Philosophical Question Regarding Coop Build

[RedDirtRambler]

So we are soooo close to the point where we can build a coop and get chicks (in that order). We have 11 acres of land outside Waco (central Texas) and can do pretty much what we want to (number of birds, type of setup). Therein lies the problem. I can do almost ANYTHING and I can’t seem to settle on what we SHOULD build. I’ve read sooo much that I am experiencing paralysis by analysis.

So the main question is this - would it be better to build something cheap and temporary till we figure out exactly what works for us? Or is it better to do it right the first time (and in that case how do we figure what is “right” for us)?

Our goals:
- To raise chickens for eggs, compost, insect control, and eventually meat (not ready for butchering yet)
- To build a coop and secure run for late mornings/vacations, but free range most of the time
- To have a coop that responds well to the central Texas climate (summers in the triple digits, winters dropping to an occasional 20 degrees
- To create a coop that is easy to care for both daily and long term
- Chickens as a portion of a homestead with orchard, vineyard, goats, garden, and bees

I keep drawing up plans and they get larger and more elaborate as I think of all the recommendations I’ve read here (place to store supplies, place to brood/quarantine birds, double the space you think you’ll need for “chicken math”, etc.) and then I end up with a chicken palace and then go back to the drawing board to starting over.

Some things about me, I used to be an architect so I can follow plans, sketch up, and napkin drawings with equal ease, I own and can operate almost home shop tool. My budget isn’t unlimited (or I’d just go by a Carolina Coop), but is probably adequate for materials for anything I can dream up.

Well, whatever you do, I think I'm gonna watch, 'cause I'm in the exact same boat!
Seriously, though, even if you have to expand later, I agree with Chad and Dmontgomery - build it for permanency and security now - you won't regret it.

 

[lazy gardener]

Components that can be added to at a future date. Walk in style for coop AND run. Agreed with other posters. 4' wide is very difficult to work with. However, build in such a way that you can use full sheets of plywood with minimal cutting. Lots of overhang. You could easily build a 3 sided coop for your climate. Of course, the open side would be covered with hdw cloth.

Check you zoning AND TAX codes. If you build it too big, you will be hit with some hefty real estate taxes. And check to see if it should not be permanently anchored to avoid tax penalty.

 

[MROO]

Well, I love their coops for being professionally done with well thought out details, but I really think I’d prefer (and most folks here have recommended) a walk-in coop with a dirt floor. Theirs is a raised coop with a wooden floor.

Okay - So you design a coop just like the one you like best, only instead of being raised with a wooden floor, yours can go all the way to the ground. Depending on how tall you are, I recommend at least 7 feet high. That allows for some head room and a bit of bedding litter underfoot.

 

[Sarkchick]

4x8 is the module I’d work with, not the space I’d start with. I’m thinking I’d initially have 16’ x 8’ for the storage, coop, and run. By making modules I could continue to add 4x8 sections on to the end of the run.

I haven’t yet had chickens. My husband was in the military, and in 2013 we thought we were in the location we were going to stay in, but the military had other ideas. ‍ We’ve moved 3 times since then. Now that he is retiring from the military we are building our forever home and we can finally put our plan into action!

Thank your husband for his service