Opinions on this coop?

[Ann Perkhens]

Okay. Maybe too many pictures, lol, but pictures! It is probably 100 ft from the house at least so I’m not sure about running electric out there. I’m not great with American standard system but my guess is 6 ft wide, 12 ft long and 8 ft to the roof. Roof is metal...small vents on each side. Not sure what other info would be helpful.

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm at work on break so I haven't time, but that looks very promising.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

So, back of napkin math, its way too small. The floor area of that coop - not that its effective space, because the slope of the A-frame puts roof where heads want to go is only 30 sq ft, approx (5x6) in the largest coop. That's good for 6-7 birds. The floor of the run is 80 sq ft, in theory, 8 birds. The ventilation is grossly inadequate for any number of birds trapped inside by weather for any period of time.

The problem is that tractors - moveable coops - have to be lightweight so they can be moved. That means small. In nature, doubling size means quadrupling mass, on average. The same tends to apply to building. Additionally, the triangle design, while generally the strongest in nature, is also the least efficient in terms of volume relative to surface area. There's a geometric proof which demonstrates that. The opposite end of the equation is a circle.

Practically: A triangle, whose sides each measure 4' (12' perimeter) has an interior area of Sqrt(3)*(Leg)^2/4 = 6.93 sq ft. A cube of similar size (3' sides, 12' perimeter) has an area of 9 sq ft. A circle of the same perimeter? Radius about 1.9ft, area of 11.45 sq ft. Everything with fewer sides than a circle (less than infinite) falls somewhere between the square and the circle. That's calculus (which I failed). Its why "hoop coops" are so popular - lowest weight and materials per unit of volume.

On the other hand, you are contemplating a moderate sized home flock - one with needs of about 120 sq ft of run, plus a further roughly 48 sq ft of house - that's a floor of 8' width by almost 20' in length. Not very practical to move, even with very light weight materials, unless you have a motor to do so and good wheels. and you still need a relatively level surface to set it on.

So I'm going to ask. Why a tractor? If you don't need the tractor, attaching a run to the shed, and adding ventilation is hands down your best available option, shy starting from scratch. If you do need a tractor, and you need that flock size, then I'm going to suggest multiple tractors to cut down on size (and thus, weight). and recommend you look into hoop coops, which can be easily - trivially - modified into tractor designs with some reinforcement at the corners and suitable wheels. Add a hitch, and they are (on property) towable.

 

[Ann Perkhens]

So, back of napkin math, its way too small. The floor area of that coop - not that its effective space, because the slope of the A-frame puts roof where heads want to go is only 30 sq ft, approx (5x6) in the largest coop. That's good for 6-7 birds. The floor of the run is 80 sq ft, in theory, 8 birds. The ventilation is grossly inadequate for any number of birds trapped inside by weather for any period of time.

The problem is that tractors - moveable coops - have to be lightweight so they can be moved. That means small. In nature, doubling size means quadrupling mass, on average. The same tends to apply to building. Additionally, the triangle design, while generally the strongest in nature, is also the least efficient in terms of volume relative to surface area. There's a geometric proof which demonstrates that. The opposite end of the equation is a circle.

Practically: A triangle, whose sides each measure 4' (12' perimeter) has an interior area of Sqrt(3)*(Leg)^2/4 = 6.93 sq ft. A cube of similar size (3' sides, 12' perimeter) has an area of 9 sq ft. A circle of the same perimeter? Radius about 1.9ft, area of 11.45 sq ft. Everything with fewer sides than a circle (less than infinite) falls somewhere between the square and the circle. That's calculus (which I failed). Its why "hoop coops" are so popular - lowest weight and materials per unit of volume.

On the other hand, you are contemplating a moderate sized home flock - one with needs of about 120 sq ft of run, plus a further roughly 48 sq ft of house - that's a floor of 8' width by almost 20' in length. Not very practical to move, even with very light weight materials, unless you have a motor to do so and good wheels. and you still need a relatively level surface to set it on.

So I'm going to ask. Why a tractor? If you don't need the tractor, attaching a run to the shed, and adding ventilation is hands down your best available option, shy starting from scratch. If you do need a tractor, and you need that flock size, then I'm going to suggest multiple tractors to cut down on size (and thus, weight). and recommend you look into hoop coops, which can be easily - trivially - modified into tractor designs with some reinforcement at the corners and suitable wheels. Add a hitch, and they are (on property) towable.

I mostly liked the idea of a tractor for fresh bugs. We’re new to the area but our neighbors tell us that tics are AWFUL in our area. Nonetheless, ive pretty well given up the idea of a tractor and I posted some pictures above of an outbuilding on our property we are hoping to convert to a coop.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I saw the outbuilding, its got as lot of promise. How are you on local predators? Willingness to potentially lose some of the flock to predation? Budget?

Goats don't need much, its something I've been researching for a while.

If you can convert the outbuilding to a coop, fence the property in a way that keeps the chickens in and the ground-based critters out (not sure how much property you need to enclose), and use the existing outbuilding to provide one side to your goat pen - so you need two corner posts, a basic roof structure, and perhaps low walls on two sides to block drafts - you can let your birds free range and eat bugs all day long, while still ensuring they have a safe space, not under goat feet, to nest at night and lay their eggs.

That's my plan, mostly - only the coop is attached tot he back of the barn, and the fenced goat pen is being built around the chicken run - so any predator which gets past the electric fence, and the fields, must still get past the goats (and their fence) then the run (and its fence) before it gets the chickens.

Of course, that does nothing for the hawks. But nothing is perfect.

and on that happy note, I need to go play with the chainsaw. Have already spent WAY too many hours online today.

 

[Alaskan]

How many goats were you hoping for? And were you going to milk them?

That red building in one of the photos that screams barn... is that also a potential location of animals?

With goats you will want a stupidly large amount of hay storage space...


6x12 for 20 chickens gives you a little less than 4 square feet of indoor space.

I would take a tape measure to that building, see what you have exactly.

 

[Ann Perkhens]

How many goats were you hoping for? And were you going to milk them?

That red building in one of the photos that screams barn... is that also a potential location of animals?

With goats you will want a stupidly large amount of hay storage space...


6x12 for 20 chickens gives you a little less than 4 square feet of indoor space.

I would take a tape measure to that building, see what you have exactly.

We’re hoping to do 2 Nigerian dwarf goats. As of right now we have no immediate plans to purchase goats, but it’s definitely something we will want to do in the next 3 years I’d think.

The red building is in fact a cinderblock barn, it used to house horses. My husband would like to convert it to a woodworking studio, however. There is a “attic” that could keep plenty of hay, however. And there’s the giant woodshed that could also house hay...
Whoever lived here before us had a thing for out buildings.

 

[Ann Perkhens]

I saw the outbuilding, its got as lot of promise. How are you on local predators? Willingness to potentially lose some of the flock to predation? Budget?

Goats don't need much, its something I've been researching for a while.

If you can convert the outbuilding to a coop, fence the property in a way that keeps the chickens in and the ground-based critters out (not sure how much property you need to enclose), and use the existing outbuilding to provide one side to your goat pen - so you need two corner posts, a basic roof structure, and perhaps low walls on two sides to block drafts - you can let your birds free range and eat bugs all day long, while still ensuring they have a safe space, not under goat feet, to nest at night and lay their eggs.

That's my plan, mostly - only the coop is attached tot he back of the barn, and the fenced goat pen is being built around the chicken run - so any predator which gets past the electric fence, and the fields, must still get past the goats (and their fence) then the run (and its fence) before it gets the chickens.

Of course, that does nothing for the hawks. But nothing is perfect.

and on that happy note, I need to go play with the chainsaw. Have already spent WAY too many hours online today.

thank you for your ideas! I like the way you are thinking in lines of defense...we haven’t lived here long enough to see for ourselves but have been told we will have coyotes, raccoons, some foxes (though more rare) and potentially other predators. Apparently small black bears as well, but they leave the neighbors chickens alone. Hawks are common to the area as well.

there’s a decent area near them tree coverage that we could fence for them. I like your ideas on the goats being a line of defense.

 

[3KillerBs]

Whoever lived here before us had a thing for out buildings.

What a wonderful thing!

We had a number of outbuildings on this property, but the one we thought could be converted into a coop turned out to be so badly-built and generally awful that we hardly even managed to salvage any reasonable materials from the demolition.

 

[Alaskan]

We’re hoping to do 2 Nigerian dwarf goats. As of right now we have no immediate plans to purchase goats, but it’s definitely something we will want to do in the next 3 years I’d think.

The red building is in fact a cinderblock barn, it used to house horses. My husband would like to convert it to a woodworking studio, however. There is a “attic” that could keep plenty of hay, however. And there’s the giant woodshed that could also house hay...
Whoever lived here before us had a thing for out buildings.

3 years in the future isn't that far away...

Nice that you have the hay storage covered.

You didn't mention if you were wanting to milk... most people like a cleaner-ish milking spot. However, you can make due up against any old fence... I used a milkstand in the main goat pen... since we never handed out milk... eh... good enough for us.

But maybe hubs would let you have a small corner of the barn for a milking spot. The milking spot stays fairly clean.. and takes only a little space.

Not sure how cold it gets where you are... but for only 2 little goats, maybe extend the roof off on the left, to mirror the extended roof on the right. Then goats get the new extended area left,chickens get the building, chicken run starts with the overhang right.

Make sure you have EXCELLENT fencing. Goats love to escape, and they also love to eat chicken feed.