Need help with the set up of our new coop

[havi]

My new coop is going to be 12ft by 12ft and Ive looked everywhere to try and find these answers, but came up with nothing. Is there a 'rule of thumb' when placing windows, doors, vents, etc. on the chicken coop? For instance..should I put my windows only on the East facing wall? Or putting the vents on the South side wall? Would putting a door into the coop on the lower left hand corner be okay? See picture below, its how part of my backyard is setup and where the new coop and run will be.






Also what is a good place to put together a mock up of this online? Isnt there something on google or yahoo someone was talking about one time? For making plans and blueprints. Cause I also want to see what the best way to setup the inside of the coop would be as well. Right now I have 6 adult chickens, 12 five(?) week old chicks, with 2 or 3 more coming. So I will have a total of 20 or 21 chickens. I know its plenty of room, but I also want to add a place to store the feed and also maybe have a place for a brooder.


Anyone have any good ideas or advice?

 

[Omran]

I am not sure if here any rules for that, but personely I don't think it is a matter, I would put the windows on east and west so they have more daylight in winter, for the chicken door jut put it away from the north so the cold draft in winter won't get so quickly in the coop.
about the blueprint, I have no clue.

I hope I am not confusing you, and good luck.

Omran

 

[patandchickens]

In TX I'd try to keep glass windows off the S side for sure (unless there is a big roof overhang that will shade the windows even in Aug/Sept). The N side of the coop might be a good place for glassed windows (even if they are openable).

Remember though you can have big open areas of wall that are just predator-screened, for good ventilation, and those can really be anywhere or (almost) everywhere, in a hot climate, except the side your weather mostly comes from (just b/c you don't want too much rain in the coop, or all the bedding and chickens blowing out

)

In a hot climate, practically the whole coop should be 'vents' like this (big wire-mesh-covered areas of wall). Certainly there should be some on all 4 walls... you can have hinged panels to fasten to keep out weather, or to close things up a bit for colder winter weather (I dunno what your winters are like), but for most of the year you'll want it basically open. Think 'screen porch' more than 'shed', you know?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat