New to a coop?

[threelittlepigs]

If you are new to coop design and chickens...please read all the great ideas on here. If I could do it all over, I would have absolutely built a door suitable to humans walking in and out of. My DH built a sweet little coop, and I love it...but it is my nemisis this winter!! If I could do it all over, I would have done different. Just sayin'

 

[TwoCrows]

X2

My first coop was a tiny raised coop, and clearly not enough room for me to enter! LOL There is nothing better than to be able to walk inside your coop. Easier to clean, shelters you from the elements and when the coop is big enough for you to get into, it is big enough for your birds to hang out in as well.

Great advice!

 

[Mahlzeit]

Many of us feel the same way. My first coop was a small raised coop as well. Even my second coop although it is big enough to walk in is not set up as my next coop will be. Browsing through here gives you many ideas you may have never thought of. The easier you can make it on yourself the happy you'll be.

 

[BrickWall Honey]

X2
Walk-in
High enough to add loft for supplies, bales, etc
Footage for extra feed, tools, feeder, waterer
Windows

All good things if you have the room and ability.

 

[Kazfam]

Yes, agree on the door - it was a necessity in our case. Husband is 6'4" and son (primary chicken care-giver) is 6'6".

It has proved VERY useful - especially for the daily poop-scooping.

 

[JackE]

Yeah, gotta have a door. And a inner screen door is nice to have too. Then you can hook open the outer door in the warmer months for more fresh air in the coop.

 

[The Lazy L]

A people door and a chicken door on the coop and run!

 

[Mahlzeit]

The Lazy L,

I'm curious as to why you made your run a short distance away from your coop and connected it with a little bridge rather than having them connected directly. Is there a particular reason for this?

 

[coop-er]

So happy to read the "if I did it again" threads....currently have a small 4x8x6 and will be building a much larger, nicer coop in the spring and I am forever looking for ideas and ways to assure it ends up being the roomy, functional coop I need. I do not have a "man" door right now and it is first on my list. I also think storage space for all things chicken-related is a must. Love this thread

 

[MichelleVA]

The Lazy L,

I'm curious as to why you made your run a short distance away from your coop and connected it with a little bridge rather than having them connected directly. Is there a particular reason for this?

Yeah...