Must-Have and Underrated Coop Features

[Demonwolf37]

I'm going through bit of a rough few months, and when that happens it helps me to hyperfixate on some hopeful aspect of the future - in this case building my dream coop one day.

So while I'm thinking about and redesigning my dream coop in my head again, I figure I'd ask the community for some features that are must-have or underrated or underutilized.

With my current coop as the point of reference, a walk in coop with enough space for deep litter is a must for sure, so I'm designing with that in mind.

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Also, from an aesthetic stand point, considering the immense need for proper ventilation, can a gable (^ shaped) roof still provide proper ventilation, or does it need to be a slope (/ shaped) roof? Is there a way to vent a gable roof properly for chickens?

 

[NatJ]

I figure I'd ask the community for some features that are must-have or underrated or underutilized.

Some of my personal preferences:

I like the ability to divide the coop, to allow separate breeding groups, or brooding chicks in one section, or a broody hen, or isolate one that was injured or bullied, and so forth.

I've never had a poop board, and probably never will. I would rather let the droppings get mixed into the litter on the floor, rather than having to scoop something every day.

I like hanging feeders (the round tube kind), because they can be adjusted up or down as the chickens change size and the litter changes depth.

I like roost height to be between my waist and my shoulders. Lower bumps my legs and/or makes me trip, higher either bumps my head or is too high to reach the chickens. I also prefer not to lean over or under one roost to get chickens on a roost that is further away.

I have a strong preference for walk-in coops, with enough height that the litter can be piled deep without making me bump my head.

I also like a board across each door to keep the litter in, but it needs to be easy to remove at cleaning time (one screw in each end worked well enough.)

I like enough space to clean it out without bumping the handle of my rake (or other tool) on the walls. For a coop 4x8 feet, putting the door at the very end of one long side was not a good choice. The slightly-too-short roof didn't help either.

 

[chanceosunshine]

I’m sorry you’re having a rough time of it and hope things get better for you.

I like this thread though.

 

[Ebony Rose]

Electricity in the coop is a huge plus, even if it's just to run a light bulb. If you have a partition in the coop, with electricity, you can set up a brooding pen or even an 'incubation station'.

 

[saysfaa]

I consider divided space inside the building to be a must-have. In my case, I have the chicken area and an area that doubles as storage for chicken stuff and storage for garden stuff. My favorite parts of it is being able to open the doors without worrying about escapees and being able to set things down outside the chicken area but inside (out of the weather).

 

[RojoMarz]

How do you mean the area under the poop board? How high up is it off the ground?

Like junior67, we have heavy birds. Our poop board is 24" off the floor and there is a ramp.

 

[3KillerBs]

Also, from an aesthetic stand point, considering the immense need for proper ventilation, can a gable (^ shaped) roof still provide proper ventilation, or does it need to be a slope (/ shaped) roof? Is there a way to vent a gable roof properly for chickens?

Yes, it can be vented with a ridge vent, gable vents under a generous overhang, or with a monitor.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

As for must-haves, in my climate it's the vented nest boxes that you can see in my hot climate article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

And lots and lots of elbow room.

 

[Ridgerunner]

With my current coop as the point of reference, a walk in coop with enough space for deep litter is a must for sure, so I'm designing with that in mind.

Not just enough room for deep litter but enough room in there for you to be able to work and have some extra room for flexibility if something happens.

I made a couple of my nests so I could lock a hen in there if I needed to. That's come in handy for several different things.

I have electricity in the coop so I built in a 3' x 6' brooder under my droppings board. It's elevated and has a 1/2" hardware floor. The droppings fall straight through and are easy to clean, plus it keeps the brooder very dry. If I need a solid floor, say it is kind of cold, I put in a piece of plywood to cover the wire. With the wire floor it serves as a broody buster when it is not in use as a brooder. I can use it to isolate a chicken if I need to. With deep litter you probably don't need a droppings board but something to help manage the chickens can be really helpful.

I integrate a lot of chicks. I put a juvenile roost, lower than the main roosts, horizontally separated from the main roosts, and higher than the nests so the juveniles have a place to sleep that is not my nests.

My main suggestion, build it for your comfort and convenience, don't worry too much about the chickens. If you are comfortable in there they should do well.

 

[CaroleW]

I insist on removeable boards at thresholds of doors to keep the litter in, removeable for easy cleanout or to wheel in heavy stuff with wheelbarrow or dollie. You can stack the number of boards as litter gets deeper.

I'd also prefer the door to open out and be raised a bit also because the ground outside gets uneven sometimes or extra straw, rocks, etc. can bind up the door swinging.

 

[Folara]

Speaking to those in hot climates, I believe open air coops are a way underrated feature/option. I think the first image that comes to mind when envisioning a chicken coop is a 4-sided solid structure, but in so many areas it doesn't need to be totally solid (or at least not solid at all times). I live in a mountainous desert area where summers are 100+ degrees and winters will get below freezing, so one wall of my coop (inside the fully secured run) was made removable to become an open air coop in the summer but can still be enclosed during harsh winters. When designing this coop I also thought 4 solid walls were needed, but when we move off this mountain my next coop will definitely be fully open air!