New Coop advice

[JesusFreak824]

Just bout these the other day. Sturdy wood. 5x8x8. Should I connect them together and make one large coop or break them down and build my own? I want a fresh air coop for my 15 birds coming in March.

 

[swamphiker]

Hi there, the general recommendation is at least 3 square feet per chicken (though of course more is better), so one of those crates should have plenty of room for 15 chickens. You will need to make some modifications to ensure sufficient ventilation and a good roof. Overall that looks like a great recycling project! Good luck with your new flock.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC!

Those crates are a great find to work with. Is it treated wood?

Here is some basic info:

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.

15 hens

• 60 square feet in the coop. 8'x8' is easier to build than 6'x10'
• 15 feet of roost
• 150 square feet in the run. 10'x15', 12'x12' or 8'x20'
• 15 square feet of ventilation.
• 4 nest boxes.

Open Air coops mess with the numbers -- being coop and run combined into one, they are usually bigger for the same number of birds than the usual 4 square feet, but don't necessarily *have to* be the full coop-and-run combo of 14 square feet per bird.

However, I've never heard of anyone regretting that they built the coop too big.

Here is my Open Air coop build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/

And some other open air designs for inspiration:

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/

 

[JesusFreak824]

Thanks for the responses. Yes it’s treated wood, I’m pretty sure. I’ve heard once you get a few chickens you want more. So I’m trying to make the best decision with the future in mind.

These birds will free range during the day

 

[3KillerBs]

Thanks for the responses. Yes it’s treated wood, I’m pretty sure. I’ve heard once you get a few chickens you want more. So I’m trying to make the best decision with the future in mind.

These birds will free range during the day

Ranging can be good -- in general, though there are better and worse ways to go about it.

A lot of us here on the east coast are currently locked-down with covered runs due to Avian Flu having been found in migrating waterfowl. The threat may be past by the time you've got the chicks, but knowing it exists is information worth having.

 

[JesusFreak824]

Ranging can be good -- in general, though there are better and worse ways to go about it.

A lot of us here on the east coast are currently locked-down with covered runs due to Avian Flu having been found in migrating waterfowl. The threat may be past by the time you've got the chicks, but knowing it exists is information worth having.

What in the world?! I had no idea. I’m in north Alabama now close to the Tenn border.

 

[3KillerBs]

What in the world?! I had no idea. I’m in north Alabama now close to the Tenn border.

This thread has a lot of useful information: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/avian-influenza-found-in-south-carolina.1507893/

The basic thing is to prevent your birds from contacting wild birds and their feces -- which pretty much requires a covered run. It's a situation for concern, but doesn't call for panic.

 

[JesusFreak824]

Does anyone have the plans to the WOODS coop. I really like that design. I’m hoping I have enough wood to make whatever I want from these crates. Don’t wanna start something and not be able to finish it. Jesus spoke on that before

 

[3KillerBs]

Does anyone have the plans to the WOODS coop. I really like that design. I’m hoping I have enough wood to make whatever I want from these crates. Don’t wanna start something and not be able to finish it. Jesus spoke on that before

@Ted Brown did a very nice Woods Coop a while back: https://www.backyardchickens.com/posts/22660040

It's a wonderful design, but an Open Air coop in the south needn't be so complex and carefully engineered.

Think of it as a big wire box with a roof and a 3-sided shelter at the windward end.

 

[aart]

Does anyone have the plans to the WOODS coop. I really like that design. I’m hoping I have enough wood to make whatever I want from these crates.

@jthornton has a pdf of the Woods book.

I doubt those crates have enough material to build a Woods tho.