Need help in designing new Coop for next year

SteveMadonnaJ

In the Brooder
May 1, 2016
44
3
34
A little info on what I have, and what my plans are. Currently my wife and I have 8 Rhode Island Pullets that are 4 weeks old. I have a coop and run already built for them, However, if everything goes as planned, I will be adding at least 5 new chicks every year for a steady stream of eggs. That is where I need the help.

Over the next year I want to build a bigger and better coop. According to what I have read on site, coop space needs to be 4 sq. ft. per bird. I am thinking of a 8'x16' coop for a total space of 128 sq. ft. I will use approximately 20 sq. ft. for storage, so that moves chick space to 108. I am also thinking of having either 6 or 8 nesting boxes.

The run I have now is a 10'x10' dog lot, which I will be adding more panels when I can find them on sale.

Any ideas?
Any suggestions?
What is the advantage of using linoleum flooring?

Anything will help and thank you in advance.
 
A little info on what I have, and what my plans are. Currently my wife and I have 8 Rhode Island Pullets that are 4 weeks old. I have a coop and run already built for them, However, if everything goes as planned, I will be adding at least 5 new chicks every year for a steady stream of eggs. That is where I need the help.

Over the next year I want to build a bigger and better coop. According to what I have read on site, coop space needs to be 4 sq. ft. per bird. I am thinking of a 8'x16' coop for a total space of 128 sq. ft. I will use approximately 20 sq. ft. for storage, so that moves chick space to 108. I am also thinking of having either 6 or 8 nesting boxes.

The run I have now is a 10'x10' dog lot, which I will be adding more panels when I can find them on sale.

Any ideas?
Any suggestions?
What is the advantage of using linoleum flooring?

Anything will help and thank you in advance.
I would read up on poop boards. It is my favorite feature I built into my coop. Also, the need for lots(!) of ventilation but no drafts near the coop. I like a coop that is a bit raised so they have shade and shelter under it while outside in inclimate weather, but that I can walk in(or that has lots of hinged sides for access and cleaning.
There are tons of pictures, ideas, and even full plans linked on the home page. It is great for ideas and researching what works for you.
I put clearance tile in my walk in coop floor and in the base or the poop board. I used some harder plastic sheeting under the roosts in the poop board for the tractor coops. The sand and pdz on that is as easy as a litter box. My next project are some feeders I can fill from the outside on the raised coops, and bucket feeders for the run of the main coop so I don't have to feed every day. Then a rain water horizontal nipple set up for all but winter.
I have rambled enough good luck!
 
Best boxes three birds easily per box so you can have fewer and save the space. Raise them off the floor 18" with a bar 2x4 bar in front to get up and down this will save the floor space if you have winters where they are confined to the coop.
 
After 15 years of chicken keeping and 4 coops, I am finally getting a coop/run that is designed by and for me. I like to keep around a dozen or so chickens at a time. Space is an issue for us as we are on a small 1/4 acre property. I can tell you what works for me. You will ultimately have to do research and see which features you think you will like to have or need in your coop.

Our coop will be built in our enclosed garden area and onto the outside walls where our shed and garage walls meet. This will only allow us to make our coop 5' by 7' because I do not want to disturb the fencing and gate that currently run from the edge of the garage wall across the front of our yard. The garage wall measures 5' from the corner to the gate and the shed wall is 6' from the corner to the shed door. It will have a run attached and it will be covered with a shed roof that is 7' at the back and 6' at the front. Rain gutters will be installed on the lower front side of the shed roof for rain water harvesting for our garden.

The run will be covered in hardware cloth and then lattice. They will get the lovely morning sun on the front side of their coop and run. We will grow vines up the south side of the run for summer shade and the current fence on the west side of the run will protect the run from wind and snow. The coop will have 4 external nest boxes that are built into a door in the coop wall. I will be able to access the nest boxes from an outside trap door or open the whole coop door if I want to for extra ventilation at night or for cleaning.

We will be going back from sand and poop boards to the deep litter method in the coop and the run. I am tired of my coop looking like a giant litter box and having to scoop poop every single day of my life. The deep litter method will provide me with material for my compost pile and then compost for my garden.

Good luck with your project. There is tons of info on this board to help you out.
 
We have been very happy with our design, how simple it was to construct, and how well it stands up to wild Wyoming wind and snow loads. And the best part is that it so easily expandable - we already did it once. We are two old folks, both with some degree of disability, and we were able to build the run all by ourselves in no time flat.









 
12 of the 16'cattle panels, 7' x 50' inside height is close to 6'. I hadn't measured height.
400

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400


PS. I like blooies better.
 
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A little info on what I have, and what my plans are. Currently my wife and I have 8 Rhode Island Pullets that are 4 weeks old. I have a coop and run already built for them, However, if everything goes as planned, I will be adding at least 5 new chicks every year for a steady stream of eggs. That is where I need the help.

Over the next year I want to build a bigger and better coop. According to what I have read on site, coop space needs to be 4 sq. ft. per bird. I am thinking of a 8'x16' coop for a total space of 128 sq. ft. I will use approximately 20 sq. ft. for storage, so that moves chick space to 108. I am also thinking of having either 6 or 8 nesting boxes.

The run I have now is a 10'x10' dog lot, which I will be adding more panels when I can find them on sale.

Any ideas?
Any suggestions?
What is the advantage of using linoleum flooring?

Anything will help and thank you in advance.
Plan on being able to split coop into two sections with separate people doors and even a separate run.....
....one of the best design decisions I made, it has been fantastic for introducing new chicks every year.
I like vinyl sheet flooring.......take a look at My Coop page for all the details
 

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