Open chicken coop in enclosed run?

[begleiter]

I have 3x hens and live in the southeast US. I'm looking to rearrange their living situation a little and would like some feedback on my plans. I have:

• a 4 foot square air conditioner privacy fence (basically a 3-sided box)
• free standing nesting boxes
• a 6.5' x 9.8' run (galvanized steel frame w/ hardware cloth fencing + 3 foot hardware cloth skirt + tarp roof)
• an enclosed patio (sits on a concrete pad; walls are typical patio with screens on top and metal panels on the bottom, with sliding plastic window covers for the screens; steel roof)
• 800 sq ft yard with 6 foot fence that the chickens have free range of during the day

My current plan is to put the run in the patio, use 2x10s and a pond liner to make a 'bed' around the inside wall of the patio to contain their mess, and fill the 'bed' with pine shavings. I'll provide them access to the yard via a dog door in the one of the patio's metal panels (already in place). Then I'll place the privacy fence and nesting boxes in the run, and add some perches to the privacy fence for them to roost on.

I am already satisfied with things ventilation, protection from the elements, predator proofing, potential smell, space inside the patio, access to the coop for cleaning, zoning compliance, etc.

MY QUESTION IS THIS: Will my above arrangement provide adequate space and be low stress for the chickens? Will the 3-sided 'coop' be comfortable enough with both the run and the patio roofs, or should I add a roof to the coop so they feel extra secure? If someone has the patio lights on at night will it stress them out? Does my plan even have a prayer of working or should I just start from scratch?

 

[aart]

Sounds decent as far as space goes...and predator protection.
Not sure how nice it will be for cleaning/poop management.
Could be nasty if something tried to get into the screened patio by tearing up the screen.

If someone has the patio lights on at night will it stress them out?

So this patio/coop/run will be shared with people?

 

[LaurelC]

i might be misunderstanding your description, but that sounds VERY close to your house. Chickens have 2 points against them when it comes to being close to a house. First - stink. Especially if they're going to be adjacent to an outdoor hang out space. Second - rodents. It's just the nature of chickens, they'll attract rodents and instead of dealing with them 50 feet from your house, they're right up against it.
I can tell you from experience that rodents from chickens in a coop even 50 feet from your house will find your home and move in as soon as the weather cools off. We spent ~$5k having all of the insulation under our house replaced prior to listing it after dealing with a rat problem caused by chickens.

 

[paintedChix]

I see you haven't gotten many answers & now I see you haven't been back in a while.

The size does sound adequate.

Is your roost in or going to be in the air condioning box? The light shouldn't bother them, but if it did, you could always roof it.

The shared patio. Is it for accommodating smokers? If so, understand that ANY bedding you use other than sand is a serious fire hazard. Our patio was originally set up for smokers (previous owner left a table w/ 2 filled ashtrays against the house). I now have brooding areas set up thier, but we don't have smokers...

Your tarped run will need more support for when it rains. Pushing up dipped areas, full of rain water, is a PITA. Worse, if the weight of the water tore the tarp, the water always went where it was least wanted.

Any of your patio windows around bird section will need HWC. Depending on how you have it set up, may need it over all screened areas.

Hope to see you back!!