In at the deep end

[eggonomist]

Hi all.
I'm very new to the chicken game and I'm about to start on the building of the coop. I have built many things but never a chicken coop. I am shamelessly ripping off nugget's beautiful design but with some dimension changes (If I can repay with some Buff orpington eggs come hatching time let me know). The lucky tennents are going to be 10 Buff Orpingtons and 10 Silver Laced Wyandotte's (5 cornish X hens will make up the order and keep us fed) then when we decide what we are keeping (probably the orpingtons) we will keep a rooster and the hens and maybe some of the others for some mutant cross's. I'm starting with a 8 x 10 base and the idea of mirroring the building at the other end of the run if my population grows. The run will be 20 x 10 and fully enclosed. At present I'm still in the gathering materials stage but hope to start work on the base before the white stuff falls.
Adie

 

[allen wranch]

Sounds like a good plan but you might make your base larger if you are going to start with 25 birds. Each bird needs about 4 square feet.

I got my first Orpingtons this year and love their personalities.

Be sure to post progress pictures.

 

[eggonomist]

LARGER, I was only allowed a 4x6 shed, which I begged to be 6x8 after 'miscalulating the layout it magically became 6 x 10 and then because I said if we didn't end up keeping chickens a 8x10 would make a much better shed she reluctanly agree'd to go larger. I think I'll be pushing the boundarys if I try and sneek a few more feet in. I have the option of building another coop the other end of the run, but I only expect to end up with 12-16 birds when all is said and done, and at a pinch 20 during the warmer months.
I have scorred another truck load of plywood so I think I have a floor and 3 sides now. It's slowly coming together. I amy even be at a point to take pictures soon if I can beat the snow.