Looking for Help/ Ideas for Coop

[turtle1173]

This is my first post and I'm looking forward to being a part of this group. My family and I recently decided to get some chickens. I spent a weekend making a home for our new chicks. We have 10 in all.

Well, that was a month ago and I realize I've got to get working on this coop, as they will quickly be outgrowing their present enclosure.

There is a ton of info on this site and some others. Yet, it's hard to digest it all and come up with what I need. So I seek your advice/ help.

I'm thinking of something in the 8'x8' range for my chicken house. We have a fenced in yard (chain link) but I figure I need to make a fenced run area also. After all, we'll likely go away for a couple days here and there, LOL.

I would like some simple ideas and definitely some pics if you have them. A list of needed materials would be very helpful. Lowe's is having a lumber sale this weekend also

I'll have to post some pics soon, maybe in another section. For now though we have 2 Plymouth white rocks, 2 California whites, 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 New Hamshire red, 1 Production Red, 1 Black Sex Link, 1 Buff Orphington, and 1 Bantam (which I'm not sure the kind).

My wife and I and especially our two kids (8 and 5) are having a great time with this.

Thanks for any and all info!

Shane

 

[whatnow?]

I'm trying to leverage the ideas that have come out of this site, also. I've found that, regardless of the amount of time I spent planning, the coop ended up going a totally different direction. There are some clever and some practical tricks for feeders, waterers, pop hole openers, easing the cleaning process, predator proofing, you name it.

Not all of the coops are in the coop pages. Some are on the personal pages of the members, so don't forget to check those out, too.

I'm pretty new, too, so I feel like a guest still, but I suppose it's O.K. to say "Welcome!"

 

[turtle1173]

Thank you for the Welcome.

What would be the minimum size for a coop with 10 chickens? Seems like I read 4 square feet per chicken. I'm not building a "minimum" setup but that would give me an idea of the necessities. I was thinking 8'x8' which would be 64 sq. ft.

How big of a run do I need to build? Understand that my birds will have the run of our yard most of the time. Again we have a chain link fenced in back yard. However, there will be times, no doubt, when they will need to stay in their area. How big should this area be for them?

The lumber sale at Lowe's ends tomorrow, so I've got to figure out what I need.

Thanks for you help.

Shane

 

[RoostersCrow]

Quote:
Sizedepends a lot on your setup... cooped all the time, run useable all the time, etc.... No one right answer. Four ft sq per bird is generous, especially if you have a nice run/yard...

In my opinion that is.


BTW..... Welcome to the madness and the board...

 

[cjeanean]

Well, I also am new, only been here for about 2 months. All I can really suggest is that you keep in mind that you will need to have access to whatever coop you build for egg collection and cleaning, so you may want to make it tall enough to get in to, or design it in a way that gives it easy access. Also, slant the roof AWAY from the run, even with just a slight slant, so that when it rains all the water doesn't end up in the run. Yes, standard is 4 ft per chicken, but anywhere around that number is acceptable. I base it on 2.5 to 3.5 sq ft per chicken. Also, something brought it to my attention to factor in roost space. For example, I have 128 sq ft in my coop of floor space, but I have 40 sq ft of roost space. For the run, factor 7-10 sq ft of space per chicken. Of course, due to the addictive nature of chickens, make the run as huge as you can!!!! Nest boxes have been the only thing I had problems deciding about. I wanted to use milk crates until I discovered how expensive the cheap versions are from wal-mart. Someone posted on here a picture showing 5 gal buckets turned on their sides for nest boxes. That, to me, was a very good idea, especially since those buckets are free from most places that have a bakery (walmart, price chopper, hyvee, etc) or at most $1. Hope this helps!!!!

Christina

 

[zippychickens]

I would agree, make the run as big as you can because you may decide to add more chickens plus they really need room to roam. My run is a little on the small side so Im going to be adding on. It is 10x12 for 16 chickens. I also have a 12x 15 enclosure inside the barn they can access which is where the nest boxes and roost is. But they love being outside and 10x12 is to small. I have a 2x4 for the roost and they love the stability of it. I also would most certainly make the run tall enough to walk in to. Mine is just 6 ft. so that my DH can walk in if he wants.

 

[jimnjay]

I would like to add my welcome. Keep in mind that chickens make lots of droppings per day. The smaller the run the more clean up. Make the run as big as your space will allow. I have several that are 10x20 for 5 chickens and that to my mind is a perfect size. I live where it rains allot and most of the area still has grass after four years of chickens being confined in the area. You will have less fighting and picking problems with more space as well. I have neighbors that have 5 chickens in 1/4 that much space and they seem to be fine. It depends on your situation as mentioned.

 

[turtle1173]

Do you have any suggestions for a coop plan in the 8'x8' range? I like wooden_pony's Coop in the small coup section. It looks fairly simple until the roofing part, then it starts looking real complicated. I imagine I'll start with that and see how it goes unless I get the urge to go a different direction, LOL

Keep the ideas coming!!