New coop designing!

[HorseChick21]

I'm working on designing a new coop for my 20 chicks that are coming in May! They're purebred LF ameraucanas and I'll have to sell some of the Roos ( since it's straight run) but I want it to be able to hold at least 20 birds.

I've built a coop before, but I was a lot younger and basically just did what my dad and sisters told me to do, they designed it and it had a lot of problems, so I'm going to try and avoid them! I'm going to make posts as my dad and I make plans and start to build, a few things I do know we will be doing is a mobile building, with egg boxes on the outside with removable bottoms for easier cleaning, and my birds are going to free range a lot, they're going to be in a goat pen with tons of grass and room to roam.

 

[HorseChick21]

That above is the goat field I have for the chicks and ducklings when they get older, plenty of room to roam around and a ton of grass.

 

[redsix]

If the building is large enough to walk into, I would put removable nests on the inside.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

Sounds like you've got a plan and a great start. One thing to keep in mind - if your nesting boxes are going to be on the exterior with removable bottoms, make sure there's a fool-proof way to latch the bottom shut. I've read of raccoons popping up the bottoms of nesting boxes that weren't secure and gaining entrance to the coop that way. The chickens were then trapped in the coop with no way to escape. Not pretty, for sure.

I have a walk-in coop with exterior nesting boxes and love it as it saves interior space and I don't have to unlatch the coop to check on eggs. No problems cleaning, I use a metal dust pan and scoop the old shavings out.

Check up in the "COOPS" tab at top for many coop designs. You're sure to find some ideas you'll like there! Good luck!