Is my coop all wrong?!

[ChickyCh00k]

Btw, I can’t find where to add my location under profile.

Hope this helps.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I had this exact situation (with a different, very expensive, pre-fab coop). My husband just spent the weekend cutting holes and adding vents. The manufacturer also claimed the coop would house 15 chickens, but 6-8 is more the reality. I REALLY wish I'd known more before buying, but now we have to make the best of what we've got. Good luck! You're sure to get a lot of solid advice here!

 

[Tundrawooky]

Amazing coop, plenty large for 8-12 birds.
It looks cute!

 

[CarlaCo]

The bigger the better -- think square feet rather than square inches. If you can open 2 inches or 4 inches that would be better, but anything is better than nothing.

You don't want the rain to get in, but the more you can open up the better.

Chickens can easily tolerate DRY cold down to 0F or below, but wet cold is a problem. The purpose of winter ventilation is to let the moisture and ammonia out.

Unfortunately, many people have been taken in by the deceptive marketing on bought coops. The good part is that the kind you have is better-built than the flimsy kit sort.

Looking again there really is no room to add a vent on the side with the other vent. The frame is right there. But when I was tung oiling it, there’s a small pocket back there.

Hope this helps. View attachment 3240573View attachment 3240574View attachment 3240575

I had this exact situation (with a different, very expensive, pre-fab coop). My husband just spent the weekend cutting holes and adding vents. The manufacturer also claimed the coop would house 15 chickens, but 6-8 is more the reality. I REALLY wish I'd known more before buying, but now we have to make the best of what we've got. Good luck! You're sure to get a lot of solid advice here!

Your link that said page brought me there, lol. Perfect.
It stinks havng to fix something so new and so expensive but I’m glad to hear I’m not the only newb with egg on my face,

 

[DobieLover]

I asked my son, who actually bought the coop if we could do a ridge vent but he wants to wait and see how we an do with out it. M pretty sure we will need it but I understand his reluctance after paying so much and it being new.
I’m trying to understand where you are saying to add back some of the bar and how that would attach? I had wondered about removing it, too.
Thanks for helping.

Dobie, I’m in Johnson City NY just a few minutes from the mall.

I saw that. Hell, I could swing by on my way home from work and do it for you... for a price!! I work in Binghamton.
I'm not kidding. If you want, I can swing by and take a look and let you know what you can do. I am finishing up my own roof this weekend and if I have any caps left, I'll give them to you. They'd be a close match as I'm putting in Owen Corning Brownwood architectural. You would only need a single 4' vent. That's only about $13.
Up the hill from it?

 

[DobieLover]

Amazing coop, plenty large for 8-12 birds.
It looks cute!

No. It's not.

 

[ChickyCh00k]

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only newb with egg on my face,

I'm telling you, I could KICK myself for not putting more thought into it (and for not joining BYC *before* I bought the coop). I've seen SO many innovative people do things with sheds for 1/2 the cost that I've put into my coop and modifications.

Live and learn . On the plus side having this coop will prevent me from getting *too many more chooks! Lol

 

[3KillerBs]

Amazing coop, plenty large for 8-12 birds.
It looks cute!

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

8 hens

• 32 square feet in the coop. 4'x8' is approaching the limits for a non-walk-in coop even with the access door in the middle. 6'x6' should be walk-in because even the tallest chicken-keeper won't be able to reach the far wall.
• 8 feet of roost
• 80 square feet in the run. 8'x10' is a nice looking number but, remembering the common dimensions of lumber, a roomier 8'x12' is actually easier to build. 6'x14' looks good on paper but would require a lot of weird cuts.
• 8 square feet of ventilation.
• 2-3 nest boxes.

12 hens

• 48 square feet in the coop. 6'x8' is more practical than 4'x12' since a long, skinny coop like that would be difficult to work inside.
• 12 feet of roost
• 120 square feet in the run. 10'x12' or 8'x15' -- 8'x16' means fewer odd cuts than either of those. 6'x20' is possible, especially if your run is an open-topped, fenced area instead of fully-enclosed with a solid and/or wire roof but risks social problems because subordinate hens need to be able to pass the dominant hens at a respectful distance.
• 12 square feet of ventilation.
• 3 nest boxes.

While these numbers are generally considered *guidelines* rather than hard-and-fast *rules*, they are also generally considered minimums.

 

[Tundrawooky]

Where is that data from? I'd like take a look.

 

[Tundrawooky]

1 sqare foot per chicken is what I've always used, but mine just sleep in the coop and live outside all day