Only going to have 2 chickens but want a walk in run area of the coop...

[Streetview]

I have been looking at a ton of plans but I have a feeling we either have to buy something already made like this

Or make our own plans. We can only have up to 4 chickens where we live, so we are starting with 2 so that when they stop laying we can add 1 or 2 more. Because we cannot let them be free range, we want a big outside area for them, but finding a coop with a inside area for just a few but a BIG outside area is hard!

Will take any suggestions!

 

[Family Farming]

I have seen people take chicken wire and make a tunneled arch on the ground. You can make the chicken wire tunnel go form your coop around the perimeter of your yard so they can sorta free range but still be secure. The wire tunnel is a half circle about three feet high and you can make it as long as you want.

 

[sunflour]

I would encourage you to design your own.

Before I built our coop, I looked at the prefab kits like the one in your thread. Most are at best big enough for only 1-2 full size chickens and not likely to keep out predators or last very long.

Really think about the size you need. Someone advised me to take a 5 gallon bucket to represent a full grown pullet, and place these in a simulated coop/run measurements & look at how much room they have. Really wish I had done that before finalizing my coop dimensions. And the feeder and waterer also represent the approximate size of 2 chickens. And the ramp takes up a lot of living space.
Most commercial all in one coop/runs have only 18 inches under the coop, too short for chicken comfort and way to short for me to reach chickens or clean out. Make sure the coop house is tall enough that you can easily reach inside to clean it regularly.

All experienced with chickens warn us that they really do get big, and even being told so, I really did not believe they would get as large as they are. As I type, my coop addition is being built to double their living area.

For what it is worth, I think you need to take a look at all the coops/runs discussions, the amount of info there is somewhat overwhelming, but truly helpful.

 

[jetdog]

I have been looking at a ton of plans but I have a feeling we either have to buy something already made like this Or make our own plans. We can only have up to 4 chickens where we live, so we are starting with 2 so that when they stop laying we can add 1 or 2 more. Because we cannot let them be free range, we want a big outside area for them, but finding a coop with a inside area for just a few but a BIG outside area is hard! Will take any suggestions!

A chain link dog kennel is a good option you can expand it easily if need be, check craigslist they are usually pretty cheap if you find one.

 

[kvtolbert]

We converted an old extra-large doghouse easily enough by cutting out window holes, and cutting off the entire back wall, turning it into a hinged door for cleaning. Then creating a ladder and door for the 'dog' opening that the girls enter and exit from. Found some cheap skylights on Craigslist.... It ain't pretty but it's really functional and perfect for 3 chickens. Created a 3 foot frame for the doghouse coop to sit on so it's high , and has shady space under it. Then plopped the whole thing in the middle of a 12x12 dig kennel. We started with an attached hardware cloth run, but for the cost I couldn't make it as big or tall as I wanted. The kennel has been awesome, I love that I can move it around or expand it. I DO wish wed gone with a significantly bigger coop, though. I've researched chicken keeping for YEARS before jumping in, and have friends with chickens, but I truly never believed that chicken math would actually apply to me I wish I could walk in to it, that I could store their food right in it and hang the poop scoop in it, and that they had real room to be all chickeny.