Need coop suggestions

[BetsyKinnamon]

Hi guys! Looking for suggestions on a new chicken coop. Would love to hear which brands everyone loves. We have a coop now which is an outbuilding that we turned into a coop with a very large run which is great! However, I have 5 babies now. 4 of which are Silkies. To say I’m attached to these kids is an understatement. I want something safe and just for them when they are ready to be outside. I’m hoping to add my first and favorite hen, Margalo, to this group… if she does well with them. So I’ll need room for 6. She is small but not quite as small as my Silkies will be. I’ve read a lot about Omelet coops. Does anyone here have one?

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

If you or your family members have any talent as handymen at all I would absolutely NOT buy any kind of prefab coop. They are almost universally too small and lacking in adequate ventilation and all of them claim to hold 2-3 times as many chickens as should actually be kept in them. Some prefabs are so utterly unsuited for housing any number of chickens at all that the ad photos actually show TOY CHICKENS instead of real, adult birds.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 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.

So for 6 chickens you need:

• 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop.
• 6 feet of roost
• 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
• 6 square feet of ventilation.
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice.

Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters, particuarly when building a coop.

 

[BetsyKinnamon]

Welcome to BYC.

If you or your family members have any talent as handymen at all I would absolutely NOT buy any kind of prefab coop. They are almost universally too small and lacking in adequate ventilation and all of them claim to hold 2-3 times as many chickens as should actually be kept in them. Some prefabs are so utterly unsuited for housing any number of chickens at all that the ad photos actually show TOY CHICKENS instead of real, adult birds.

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 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.

So for 6 chickens you need:

• 24 square feet in the coop. 4'x6' is the only really practical build for this given the common dimensions of lumber. If you can't walk into it, put the access door in the middle of the long side to make sure you can reach all areas of the coop.
• 6 feet of roost
• 60 square feet in the run. 6'x10' or 8'x8'.
• 6 square feet of ventilation.
• 2 nest boxes, to give the hens a choice.

Where, in general, are you located? Climate matters, particuarly when building a coop.

Thank you! I live in Southern Ohio.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you! I live in Southern Ohio.

So moderately hot summers and cold winters, right? (I grew up in Pittsburgh). That will make it important to have plenty of ventilation up high to vent the summer heat but prevent drafts in the winter.

I'm not knowledgeable about Silkies' care needs but I know that there's a huge, active thread in the breeds section for Silkie lovers: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/silkies-they’re-simply-spectacular.1334299/

When jumping into a long-running thread I like to read the past month or so to see what people have been talking about before I ask my questions. I'm sure the Silkie lovers here at BYC will steer you right.

 

[fishygirl25]

I have a omelet cube for my flock of four. It is plastic and very easy to clean. The coop is a good size for four chickens. I brought the 9 foot run and ordered a 3 foot extension. The worse part for me is the very short height for the run. I have to sit down and swing my butt to get into the run. A walk in run is available but very expensive. All of the omlet products are expensive.

 

[CKfarm22]

Hi guys! Looking for suggestions on a new chicken coop. Would love to hear which brands everyone loves. We have a coop now which is an outbuilding that we turned into a coop with a very large run which is great! However, I have 5 babies now. 4 of which are Silkies. To say I’m attached to these kids is an understatement. I want something safe and just for them when they are ready to be outside. I’m hoping to add my first and favorite hen, Margalo, to this group… if she does well with them. So I’ll need room for 6. She is small but not quite as small as my Silkies will be. I’ve read a lot about Omelet coops. Does anyone here have one?

What ever you decide to do, do not get an omelet cube. They’re pretty much only good for a brooder for new chicks and integrating them into your pre-existing flock.

 

[Ted Brown]

I live up in the great white north.

So moderately hot summers and cold winters, right? (I grew up in Pittsburgh). That will make it important to have...

 

[Ted Brown]

I suggest a Woods KD. Not traditional as it relies on venting via a large open front instead of roof level vents.

Cheap easy to build; scales easily 6' x 10', 8' x 12', 10' by 16'; up to 40 regular chickens w/requisite run space.

Perfect for your climate.