Newbie* is our coop sufficient? Wanting to know if we need to make changes before winter hits.

[christine9]

I mean the wall in the back. It looks like there is room up high to add ventilation.

 

[heatherg13]

I would not say you have plenty of space.....barely enough, if that, for 5 large fowl adult birds.
You will definitely need more ventilation as high as possible, maybe some gable vents would work.

Can you post a pic of the inside?

There are links to 2 very good articles about space and ventilation in my signature just below this post.
I suggest you read them.

It is overwhelming, but you'll figure it out and get thru and will be much more confident next winter.

-They do not need heat, they have down jackets. Wider roosts to keep feet warm and ventilation with out drafts will keep them just fine. The insulated floor will help too.
-Plan on how you will keep snow away from the run door so you have access all winter.
-You might want to block off part of the run walls, leaving the top 6" or so open for ventilation depending on your prevailing winds, to keep snow from accumulating in the run.
-How will you keep the water liquid? That cup, and maybe the pipe, will freeze.

I don't see the links you mentioned?

 

[aart]

Quote: Great article on VENTILATION, one of THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of coop design.
Fantastic treatise to help decide how much space your chickens need.

In the blue text, I underlined for clarity, will update my signature.

I think you could put some louvered vents in the gables, should allow moist air to exit and the louvers should eliminate most any draft.

You might want to swap out those roosts with 2x4 wide side up for keeping feet warm, should be easy if you're handy.

 

[missbecky]

If the birds "Free range" all day, and only go into the coop to lay/roost at night. Not to mention they have the enclosed run. If this is the case then shouldn't a 4x4 coop be sufficient for 5 birds? Technically speaking yes... If you go by the 3-4 sq ft. Of space required per bird -you should be fine without adding any more birds.

Here is a link proving this info...
http://naturalchickenkeeping.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-much-coop-and-run-space-do-i-need.html?m=1

I got most of my info from Harvey Ussery
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1603582908?pc_redir=1414509746&robot_redir=1

And "Storeys guide to raising chickens".
Both of these books are highly recomended, very informative, and very useful.

As long as the birds are not stressed, picking at each other, and getting along in that space, then you should be fine -until you can expand in the Sping for added space.

(I have seen commercial birds packed into some small spaces, and are far worse off, but they manage to survive. Which is probably where the manufacturer is getting their horrible information about the chicken to space ratio)

 

[heatherg13]

Thank you all so much! Very helpful. The roosts are 2x4 a with wide side up, it's hard to see from the pictures. I'm so dissipointed with the person we purchased the coop plans from. It cost us a lot of money and took a lot of time to build this, to only find out we really don't have enough space and venting wasn't put in the plans. he exclusively sells coop plans so you would think he would know about ventilation. Going to get some vents tonight, hoping they don't create a draft for them on the roost. It seems like there isn't a good spot in this coop for them.

 

[aart]

Thank you all so much! Very helpful. The roosts are 2x4 a with wide side up, it's hard to see from the pictures. I'm so dissipointed with the person we purchased the coop plans from. It cost us a lot of money and took a lot of time to build this, to only find out we really don't have enough space and venting wasn't put in the plans.

he exclusively sells coop plans so you would think he would know about ventilation. Going to get some vents tonight, hoping they don't create a draft for them on the roost. It seems like there isn't a good spot in this coop for them.

Do what you can, adjust as you go.
You'll have a really nice brooder coop for adding new chicks down the road, if you decide to build a bigger main coop.

 

[missbecky]

That's actually a great idea. It looks like you could put a 'main coop' on the other side, and even partition the space under the little coop for integrating the brooder flock with your established birds. Just make a flap down netted frame separation wall.

Your coop is very cute by the way.
My hubby and I built our own (we're not even builders) for the very reason that there was not enough space for the amount of chickens the thing said it would hold. "8" chickens --the coop & yard included was smaller than my bathtub!