New Coop! Upping My Game!

[aart]

If egg production is your game, then you might want to plan on having a brooding area right in the coop. Integrating little chicks is far easier than adding them when older. You'll want to add new birds early each year if you want winter eggs.

 

[Manhen]

If egg production is your game, then you might want to plan on having a brooding area right in the coop. Integrating little chicks is far easier than adding them when older. You'll want to add new birds early each year if you want winter eggs.

I am considering what would happen if the square footage per bird was 10 ft2 with plenty of run as well?
Would integration of various birds go better? The barn has three rows of stalls and a hayloft. One is the coop now. I am thinking feed/straw/wood chips storage, and a heated room in which to hatch eggs to "add to the broody hen's bunch in a sneaky manner".
Much chance the winding nature of the interior of the barn and space would work? I am hoping several flocks can coexist in peace and harmony like people do! Oh dear dear dear....

 

[Manhen]

Oh gosh...rabbit math. Yeah, that one is tricky.

And let's not even talk about the goats I need to get to keep my wife on board with the "many chickens in a giant coop" plan!

Giant coop without corners if you can. That is where they will lay the eggs on the ground. We have a small black hen, of which breed I don't know, but she camps out in the most remote corner head down into it. Peeps pitifuly if you pick her up. Consistent though so....

 

[aart]

I am considering what would happen if the square footage per bird was 10 ft2 with plenty of run as well?

More space is always better.

Much chance the winding nature of the interior of the barn and space would work?

Always help to have places 'out of line of sight' for new birds to 'hide'....good to put feed and water there too.

But adding new birds as chicks is the easiest, IMO, once you have a brooding area set up.
.https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

 

[NatJ]

I went for 30 chickens a month three months in a row. It was a lot of work but they are now one flock and cared for as one. BUT, more than 30 chicks would be a real chore unless you had a big brooder. Mine is 12 sq. ft. and barely big enough for the 2.5 weeks. Barely was my opinion, the birds have a different one.

Brooding chicks is a lot of work. I prefer to get it over with all at once.

Big brooder? Well, yes of course.

The most chicks I've done in one batch was 125. They were in a chicken house 4 x 8 feet for the first few weeks, then moved into a 12 x 12 foot space. They lived there until 8 weeks, at which point we started butchering some; ended up at 50 birds by maturity.

 

[NaperLix]

If nothing else,bleach from top to bottom.

 

[Sandy W.]

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.
View attachment 2005077

DobieLover - I love your coop & run set up.

 

[Cryss]

Giant coop without corners if you can. That is where they will lay the eggs on the ground. We have a small black hen, of which breed I don't know, but she camps out in the most remote corner head down into it. Peeps pitifuly if you pick her up. Consistent though so....

I have one that lays anywhere but the corners! In the middle of the coop floor, middle of the run, directly underneath the hanging feeder, dropped to the ground from the ramp from the pop door, and RARELY in the nest! I see her in the nest and think maybe she’s gonna lay there. Nope. She hangs out there, then leaves and we need to be careful where we step.

 

[DuckyDonna]

Not usually on the chicken thread but I grew up on a chicken farm, in fact, both of my grandfathers had literally thousands of chickens in huge barns with multiple floors. Anyway, I thought I'd share what both grampa's had for roosts.

They had hinged sections that could be raised for easy cleanout after the poop got full. They were simple frames with 2 x 4's in between for the chickens to roost on with wire on the bottom that the poop went through easily. It might have been welded wire but I'm thinking it was just chicken wire. It's been a very long time and I'm just not positive. They were only about 2 feet off the floor (which was solid wood) and laid horizontal to the wall. That way nobody got pooped on. I hope this was written well enough to understand. I've looked but don't have any old pictures of this but I might be able to draw something.

 

[Manhen]

Simarly here, smaller scale and roosts at 45 degrees to 6 or 6 and a half feet up the wall. Saplings not 2x4s. I am using 2x4s. Poultry netting under the hinged roosts. 300 birds.