, how you will build the run, and such to comment about size.

If your lumber is 16' long you might be more efficient if you build it 8 feet wide, not 12. Less cutting and waste, though some of that cut-off can be used for nests and such. Though how you build your roof plays into it too. You need enough slope for water to run off and maybe leaves or snow to slide off. I personally like overhang so you can leave the top of the walls open for ventilation with the overhang keeping rainwater out. If you build a single-slope roof, the wider the span the larger and heavier the support beams need to be. In a truss-type roof you can use smaller lumber but the span is still important. They are more complicated to build and they still need to handle wind load, plus maybe snow, ice, or leaves,. Whether 8' wide or 12, the roof will be important.

As far as location, do not put it where water drains to it and stands. Put it where it will stay dry. To me that is the main criteria for location. Anything else can be dealt with.

You need enough natural light in there so you and the chickens can see what you're doing. If you leave open space up high for ventilation (covered with hardware cloth against predators) some light will come in from that. You can put in real windows (maybe get some cheap for Craigslist or a rehab store) or you can make windows by framing in Plexiglas or something like that. In the southern US I like the windows on the cooler northern or eastern sides. In the cold north you might want them on the warmer southern or western sides. I personally prefer the coop a little darker, cooler and more soothing. Some people like them bright as the blazing sun on a white beach. I don't know that it really matters that much, but you and the chickens do need to be able to see,

Kentucky, and the reason I decicded on 12 was to make extra pieces of wood I could use later on, and I wanted it as big as possible. I've heard when you build something and you decide on a size, double that because you will always want more room and I plan on hardware cloth windows on the opposite side of the door and run.