Need help building a coop

[lissalischicks]

My biggest recommendation is do not buy those pre made chicken coops. They say they are built for 4-6 chickens but their chickens must be the size of squirrels because there is no way 4-6 chickens would fit comfortable (IMO) They also assume you will free range. Quality wise they are not great either. I ended up building my own which is something I always recommend. I don't know about building for around $200 as mine cost an arm and a leg to build but I have seen people build with scrap wood and free pallets they got. My friend bought a big pre made wooden shed. Then added windows and ventilation. He attached a covered run so when it rained they would have shelter.
Other thing.... like @FlyingNunFarm chicken math is real ( especially for those who keep chickens as pets and for eggs.) Better to build bigger if possible.

No matter what you do ... make it predator proof.

I have a 4x4 hen house and the run is about 12 x 16. My hen house literally is a box.
I used the nesting box plans from home depot https://blog.homedepot.com/free-plans-for-an-awesome-chicken-coop/ (but not the house.)

Here is a pix of my coop and it works for me. My girls do free range and we have added an automatic door opener. (life saver) Right now I have plastic sheeting covering the coop because we get gust of winds in the 60s but I take it off after winter is essentially over.

 

[Roley]

You didn't mention the breeds so I'm giving numbers for standard birds. If you have bantams (or giants) you'll need to scale down/up.

How large will the housing need to be for 4-5 chickens? dimensions? Does anyone have plans they would be willing to share? Please help!
Assuming that 5 is the max you plan on having (i.e. you're restricted to 5 so you can't get more even if you wanted) then 20 sq ft would be the minimum I'd recommend. A little extra space is always preferable if you have room/budget for it.

* Will I still need an attached run even if I plan on free ranging during the day? Although it would be nice if I have to run out of town for the weekend.
A run is good for the reason you mentioned, also to keep them out of the way if you're working on the yard and just don't want them in the way, or for predator protection in case you're having issues with a predator hanging around.

* What are some things I need to pay close attention to? How much ventilation will I need for our hot climate while keeping chicks protected?
As you're in a hotter climate I'd go way over the minimum recommendation (which is 10% of floor space or 1 sq ft bird). Depending on the build site and your wind/rain direction(s) I'd probably have at least 1 wall mostly open, and part of the other walls as well. Your lows aren't cold at all so you really only need enough solid walls to protect them from wind and rain.

* How thick does the roost have to be?
If round, I'd go a little over 2" in diameter. If flat, a 2x4 is fine.

* Dimension suggestions on nesting boxes? How many?
12" cubed would be the smallest I'd go. Mine are 15" cubed, so they have some wiggle room in there.

Wow! rosemarythyme, this has been most helpful. Thank you!

I have 2-Black Australorps, 1 Buff Orpington, and 1 Barred Rock. Our neighbors lost 5 chickens, leaving 1 other Barred Rock behind and I'm thinking she will inevitably join the flock (once the babies get a little bigger). That makes 5 total. Based on your advise, I think I will plan for 6 and go for 30-36 sqft.

As for venting, it will be tricky because although we have the heat here, we also have to take into consideration the daily heavy/sideways rain, as well as possible hurricanes. In addition to top vents, maybe I can create a contraption where the side walls flip open for hot days and secure shut during rain and storms.

Your help has lifted a great weight off our shoulders, I was racking my brain trying to figure out what we need. Thank you!

My babies:

 

[Doc7]

I agree, find free lumber and spend your money on hardware cloth. I built my coop, 4x6 for 6 hens, from boxes that were getting thrown in the trash.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Based on your advise, I think I will plan for 6 and go for 30-36 sqft.

As for venting, it will be tricky because although we have the heat here, we also have to take into consideration the daily heavy/sideways rain, as well as possible hurricanes. In addition to top vents, maybe I can create a contraption where the side walls flip open for hot days and secure shut during rain and storms.

If you end up needing to buy lumber for the project, the economical size for your projected flock would be 4x8 (32 sq ft) as most lumber comes in 8' increments, so that'll save some time and money by reducing scrap.

I really like the sort of coop design on post #8 from Alaskan due to all the open walls. If weather is a concern, you could try using plywood, plastic panels or plastic sheeting that's removable to help cover up some of it to protect against winds and rain. I've seen folks use everything from shower curtains to tarps as temporary covers. Or you could close it up a bit more and use large awning style windows or panels (that open out from bottom up) as those will help sheet off rain while the windows stay open.

 

[Jim Wellman]

Here's my build video.

MSG me and I'll send you a crude sketch of my build. I just drew it out on paper, went to Lowes, and got after it.

Here's a full playlist that may help you in choosing how to setup your coop and run with feeders and waterers. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder.67218/

Now to your questions:
my questions are as follows, if I am building my own coop:
** Most importantly: How large will the housing need to be for 4-5 chickens? dimensions? Does anyone have plans they would be willing to share? Please help! In the city in which I live (NE Florida), they require 3 square feet per bird; not including the egg box. 5x3=15 sq ft. A 3'x5' coop would suffice, but it's easier to build out of a full sheet of plywood without as many cuts in it. Therfore, make it 4x5 or larger.

* Will I still need an attached run even if I plan on free ranging during the day? Although it would be nice if I have to run out of town for the weekend. A full run is a must; expecially if you're headed out of town. Watch my vids if you haven't and build a run similar and you'll thank yourself. After a few minor adjustments since making the videos, I can leave for 2 weeks and my birds will be fine with food, water, shelter, and safety. I also installed cameras inside my coop and run so I can watch the show from anywhere.

* What are some things I need to pay close attention to? How much ventilation will I need for our hot climate while keeping chicks protected? Your birds will need lots of ventilation here in FL. Something I recently installed was a small fan inside the coop. My reason for that was to combat No See Ums, but it will come in handy in the summer. Installing a good sized vent on either side of the coop should do the trick. There is a slight gap between my roof and my walls, so that allows lots of heat to escape and air to flow.

* How thick does the roost have to be? People build roosts out of thick branches and skinny boards. I'd say the skinny side of a 2x4 (1.5") is a good size.

* Dimension suggestions on nesting boxes? How many?
For my 8 birds I have 3 boxes about 12"W x 15"L x 12"H.

 

[Jim Wellman]

I'd never suggest building something I've not made myself. That being said, the (difficult to build and water collecting) feeder my previous post directs you to was not typed by me. What you're directed to would fill with water in our Florida rains and totally waste the food inside. Only go with a design that is not waterproof if you plan to feed in a waterproof area.
I suggest building your feeder/s with a few things in mind:
make it as waterproof as possible,
make it large to allow a good number of days away from having to refill it,
make it difficult for rodents or other critters to access (rodents and roaches),
build the feed tray large enough for all your birds to access it at once.
In "My Coop", you'll see what I'm using as feeders. My feeders and waterers are very easy to build, cheap, and the feeder has been through lots of rain here in FL without getting wet and ruining the feed. The walls of the portion of the feeder holding the feed are about 1.5 inches to 2 inches high, which prevent spillage and the bucket over the feed tray protects the feed from water dripping off the bucket, as long as the feed tray portion is smaller in diameter than the base of the bucket.
Just build a new feeder (because it's fun), but I used a 5 gallon bucket (clear with volume marks up the side) and 2" of the base of a 2 gallon bucket. I like this one better because it allows for more birds to eat at once. In your case, you'll not need too much space for your 4 or 5 birds.

Also build for hurricanes. You wouldn't want your birds flying down the road against their will when the next Irma comes through. I use Irma as an example because Irma did a number on my neighborhood.

 

[Roley]

Here's my build video.

MSG me and I'll send you a crude sketch of my build. I just drew it out on paper, went to Lowes, and got after it.

Here's a full playlist that may help you in choosing how to setup your coop and run with feeders and waterers. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-waste-free-funnel-bucket-feeder.67218/

Now to your questions:
my questions are as follows, if I am building my own coop:
** Most importantly: How large will the housing need to be for 4-5 chickens? dimensions? Does anyone have plans they would be willing to share? Please help! In the city in which I live (NE Florida), they require 3 square feet per bird; not including the egg box. 5x3=15 sq ft. A 3'x5' coop would suffice, but it's easier to build out of a full sheet of plywood without as many cuts in it. Therfore, make it 4x5 or larger.

* Will I still need an attached run even if I plan on free ranging during the day? Although it would be nice if I have to run out of town for the weekend. A full run is a must; expecially if you're headed out of town. Watch my vids if you haven't and build a run similar and you'll thank yourself. After a few minor adjustments since making the videos, I can leave for 2 weeks and my birds will be fine with food, water, shelter, and safety. I also installed cameras inside my coop and run so I can watch the show from anywhere.

* What are some things I need to pay close attention to? How much ventilation will I need for our hot climate while keeping chicks protected? Your birds will need lots of ventilation here in FL. Something I recently installed was a small fan inside the coop. My reason for that was to combat No See Ums, but it will come in handy in the summer. Installing a good sized vent on either side of the coop should do the trick. There is a slight gap between my roof and my walls, so that allows lots of heat to escape and air to flow.

* How thick does the roost have to be? People build roosts out of thick branches and skinny boards. I'd say the skinny side of a 2x4 (1.5") is a good size.

* Dimension suggestions on nesting boxes? How many?
For my 8 birds I have 3 boxes about 12"W x 15"L x 12"H.

WOW! This is incredible. Thanks for sharing. I would love to see the plans if you have some time to send those to me. I may modify slightly as your coop and run are so amazing! I can't begin to tell how helpful your video and responses have been! Thank you!!!!

 

[Roley]

Sorry for the delayed response, I've been spending time caring for a sick 2 year old. She's felling much better now .
I wanted to thank everyone who took valuable time out of their day to share ideas, tips and details with me about building this coop. It's been extremely helpful and my chicks will certainly appreciate it . We have scavenged around town and found what I believe to be plenty of wood to build our coop, yippee! Still need to get the hardware cloth and such but I think we have a pretty good idea of what we want. Hopefully we can start building tomorrow or the next day, I'm sure my chickies are itching to get into a bigger space. I try to take them out daily but it's not nearly long enough for them. Our neighbor has a lone chicken and I'm afraid she will attack if I leave them out for too long. She's already tried once :/.

I can't thank everyone enough for all your help! I will post pictures of our progress.
Please feel free to keep the tips coming though