New Coop! Upping My Game!

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

So, I have around 25 chickens in 3 smallish coops (6 x 4, 3 x 5, one slightly smaller). Today I took delivery of something that will allow me to significantly "up my game".

This bad boy is 20 long by 8 wide, which should allow for roughly 80 chickens.

I honestly don't NEED the mobile part for my slightly less than a half acre lot, although I'm sure it'll be handy. I was able to purchase this for far less than it'd have cost to build a similar size coop out of lumber or a converted shipping container, and it already has 40 nesting boxes and sizable roost setup.

It's got a "people door" on the back, and the bottom section of the sides flip up for "chicken doors". Tin roof, lots of ventilation, hardware cloth flooring.

I need to do some landscaping, fence/gate building, and other prep work, but I expect to fill this with chicks come September, figuring laying will start in early spring, 2021.

 

[DobieLover]

@rosemarythyme - I was thinking that about the nesting boxes...30 is certainly plenty for ~80 chickens. Maybe I can cannibalize that 4th one for parts (or use it elsewhere).

I'll see how the roost works...it is a little steep but the guy claimed they used it. Not an expensive thing to change around if required.

You're thinking similar to I am with the ventilation...some kind of removable partial covering may be required.

It was too cold outside today to take more pictures, but I'll take one of the "chicken doors" tomorrow...they run up the full length of both sides of the coop!

I'm not sure why you want to cram that many chickens in there. The rule of thumb is 1 chicken for every 3-4 sq feet. You've got 160 sq ft which comes to 40 chickens on the roomy side and 53 chickens on the "a bit crowded" side.

So with those more realistic numbers I wouldn't put more than one array of 10 nest boxes in there. And I would certainly design a better layout for the roosts or you are going to have a lot of birds with poopy backs.

But regardless of these issues, it's a heck of a good find.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I wouldn't remount that one nest box, you're already well over how many nest boxes you'd need for the size.

Roosts are steep though, no? Hard to tell for certain from photo. But you may have birds pooping on each other at that angle. Like if I was angling this I'd lean the top of the peak up against the window beams instead of doing this A shape, which would take it closer to a 45 degree angle.

I wouldn't cover any of the vents permanently but having some sort of awning or buffer would be good, maybe a hinged cover that could be partially closed during colder/windy weather would be ideal. Especially since it looks like the top roost would be right in the path of the vents. Doesn't have to be complicated, some sheets of wood that could be propped open with sticks on the outside (which you could probably open and close with a broomstick) would do fine. Or some wood or polycarbonate panels set at a fixed slant to extend over the openings could work as a buffer.

All those things can be addressed later when weather is better. This is certainly a nice find to work with!

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

A view of the inside:

It came with 4 10-box nesting boxes, for a total of 40 nesting boxes. 3 are mounted, but one obviously needs to be re-mounted. The boxes aren't in the greatest shape, but with a little TLC (new bottoms, fresh lumber) they'll do the trick and save me the $800+ they'd have cost new.

I like the roost setup a lot. Should keep everyone happy and not pooping on each other at night.

The coop should have great ventilation. If fact, I wonder if I may have to block some of the openings in winter. It was 18 degrees today when this got delivered, so we do get nippy weather!

The floor is wire, which at first I didn't love, but if it works out, I could see it saving a lot on shaving. I'll probably put rig something up to catch manure as it falls through the grates, and when they're in there as chicks, I'll have to put down a temporary floor.

The floor is good and strong, though. This pic was taken last weekend when I was checking out the coop pre-purchase. That's my 8 year old in there already planning nest box repairs. He weighs more than any chicken I plan to own.

 

[DobieLover]

3-4 square feet per chicken, in a space they'll go at night and sleep? They'll have access to large run sunup to sundown? That seems a bit excessive.

What's your coop size and # of chickens, just out of curiosity?

You are forgetting about winter. They won't go out much during winter.
My coop (8 x 12 with an 8 x 4 room with the nest boxes and a built-in brooder) with attached fully secure run (28 x 12 with 8 x 4 extension) houses 27 birds. I never close the pop door between the coop and run.

 

[aart]

You are forgetting about winter.

...and predator events.

 

[aart]

Predator events in the coop?

I reckon if that's going on, I have bigger problems than a little overcrowding!

No, while free ranging....and then you might want to confine them for a time.

 

[imnukensc]

I like your coop, a lot! Some things I would change like the roosts as others have previously mentioned. One thing you will find though is that chicken poop will not fall through 1/2 x 1/2 HWC. I originally had that under my roost, but changed it to 1 x 2 welded wire. It still all doesn't fall through, but I don't have to scrape it through nearly as often as I used to. The 1/2 x 1/2 works pretty well for chicks up to several weeks old, but doesn't work at all for full grown laying hens.

 

[Red-Stars-in-RI]

Awesome! Make sure to keep us updated on your progress!

Do you have certain breeds in mind?

Thank you! Yes, I plan on keeping everyone posted on my plans and progress (might even start a web site). But I'm very excited....today was like a second Christmas at my house.

My current flock is a mix of everything from easter eggers to Orpingtons to Polish. For the new girls, I'm thinking a high production layer, like, well, a red star. I'm looking for good feed-to-egg ratio, for reasons I'll explain later.

 

[Manhen]

Interesting on the wire size and manure falling through. I was thinking about this a little bit today.

What do you think of putting collapsed cardboard boxes on the floor under the roost to "catch" the droppings, and then replace and compost the cardboard as needed?

Boo. You will regret that sorry