New to chickens need some ideas.

[jpicard19831]

I need some help I currently have 2 silkies and 4 barred rocks that are only a few weeks old im trying to decide exactly how to build my coop and run I am planning on using a dog pen I already have that is a 12x12 also have an old dog house that is a 3x5 I would like to use as a coop but unsure about the nesting boxes and a roost. Im thinking the dog house maybe to small I was thinking about building nesting boxes on the outside of the dog house that can be accessed from inside the house with access for me from outside the house will be outside the the run with a hole cut in the pen to access it but how many boxes due I need due i need 6 one for every bird or just four. And were should I put the roost. And how high the dog house is only about 3ft inside height. Any ideas would be helpful gonna build it this weekend.
Thanks

 

[foreverlearning]

This is what I use. I have 2 stacked on top of each other for 10 hens. I bought it for $5 at Walmart (mine is black) but they seem to want an arm and a leg for it online.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Homz-Kidz-Modular-Storage-System-Red/19224755
The first review for it was where I got the idea for nesting boxes, I was looking for storage for my kids toys.
They only ever use one and will wait for it to be open or climb in 3 at a time. It is great for a broody as you can just pull it out without ever messing with the nest. My coop is 4'X4' and 3' high on the inside. My coop is small however I free range all day and the girls seem to be happy with it.


This is when my girl went broody. You can see how much room there is and they really save space. Don't cut the pen because every cut you make will create a weak spot that something can get into for dinner. With 2 stacked there is enough room on top for one of my girls that insist on roosting up there. Like I said, 3' is the inside height of my coop. Think about a small ladder roost and wall mounted water/feed to save space and your dog house will do great!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I'd forget about using the 3 X 5 dog house and build a new one AT LEAST 4 X 8 for the 6 birds

You can probably get by with just one nest box for 6 hens, but I'd make two or three

 

[yogifink]

If you wrap the kennel in tarps or some other kind of wind barrier, it can be a coop too without having to build an additional coop. I've seen plenty of folks who keep chooks in a 3 sided shelter with a roof that has roosts and nesting boxes without any additional enclosure as long as the side that is open does not allow a heavy draft.

But if you dont want to enclose the kennel, and intend on locking them into the coop at night, you will need a minimum of 4 sqft per bird inside the coop. So something like 4x6 or 5x5.

You can put the nesting boxes in the run, not attached to the coop. Maybe rig something up with a few 5 gallon buckets on end.

 

[jpicard19831]

Thanks for the advice I started thinking last night about building a 4x8 coop I live in Louisiana so really not worried about the cold at all I went and looked a breeders setup today and got bunch of advice from her and now have a lot better idea of what to build but am looking forward to herring more ideas.