TNChickMama
Hatching
- Apr 17, 2021
- 2
- 1
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We are looking to build a new coop for our flock of about 20 birds. I like the "loft" design I have seen quite a bit. Does anyone have plans or suggestions for a design similar to this?
Loft Coop Design
- Thread starter TNChickMama
- Start date
I’m not sure what you mean when you say a loft, but we added a loft to our run... There are three wide steps that lead up to it from the ground level. The loft is about four feet off the ground and the girls LOVE it!
Can you post a picture of a sketch so we can see what you're thinking of?
A flock of 20 will need a rather large coop. An 8x10 shed would be an option for that many birds.
A flock of 20 will need a rather large coop. An 8x10 shed would be an option for that many birds.
Never really heard of this term.....please post an example?
And......Welcome to BYC! @TNChickMama
I see you're in Tennessee but.....
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
That is like the first link in my post.
The one I linked has around 32 square feet of coop space.....and for 20 birds to roost comfortably as well as be easy for the human to tend them it is about half what is needed.
Yes opinions will vary on what size is best. The chickens will certainly let you know if they are to crowded. Often that involves feather picking, fights and potential injuries or disease break outs.
My advice will always be to build it bigger than you think you will need.
Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters, especially when building your coop.
Coop-run combinations with the coop portion elevated are very common and can be well-suited for many situations. However, the one in that particular sketch looks to have no meaningful ventilation at all. Additionally, it would be very difficult to clean since no one door allows access to the entire space and, if those support posts are 4 feet apart, it is far, far too small for 20 chickens.
Given the usual guidelines, each adult, standard-sized hen needs:
4 square feet in the coop,
10 square feet in the run,
1 linear foot of roost,
~1/4 of a nest box,
And 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.
Therefore, for 20 chickens you need:
80 square feet in the coop -- that's 8x10. 6x12 would be just a little tight, but probably manageable in a warm climate with an over-sized run.
200 square feet in the run -- 10x20 or 12x16. 8x25 isn't a very practical dimension in most situations.
20 linear feet of roost -- for larger flocks like this it's best to have roosts arranged so that dominant and subordinate birds can separate themselves.
5 nest boxes,
and 20 square feet of ventilation. How you can best provide this is one of those places where climate matters because though cold-climate chickens need as much air as hot-climate chickens it's harder to arrange it.
Coop-run combinations with the coop portion elevated are very common and can be well-suited for many situations. However, the one in that particular sketch looks to have no meaningful ventilation at all. Additionally, it would be very difficult to clean since no one door allows access to the entire space and, if those support posts are 4 feet apart, it is far, far too small for 20 chickens.
Given the usual guidelines, each adult, standard-sized hen needs:
4 square feet in the coop,
10 square feet in the run,
1 linear foot of roost,
~1/4 of a nest box,
And 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.
Therefore, for 20 chickens you need:
80 square feet in the coop -- that's 8x10. 6x12 would be just a little tight, but probably manageable in a warm climate with an over-sized run.
200 square feet in the run -- 10x20 or 12x16. 8x25 isn't a very practical dimension in most situations.
20 linear feet of roost -- for larger flocks like this it's best to have roosts arranged so that dominant and subordinate birds can separate themselves.
5 nest boxes,
and 20 square feet of ventilation. How you can best provide this is one of those places where climate matters because though cold-climate chickens need as much air as hot-climate chickens it's harder to arrange it.
Hi, welcome to the forum, glad you joined.
I don't have any plans. If you look under the "Articles" tab at the top of this page and look at the "coop" section you can find many plans, maybe something you like.
I don't have much faith in those hard and fast numbers for much of anything to do with chickens that you often see on the forum. If you follow the link in my signature you may see why. I understand the need for guidelines to give a starting place but those guidelines may be overkill for a lot of people but may not be enough for some. The guidelines are a starting point, not a law of nature. Each of us are unique in our climate, management methods, goals, flock make-up, and so many other things that just one number can't cover us all.
A lot of what you read on here are opinions or personal preferences. Some based on our experiences, some based on what we've read. What I'll give you is my opinion.
In my opinion, if you have more than 8 chickens I'd want a walk-in coop. One I can stand up in comfortably and have enough clear room around me to work. I believe you need access to be able to clean and maintain it, and maybe retrieve an egg or a chicken that doesn't want to be retrieved without me laying down in chicken poop. An easy way to inspect or treat a chicken is to take it off of the roost at night. To me a walk-in coop is so much more user friendly. I consider my comfort and convenience pretty important. I know, some personal preference there. I can't design a coop big enough for 20 chickens where I can easily access everything inside.
Where you live can have a big impact on coop and run design, mainly because of the weather. It looks like you want to build a coop and covered run. Great plan, many of us do that. Rain and snow can blow in from the sides, my chickens hate a cold wind hitting them in in winter. A covered run is great but if you get much winter weather you may need more shielding on the run sides or your coop my need to be even bigger. They may spend a lot of time in the coop only in winter.
Ventilation is important, summer and winter. I like overhang to give ventilation high up so any breezes are over their heads yet rain or snow doesn't get in. In your sketch I'd leave a big part of that front section of the coop open under that roof and cover it with hardware cloth to keep critters out.
I don't know if any of this is useful to you or not. Good luck and once again,
I don't have any plans. If you look under the "Articles" tab at the top of this page and look at the "coop" section you can find many plans, maybe something you like.
I don't have much faith in those hard and fast numbers for much of anything to do with chickens that you often see on the forum. If you follow the link in my signature you may see why. I understand the need for guidelines to give a starting place but those guidelines may be overkill for a lot of people but may not be enough for some. The guidelines are a starting point, not a law of nature. Each of us are unique in our climate, management methods, goals, flock make-up, and so many other things that just one number can't cover us all.
A lot of what you read on here are opinions or personal preferences. Some based on our experiences, some based on what we've read. What I'll give you is my opinion.
In my opinion, if you have more than 8 chickens I'd want a walk-in coop. One I can stand up in comfortably and have enough clear room around me to work. I believe you need access to be able to clean and maintain it, and maybe retrieve an egg or a chicken that doesn't want to be retrieved without me laying down in chicken poop. An easy way to inspect or treat a chicken is to take it off of the roost at night. To me a walk-in coop is so much more user friendly. I consider my comfort and convenience pretty important. I know, some personal preference there. I can't design a coop big enough for 20 chickens where I can easily access everything inside.
Where you live can have a big impact on coop and run design, mainly because of the weather. It looks like you want to build a coop and covered run. Great plan, many of us do that. Rain and snow can blow in from the sides, my chickens hate a cold wind hitting them in in winter. A covered run is great but if you get much winter weather you may need more shielding on the run sides or your coop my need to be even bigger. They may spend a lot of time in the coop only in winter.
Ventilation is important, summer and winter. I like overhang to give ventilation high up so any breezes are over their heads yet rain or snow doesn't get in. In your sketch I'd leave a big part of that front section of the coop open under that roof and cover it with hardware cloth to keep critters out.
I don't know if any of this is useful to you or not. Good luck and once again,
- Thread starter
- #6
TNChickMama
Hatching
- Apr 17, 2021
- 2
- 1
- 4
No, it is an open run with a coop at the back elevated off of the ground. I will try to post a link.
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