New from MN!

What would you use for a coop?

  • Build from scratch

    Votes: 5 55.6%

  • Convert a shed

    Votes: 4 44.4%

  • Buy a fabricated coop

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Convert a plastic shed

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Other

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    9
Date sort Score sort
D

Douglass19

In the Brooder
Jun 4, 2019
1
14
19
Hello!

Thank you for letting me join your group! I am excited to be “here.” I live in a small town, close to the twin-cities in MN. It’s a pretty suburban area and I have a fairly small yard, but have plans to maximize my space to do some homesteading and raise chickens. I am married with 4 children who are very eager to get chicks. Honestly, they would thrive living on a hobby farm, but we will have to make do with what we have. Our city allows chickens even on small properties. I’m thinking 6 will be our max, but right now I’m planning our coop and run. I want to be completely prepared before we get them. I’m ready to learn and would love to hear from other backyard chicken owners who live in climates that have long and cold winters. I am environmentally conscious and want to have a coop that is sustainable and eco friendly, safe for the birds and keeps them warm through the winter and properly ventilated in the summers too. The trick is that I need a coop that is easy to maintain. Ideally, I think one that I can walk into. I have a back injury so crouching and bending for long periods of time for cleaning would be hard. I’m looking forward to learning more!
 
Hi there @Douglass19 and welcome to BYC! I'm relativity new here myself, but feel in love with the community here.

I voted to build a coop from scratch. Recycled materials are pretty easy to come by here. Besides keeping stuff out of a landfill, it's usually free. A good place for some ideas can be found here...
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/chicken-coops.12/

6 chickens around like fun. Our community permits are... ridiculous, so I'm doing ducks and guinea fowls. It'd be kind of fun to run some chickens though. Hope you have all the best luck and fun in your endeavor. Make sure to take pictures, we love to talk about her animals around here.

:wee​
 
Hi and welcome to BYC and congrats on your new hobby.

Here are some links to key resources:


Best wishes

Pork Pie
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
I've both built from scratch and converted a shed. If you have an old shed to convert, I'd go that route. If you build, make sure it is walk-in style or you will get rid of your chickens within the year because maintaining them is so hard on your back.
In order for the chickens to be warm in the winter, they need lots of ventilation, not additional insulation and heat. Chickens come equipped wearing their own insulation.
The coop needs to be DRY year round. That means removing poops daily. THAT means a poop board or something similar. I have them and would never consider a coop without them. They've made my life so much easier.
 

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