My flock just outgrew my coop.

[Acre4Me]

but do offer some needed shade in the summer.

Nice! Sounds like a good spot!

side of the coop and wetting the straw in the bottom of it

You might want to elevate the bottom a bit and use more of a deep litter setup. maybe just adding a 2x4 along the bottom to keep in the deep litter. Straw doesn't absorb moisture very well and tends to mold, so you might want to go with sandy, loose dirt (adding some clean wood ash for dust bath purposes - to help control parasites like lice and mites).

 

[danceswithronin]

Just be aware that sheds require some definite modifications to have proper ventilation. Being in the south, you will want a lot of ventilation, yet keep birds free from drafts. Also, not sure I would use a metal building unless it could be placed in a shady area - but in reality, you're in the south ...in AL...in a hot and humid climate...so any structure will benefit from being placed in the shade, if at all possible!

If I used a metal building it would definitely be in full shade, but metal in full shade down here can still get very hot. I'll look and see what is available locally though, we have a shed store right next door to my office so I can check and see what they have.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

Yeah I know the coop is definitely too small, but I actually don't use the attached wire run on the coop for the chickens (except as kind of a "front porch" area for them) I have a run built out of wrought iron fencing (with more avian netting tied into the wrought iron all the way around so they can't stick their heads/body parts through the fencing) panels that is about 20 feet by 24 feet. So about 480 square feet minus the area for the coop itself.

I don't know how I overlooked the size of the coop when I was ordering more chickens even as I took the run space into account, I'm an idiot. I could have had this built out already if I'd thought ahead, I had weeks and weeks to prepare. :/

You’re not an idiot! I think when they show those coops in the photos, they make them look so much bigger and also the recommendations for the chicken number is usually way off!At least in my opinion.

 

[danceswithronin]

You’re not an idiot! I think when they show those coops in the photos, they make them look so much bigger and also the recommendations for the chicken number is usually way off!At least in my opinion.

It actually worked out fine for four short petite bantams, but I think my Black Jersey Giant is gonna be too tall to even fit into the bottom level of that thing, lol. And the other standards will just be too floofy and crowded.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

It actually worked out fine for four short petite bantams, but I think my Black Jersey Giant is gonna be too tall to even fit into the bottom level of that thing, lol. And the other standards will just be too floofy and crowded.

Lol! Yep, I agree!

 

[danceswithronin]

Well I decided I am rehoming the bantam silkies, and me and my dad are building a custom 8x8ft chicken house! We are also doubling the size of our run to roughly 116 square feet (minus the space inside the coop). That should be plenty of room for my remaining six chickens plus a little extra room to expand. I still REALLY want a couple of breeds, like the Dominique or Silver Spangled Appenzeller.