Need help with combo design

[joymo]

Hello everyone! I'm brand new to chicken ownership and am looking to hire someone for help with drafting a design for a new coop. I currently have a double decker rabbit hutch with the rabbit up top and the hens down below but have plans to build them a new home.

Here's a bit more info:

I would like to design a hutch for my Mini Lop bunnies and my 2 Old English Game Bantam hens. I do not want them to connect, but I want them to be able to see/interact with one another. I'm thinking a central stacked covered area with a play run on either side of the unit would be ideal but I'm not sure if "design-wise" that is the best plan. I'm also very keen on a unit that can be separated for easy maneuvering to cleaning behind and under the home. Approximate size I'm planning for is roughly 96" L x 22" D x 48"H. I am in Hawaii so the weather is pretty mild here year-round and their home does currently get a few hours of the afternoon sun.

If anyone is willing to help, I'd love to connect with you! I have some ideas but would appreciate some experienced insight.

Thank you!

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice. Climate matters.

The coop section of the article area is huge and many of the coop pages have plans. How many birds are you planning to house?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Here's my collection of coop links for different sizes and styles:

Small Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dallas-urban-coop-single-slope-design.72422/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coreys-coop-de-doop.55619/

Medium Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-barn-red-and-white-coop-complete-build-photos.75458/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74322/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-song-music-factory.74019/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/perkolators-modern-chicken-estate-2019.75345/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-our-charming-and-eleggant-family-coop.77803/

Large Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/alaskan-woods-coop.75752/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.76267/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/post-and-beam-styled-coop-run.76181/reviews
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/le-palais-de-poulet-the-chicken-palace.67196/
https://countryliving.blog/2021/06/15/my-coop/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-kd-knock-down-10-by-16-coop-pictorial.75421/

Open Air Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-positive-local-action-coop.72804/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/california-living.68130/

Shed Conversions

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

Hoop Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-tractor.69336/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-coop-brooder-with-roll-up-sides.75720/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-biddie-bordello-a-hoop-coop-run-combo.72189/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/permanent-hoop-coop-guide.47818/

 

[joymo]

Welcome to BYC. If you put your general location into your profile people can give better-targeted advice. Climate matters.

The coop section of the article area is huge and many of the coop pages have plans. How many birds are you planning to house?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Here's my collection of coop links for different sizes and styles:

Small Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-little-monitor-coop.76275/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/dallas-urban-coop-single-slope-design.72422/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/yakisugi-coop.76398/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coreys-coop-de-doop.55619/

Medium Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-barn-red-and-white-coop-complete-build-photos.75458/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.74322/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/egg-song-music-factory.74019/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/perkolators-modern-chicken-estate-2019.75345/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-our-charming-and-eleggant-family-coop.77803/

Large Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/alaskan-woods-coop.75752/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-coop.76267/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/post-and-beam-styled-coop-run.76181/reviews
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/le-palais-de-poulet-the-chicken-palace.67196/
https://countryliving.blog/2021/06/15/my-coop/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-kd-knock-down-10-by-16-coop-pictorial.75421/

Open Air Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/jens-hens-a-southern-texas-coop.75707/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/my-positive-local-action-coop.72804/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/california-living.68130/

Shed Conversions

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-mulligan.74743/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-coop-page.65912/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/toy-shed-conversion.64879/

Hoop Coops

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-tractor.69336/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hoop-coop-brooder-with-roll-up-sides.75720/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-biddie-bordello-a-hoop-coop-run-combo.72189/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/permanent-hoop-coop-guide.47818/

Whoo hoo! My first response! Location added. Thank you for the advice.

I have looked at a great deal of the many, many pages of coops but I have a unique situation as I'm looking to design a combo coop/hutch home. Not connected, but where the two can see/interact with one another.

I will edit my post to provide a bit more details and hopefully I'll get a bite soon.

 

[3KillerBs]

Whoo hoo! My first response! Location added. Thank you for the advice.

I have looked at a great deal of the many, many pages of coops but I have a unique situation as I'm looking to design a combo coop/hutch home. Not connected, but where the two can see/interact with one another.

I will edit my post to provide a bit more details and hopefully I'll get a bite soon.

I don't know anything about the needs of rabbits, but in Hawaii you should be perfectly situated for an Open Air coop.

@LadiesAndJane is in Hawaii.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Welcome to BYC!

You have gotten excellent advice from @3KillerBs

I also live in Hawaii, at 2700 feet, so we have quite a bit of wind and rain and is not most peoples idea of what “Hawaii” looks like.
Long pants and sweaters are worn often.
That being said we never get as cold as the mainland can. I am no expert in coop building. I have two different coops, one is a modified open air type that opens out directly to a completely enclosed run.
It was built from a trampoline frame and looks much like a hoop coop.
The second is a smaller coop for my layer flock. It is attached to a large dog kennel that is completely covered in hardware cloth as well. My birds choose to sleep outside of the coop on perches in the run. They only use the coop to lay eggs.

Not sure where in Hawaii you are located but we have a real issue with mongoose. They can both dig and climb and get into very small spaces.
Several people I have sold chicks to have unfortunately had their birds killed by mongoose when they did not take my advice about the hardware cloth.
We also have native Hawaiian hawks in our neighbors trees. These are very endangered birds but I still don’t want to offer them up my chickens as a meal.

Most of my “chicken friends” here just take their chances and free range their birds and just have them come home to a “coop“ to sleep and lay their eggs. This could be anything from a very basic lean to like structure to a regular coop.
The majority of the birds I keep are Silkies and they need to be protected from the elements so my runs are completely covered.

So the coop you choose would depend on your climate. Here on the Big Island we have 8 different climate zones. The kind of birds you will be keeping and your purpose in keeping the birds will also be a factor.
I have no experience with rabbits, however, but it sounds like you have come up with a nice plan that will suit both their needs. I understand you will not be housing them together. which is also what I would advise.

Good luck!

 

[joymo]

I don't know anything about the needs of rabbits, but in Hawaii you should be perfectly situated for an Open Air coop.

@LadiesAndJane is in Hawaii.

Welcome to BYC!

You have gotten excellent advice from @3KillerBs

I also live in Hawaii, at 2700 feet, so we have quite a bit of wind and rain and is not most peoples idea of what “Hawaii” looks like.
Long pants and sweaters are worn often.
That being said we never get as cold as the mainland can. I am no expert in coop building. I have two different coops, one is a modified open air type that opens out directly to a completely enclosed run.
It was built from a trampoline frame and looks much like a hoop coop.
The second is a smaller coop for my layer flock. It is attached to a large dog kennel that is completely covered in hardware cloth as well. My birds choose to sleep outside of the coop on perches in the run. They only use the coop to lay eggs.

Not sure where in Hawaii you are located but we have a real issue with mongoose. They can both dig and climb and get into very small spaces.
Several people I have sold chicks to have unfortunately had their birds killed by mongoose when they did not take my advice about the hardware cloth.
We also have native Hawaiian hawks in our neighbors trees. These are very endangered birds but I still don’t want to offer them up my chickens as a meal.

Most of my “chicken friends” here just take their chances and free range their birds and just have them come home to a “coop“ to sleep and lay their eggs. This could be anything from a very basic lean to like structure to a regular coop.
The majority of the birds I keep are Silkies and they need to be protected from the elements so my runs are completely covered.

So the coop you choose would depend on your climate. Here on the Big Island we have 8 different climate zones. The kind of birds you will be keeping and your purpose in keeping the birds will also be a factor.
I have no experience with rabbits, however, but it sounds like you have come up with a nice plan that will suit both their needs. I understand you will not be housing them together. which is also what I would advise.

Good luck!

Aloha! Thank you for the response.

I have a few designs down and have been trying to read as much as I can on builds to prepare.

There are some mongoose around but not a lot. I'll see one every now and again jumping into a bush but rarely in the neighborhood. I'll plan for the hardware cloth.

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Aloha! Thank you for the response.

I have a few designs down and have been trying to read as much as I can on builds to prepare.

There are some mongoose around but not a lot. I'll see one every now and again jumping into a bush but rarely in the neighborhood. I'll plan for the hardware cloth.

Don’t forget to skirt the hardware cloth at least a foot out around the entire perimeter of whatever coop/run you end up building.
You may not see the mongoose, but they are there!
I use 6 inch landscaping staples to fix the hardware cloth into the ground. So far it’s worked well!