Need feedback (trouble shoot) on my new coop

[Zahboo]

That's way too small, beautiful and nicely put together, but for 6 birds in 9 sq foot, you'll have picking and feather pulling. I like it though! Maybe use it as a tractor for new chicks or quarentine?

 

[AngieChick]

Very cute, sensible design. I think you can have 4-5 girls in there fine, with some free range time. Eventually you may want to figure out a way to cover the run, as the coop is too small for your girls to hang out in during the rain. They will be fine in it at night or for egg laying time, though.

I agree that you will want to upgrade to hardware cloth if raccoons are in your area, they can get right through the chicken wire and into your hen house. They are clever and persistent.

If there isn't ventilation in there, you will want to saw a space out for it. Otherwise, you did great! It looks quite cozy and well constructed.

 

[Chickendummy]

UPDATE!

Thanks for all of the good advice. I decided to go with only 3 hens. After only a week they're laying with mixed results. I think that there is enough room for 4 hens, but I wanted to avoid problems with overcrowding. I cut a window into one side wall for additional ventilation. The girls will eat all the time if I let them, so I take out the feeder around 10am, and let them sort through scratch that I put on the ground. I let them have it back in the afternoon. They've just about torn up all of the grass which I rake each morning to keep down the flies. It can get hot here (Modesto, CA.) in the summer, but now it's cold and raining. I have a sheet covering the run, because the girls were just standing in the rain. I guess I'll need something less permeable. They dutifully go into the coop at night and have their choice of places to crash.

Thanks again.

CD.