Need ideas for hen AND Rooster coops!

[Ayedeas]

So. I want to get a few laying hens and a rooster. I don't want to keep them together for obvious reasons. I want at least 1 hen at the moment, 2 later on, and one rooster MAX. we can have only 5 farm animals on our property being in city limits. and we also want to get a goat, so we've got to plan everything strategically and responsibly. So, I want to make sure we have room for a nesting box in the hen house, room for a waterer and feeder when I am not home to feed them, and I need a roost (obviously lol) as well as room for a small run.

For the rooster, I need room for the roost, feed/water and the run.

I live in Ohio, on Lake Erie, so the winters are typically pretty cold. I am planning on getting a heating lamp to keep the water thawed, just because the lamp is more readily available to me than a water heater. I'm hoping that'll provide enough heat to keep the chickens warm during the winter. I know insulation's a good idea.

The design I have right now has an "open" top. Under the roof is fenced in, and then it goes into the wall and carries on from there. I'm going to edit the design a bit to allow for airflow in, but keep the drafts out. I'm also thinking about adding a hatch to cover some in the winter.

I'm designing it to have a small run underneath the coop, so the chickens can leave the coop at any time of day until it's time for me to let them out to stretch a bit lol

Any ideas you may have or even any plans you've found or conjured up that I might get ideas from would be great!


Thanks in advance!

-Aye (By the way, my name's pronounced "eye-day-us" lol

 

[Coop de Grille]

Chickens are naturally pretty social and I wouldn't suggest having just one hen and one rooster that are separate. At minimum keep two hens, if possible three in case something happens to one of them. May I ask why you want a rooster if you don't plan on having him with the hen(s)? I can't see keeping a rooster by himself when his job is to protect the hens and fertilize eggs.

For your climate you need to make sure they have a place to go that is protected from the elements. That means a closed in coop with a roof but with plenty of ventilation. I'm not sure I am understanding your "open top" but "under roof" design.

 

[Ayedeas]

Chickens are naturally pretty social and I wouldn't suggest having just one hen and one rooster that are separate. At minimum keep two hens, if possible three in case something happens to one of them. May I ask why you want a rooster if you don't plan on having him with the hen(s)? I can't see keeping a rooster by himself when his job is to protect the hens and fertilize eggs.

For your climate you need to make sure they have a place to go that is protected from the elements. That means a closed in coop with a roof but with plenty of ventilation. I'm not sure I am understanding your "open top" but "under roof" design.

I understand the social part, to some extent, everything's social lol I was going to have it to where they could see each other through the runs, and they'll be let out together, but I just don't want random fertile eggs everywhere lol. I'm also just waiting to find some good hens. I will be keeping more than one hen.

The open top design is where I have a solid roof that opens so I can clean and change water and whatnot, but then under the frame that holds the roof up is a small section of fencing for ventilation. I mean, small. Less than a foot high. Everything below that is the coop up to where it needs to be elevated for the run lol.

Hope that clears it up a little bit

 

[Eggcessive]

There isn't any reason to keep a rooster if he can't be with the girls. Fertile eggs aren't any different than unfertile, nobody is going to tell the difference. As the person above said, chickens need company, and 3 is the minimum number I would have. If you don't need a rooster for protection of the girls or breeding I would not get one. They can be noisy, and they need about 8-10 hens to be happy or you will have bare-backed hens in a few months.

 

[Coop de Grille]

The second (literally!) he is with the hens he will mate them. If they are together at all, you will have fertile eggs. The hens can lay fertile eggs for 10-14 days after just one mating session. Keeping a rooster in a separate pen but letting them range together makes no sense.