Need to expand our existing coop/run- Ideas? Advice?

[growandresist]

We have 4 chickens in our current coop but are getting 6-8 more and need to expand our existing coop. We are hoping to use as much of the current coop/run as possible.
I'll attach photos of our current coop/run. It is a tractor run but we don't use it as such.

We are planning on raising the whole revamped coop about 3-4 feet off the ground to utilize a space in our yard better. (Will essentially place coop outside of fenced yard using 4 foot fence as part of supports and then make a walk in run into fenced part of yard that is large and walk-in).

We have thought of basically cutting it in 2 sections- the existing coop & the hardware-mesh run next to it. Then raising the meshed part so it is more even with the coop, siding it and attaching it to the coop and make a new opening between the two sections.

Or, we could side the mesh areas and the whole current structure (coop and run) could be the new run. Still raise it and add new floor. My concern was I wasn't sure if chickens would roost for night in different area or not? Did it need to be one larger space or was 2 compartments ok? This would likely be simplest...but I want my girls to be happy

Any thoughts, ideas, questions, advice would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

[growandresist]

Oh- and the fence we are wanting to raise it up to is a 4ft. fence- not the taller fence shown in the picture. We will likely use that (6 ft ) fence as the height of our large enclosed run.

 

[growandresist]

Hoping to bump this! Anyone have any ideas?

 

[wbruder17]

Sounds like a major project. I want to expand mine as well, but just decided on building another coop and just having 2 seperate coops.

 

[krcote]

Becuase this setup is so small your best bet may be to start fresh?

 

[Judy]

One thought about starting fresh is, since you are talking about adding to a flock and will have to deal with integration, the tractor would be a very convenient place to separate them for a month or two. You could have the new ones downwind and do a proper quarantine, or you could set the two coops near each other for them to get familiar with each other, or both.

I don't think their having the choice of coop to roost in is likely to cause problems in terms of their preferences. They may develop favorite spots or switch around. The only way two coops might be a disadvantage for them that I can think of is, if you live in a very cold climate where they would be warmer all together yet prefer to separate. If your climate is pretty warm, you could look into hot weather and 3 sided coops.

Good luck.

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
I think you may need to approach this from the point of view of the chickens you will be having. You are starting with 4 and going to add 6-8 more. So you are going to house 10-12 chickens. Square footage convention per chicken is 4 square feet per chicken. So you will need an enclosed coop of 40 to 48 square feet. Thats a 5 x 8 or 6 x 8 foot print. (doesnt have to be squarish could be long just needs the total square footage. Now you are going to be needing more food/supplies on hand so providing storage space for convienience this would be a logical time to add it. So an 8 x 8 coop would be very easy to build from scratch. Built on pressure treated skids no holes to dig and you wouldnt even have to cut most of the plywood. Or you could get a lawn shed for the coop. Build the floor on the skids and assemble the lawn shed on top. Some tin snips for a pop door and windows and voila.... VBG. (you can frame windows with wood and wire and for the winter plexiglass on velcro. There is always a way.

Keep us posted

Been up all night its 5 am going to bed.