My Design -- looking for advice before I build!

[kimf]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=570606

this is a thread talking about sand. "river sand" is what I was told but can't find it. We have beach sand, play sand, even volley ball sand. Someone else recommended "paver sand" which I can locate as well. Good luck.

 

[LiLRedCV]

Might I suggest adding some large doors for easy cleaning access? I have 4 set ups and my most FAV is one we built summer 2010 (4' W x 8' L x 5' H @ peak) where I can easily access the front and the nests without squeezing into a tight spot to get the job done. There's no extreme bending over either!


FRONT ACCESS OF COOP WE BUILT SUMMER 2010 - DOORS NOT ADDED YET

ACCESS TO NESTING AREA OF COOP WE BILT SUMMER 2010

 

[Titus2Woman]

Ok so I am back at the drawing board! Whew this is hard work! LOL! Hubby and I have been talking and we wonder if it would be better to build a 4x4 (which from what I have seen can still house 6 chickens)... in part to help them stay warm in the winter and in part to keep the neighbors happy... BUT I have a question... how do you fit all the stuff in there? How do you fit the food and the water and the roost in there (I plan on exterior nests to give more floor space) and still fit the chickens? And won't they be cramped in the winter when it is cold and they don't want to come out in the snow?

 

[Cargo]

4x4 is small for 6 hens if you get any snow. You really want to build the coop as large as you can the first time around. 4sf per hen is a minimum in the coop, not the recommended amount of space. #1 regret folks have after building a coop is that they did not make it bigger.

 

[Titus2Woman]

AHHHHH now I am back up to my 4x8 plans! ha ha! Well, I would rather learn all this BEFORE I build!

 

[Titus2Woman]

Has anyone ordered plans from mypetchicken.com? They have one there that is just what I want but I am not sure if I want to spend the $30 on the plans or wing it...

 

[rpchris]

Here's my suggestions:

1) Place the coop where it is safe and easy for you to get to. You'll be going out there a lot, in all weather to feed and water them or let out in the morning and lock them in at night.

2) Place the coop and run where there is good drainage and run off. You don't want them living in a mud puddle each time it rains.

3) Place it far enough from your neighbors so if they do complain you don't end up having to drag a finished coop across the yard. Some city codes state the minimum distance it must be from a neighboring house.

4) Place the coop where it will have protection from the wind and blowing snow in the winter and have shade in the summer.

5) Design the coop and run so you can get to ALL areas of it easily. Again, you will be getting in and out of it more often than you might imagine. Whether to clean, change out food and water, or just retrieve the eggs from that one hen that refuses to use the oh-so-convenient nest box you spent days designing for her.

6) Design it with doors that swing open rather than hatches that lift. Hatches can be heavy, difficult to lift and secure. You don't want anything that could swing down and knock you in the head.

7) If it is a small coop, design it so you can reach all areas inside without climbing into the coop. If it is a large coop, make sure it has enough headroom that you can easily get in the coop and move around without stooping. Same with the run.

8) Design for easy poop removal. That could be poop trays under the roosts or a litter tray that you can take out and clean.

9) If you have predators in your area, find out what kind and design to keep them out. Dogs, cats, snakes, hawks, raccoons all have their own unique abilities. Raccoons can open latches. Dogs can tear through chicken wire. Snakes can get into small openings. Hawks are death from above.

10) Design the coop with at least 4 sq feet for each standard sized bird and 3 sq feet for each bantam that you ultimately want to have. Design the run with at least 10 sq feet per bird. The more space the better. Imagine children in the backseat of a car on a long trip and you get the idea.

11) Be sure the coop is well ventilated. 1 sq ft per bird, minimum.

12) Some people recommend NOT using cedar when building a coop. It has something to do with the oils or resins that affect their respiratory system and lead to weakened immune systems.

13) Also, many places will require you to obtain a building permit and inspections for a structure over a certain sq footage. This can be a real pain, especially if you are building this yourself. Check with the city and plan to stay under that size if possible.

Anything else?

 

[rpchris]

Quote:
I'd be careful with plans or pre-built coops off the internet. Many are really undersized for the number of chickens they claim to house. I saw plans here for a "minimal coop" that looked pretty good as a starting point. It seemed easy to build and had a minimal number of cuts. You could probably search the discussion group for it.

You mentioned that you were getting scrap lumber? If that is the case, then plans may not do you much good since they specify so many full length pieces of lumber, etc. I doubt a builder will be giving away full sheets of plywood or 8' 2x4s. Better to improvise a plan based on what you have to work with.

If you are looking for a smaller coop that might fit into a residential neighborhood, feel free to look at my plans for any ideas. The link is in my signature.

 

[Daisy8s]

You asked about poop disposal. Here is what I am doing. I made the floor of my coop into my compost pile. I throw in all kitchen scraps that would normally go into a compost pile (no meat or dairy). I built the coop on a dirt floor, added about 4 inches of woodchips and sawdust to start, and every few months I throw in just enough dirt or lawn clippings to cover the floor. Because the chickens scratch around in this litter for the food scraps they constantly turn things over--hence turning UNDER the fresh manure. This really helps with the smell. I will clean it out once a year in the spring and put it directly into my garden.

I have a 4x6 coop for 2 full sized hens and 3 bantams. I wouldn't want to have any less space inside. They also have a 26' x 20' outside run and, since they can fly over my short fence, they're completely free-range (bad news for my strawberries but good news for happy chickens!). I built the fence to keep my dogs out, not to keep the chickens in, but then I have the privilege of a rural setting.

The most important design factor for me was building my coop so that I do not have to go in where the chickens are. There is a separate section for me to stand in when I open their outside door (on a pulley). I open an interior door to fill their food and water and have the back of the nesting boxes open onto this people section to collect eggs. Since I'm using such deep litter and compost I really didn't want to stand in that to let them out, feed or water them, or collect eggs.

One suggestion--we built the coop coming out the back of the garage. We cut a door in the back wall and then built the coop as a lean-to. I LOVE this set-up since it means we aren't walking through rain/snow to get to the chickens yet they're farther away from our house. Also, it looks very nice as we had leftover siding so the coop matches the garage as if it were a lean-to shed.

Be aware of the smell. I grew up on a farm and poultry are the worst smelling of any animals, really. In summer your neighbors will be very unhappy with you if it is upwind of their house. You'll have to remove the poop often and have a way to dispose of it...or cover it frequently with sawdust, dirt, lawn clippings, etc.

Last recommendation--ventilation! Especially where you live. Chickens are far more susceptible to heat than cold. Of course there are breeds more suited to cold vs heat but, where you live with both cold winters and very hot summers (I lived near there for 4 years) I'd say the heat of summer may be your worse culprit. Chickens will happily go outside in the snow. But think about down insulation in coats and douvets--down and feathers are warm! Besides, you can easily add a heat lamp in winter but an air conditioner in summer isn't so feasible! Even in winter they need good ventilation as the ammonia will build up and condensation can cause frost bite.

Back to my childhood on the farm--the happiest animals were in barns with the best air flow, even in northern Michigan in winter. Avoid drafts (direct air on them) but be sure hot (and hence moist) air can escape out the roof ridge or under the eaves.

Good luck! I got back into chickens for my childrens' sake. It's a favorite family activity to watch the chickens--they are amazingly entertaining!

 

[Titus2Woman]

Quote:
Wow... I read so many people saying they have no smell at all! I have neighbors in every direction of me... SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE DOWNWIND!!! This will make my husband VERY nervous and could kill my entire plans...

but it is better to find out now than after I have put all the time into building it...

Quote:
Hmm... I was looking at cold hardy varieties of chickens... it sounds like if we still do this that perhaps I should look at heat friendly varieties... I have been looking at rocks, wyandottes and sussex...