Planning a new coop, suggestions, must have ideas?

[kidsnchicks]

We are going to be moveing with in the next couple of monthes, I will get to build a new coop

Or at the very least modify a shed,lol.Right now we have 10 hens 2 Roos and 2 ducks, once moved I would like to have about 20 to 24 hens 1 Roo, and I will be able to have a seperate duck area. I know I don't need 20+ nest boxes, I was thinking 10 or do I need that many? I want the "pop out" type of nest boxes, and I liked the idea of poo trays under the roosting areas, are there any more ideas that you experts

think are must haves? And what would be a good general floor space would be? Also, How big would a run for 20+ chickens need to be? I like the idea of free range, but I don't like the idea of the birds out with all the horses and the property is pretty close to a highway, so for safety they will have to have a run. im sure once I get started i will have more questions but I need general ideas before we get to the building stage,lol.

thank you

 

[gryeyes]

Automatic coop door for the chickens!

 

[ducks4you]

You need to go above and study "Coop Designs." Everybody posts a lot of pictures of their coops, and most have plans. I think it's safe to say that the plans there are better than online plans--I got very confused studying the online plans, but the BYCer's are much clearer on their pages.
I have links to BYC member pages and threads on my two BYC pages, if that might help you.

One more thing--don't be afraid that you cannot build one. There are many designs for buildings that you never walk into, therefore, they only need to hold their own weight, and that of your birds.

 

[kidsnchicks]

Thanks, its not that we are afraid of building but my husband works a lot of 12 hour days and I work full time plus we have 5 kids and school activities and other animals to chore and relocate so which ever way ends up being quicker and easier is the way we will have to go,lol!

Anyone else have suggestions or must haves for coops?

 

[ducks4you]

Go to LOWE's or a Hardware Store that sells buildings. Buy a $1,500.00 WOODEN building with windows, adapt it, and you're good to go. One weekend to adapt the building, maybe cut some high windows for good ventilation, and another weekend to build the run. Sounds less time-consuming?
Oh, better use YOUR truck or borrow somebody's because it will run $2,200.00 to have it delivered--I checked into it.
Here's a nice 8 x 8 building for $1,449.00
http://www.lowes.com/pd_102651-5765...000_4294816517 4294816361 5003708_4294937087_

 

[kidsnchicks]

Thats what I would like to do but my husband would keel over if we spent $1500 on a shed for chickens,lol. Im going to check CL and see what I can find there, or I was really liking some of the pallet coops I have seen.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

for the chickens
coop size 4 sq ft per bird and more room if are going to feeders n water in there and nest boxes then it need to be bigger.
for the run size in 10 ft per bird make should to cover the pen too.
nest boxes 4 bird to a nest box

 

[redturtle]

the norm is 3 or 4 chickens in one nest box measuring @ least 12 x 12 x 12...

if you get a shed to modify...dont forget the ventilation.....

and paint the walls inside in semi-gloss for easy clean-up...

and add a poop board under the roost...i dont have one and i am regretting in (so guess what im gonna do when i upgrade my coop...lol)

just some suggestions...have fun

 

[rancher hicks]

Make it twice as big as you think your going to need. You can always stay with a small flock but if you decide to go bigger you can't if you've only got a small coop.

 

[kidsnchicks]

Thats what my husband is afraid of,lol, the go bigger! We have about 10 hens now but I would like to get a few white egg layers when we move, just my excuse to get different breeds lol. I would like to have a total of 20 to 24 hens once we get settled at the new place. I have people asking if they can buy eggs once the girls get rolling, so that is part of why we will need more hens, we are a family of 7 and I love to bake so we go thru our fair share of eggs!

So for haveing a total of say 24 birds I could get away with 6 to 8 nest boxes? Include lots of roosting space, I will have to have room on the floor for feed and water as we can have some nasty storms in the winter. Plenty of ventalation, paint with semi-gloss and poo boards. We have our current run covered, so I got that, as large of a run as possable, I would like to try free rangeing but, we will be off of a highway and 1 of our dogs maybe is a bit to interested to leave them unsuppervised.

Did I miss anything else?

Thank you all, Im trying to list a general idea of what I would like so we can start gathering materials.