Right now my chicks are in the brooder hutch my dad built for me.
We have not started on the main coop but are fixing to.
We will be building a 12 ft x 12 ft coop with the option of adding a run for more room. It gets pretty hot here in the summer so the main part of the coop will be open (pretty simialar to a run), the north side will have the more solid looking structure. The door entry will open to the storage area that will house feed and supplies. The next door will lead into the main coop. the area behind the storage room will be the house area with the nest boxes and perchs. The main open area will also have perches. First we got to get the trenches dug that will have concrete poured into them to keep predators from digging under the coop. The plan is to use concrete blocks with the cement in the trenchs and to also build up a block wall that will raise the coop about 16" from the current ground. This is because the property is low and pretty much everything added needs to be built up. The area inside the block wall will be filled with sand. The only part of the coop that will have an actual floor will be the storage area. Working on the carport at the same time so we are trying to get both the concrete slab for the carport and the trench poured at the same time. once this is done we will be able to focus on getting the coop built.
We will keep it simple, but I do want to paint it. Just painting the coop can make a difference in how it looks. This plan may change a few times before we actually get started. Cost is important but making it predator proof is very important.
Dad said that this coop would be able to house up to 50 birds if I got that many.....I do need more to replace the ones I lost but not sure if I will get that many.....hmmm