post your chicken coop pictures here!

[LeiaLayers5]

Converted above ground pool and deck to Coop and Run space. Still in the painting and cleaning up to beautify stage. Adding white trim and building trellis over deck to have observation area to watch them run around in run below. Also deck leads into coop to collect eggs. Access to run itself is under small platform to right in picture. Please ignore the pool scraps that have since been taken to dump.

 

[Latestarter]

I actually have 7 birds in there. I have my roo that is the leghorn, 2 RIR'S, 2 black astrolopes, 1 easter egger and 1 aracauna. I just did my guest hatch from the incubator and now I have 12 chicks. I would like to sell them but incase I'm left with some I would throw them in there at 3-4 months but I'm not sure if I have the room if I don't build on.

I don't mean to contradict what Sylvester said, but the 4-6 square foot recommendation is for INSIDE a coop for large fowl (LF) which is (mostly) what you have. The run area, where they will presumably spend most of their waking hours, should be a minimum of ~10 square feet/bird. 14 x 7 gives you 98 square feet or about 10 birds. Since you actually only have a run and no enclosed coop, I would go with the 10' per, and since 2 of them are "bantam" size, you might could squeeze in 1 or 2 more for 12.

Now, having said all that, the more birds you have, the less square feet you need per (up to a point), since they really only occupy (physically) 1 square foot of space at any given moment and most of them will stay close to each other most of the time. Therefore, with 20 birds, you would technically need 80-120 (4-6 per) square feet inside a coop, but since they are only really in there to sleep and lay eggs, you could realistically get away w/4' per bird or maybe even a bit less, the critical issue being enough roost space for them all. For the run, you would be looking at 200 square feet minimum, or a 10 x 20' run. but since they would really only be physically occupying 20 square feet at any given time, you could probably get away with 8-9 square per bird.

You COULD add "floor space" without expanding by building a second level inside, on stilts, say 7'x6' at one end. That would add an additional 42 square feet of space; enough for another 4-5 birds. Build it about 3' high (like a table) w/a ramp up to it and then put dirt and shavings etc up there and the birds will spend time up there scratching around as well. I would build a small retaining wall around the edges to try to keep some of the material there once they start scratching.

Now, for those who like extremes, each bird, ideally, should have their own acre of bug infested heaven to scratch through daily, and should never be kept like prisoners in a concentration camp. But for many (most), that reality will never occur.

 

[Latestarter]

new rustic coop

Really nice, especially the re-use of those old boards! Not sure where you're located, but from the look of the background trees, you get rain and are not in a desert. Using particle board for the roof is fine, but you really need to paint/seal it against moisture or it will swell and dissolve over time.

 

[Refolden]

 

[Rikus]

Thank you! @Latestarter i am in south central Idaho we are a high desert with ample irrigation. The roof will get something b4 winter as we get snow just not sure what yet. The boards are from the old fence all rough cut.

 

[LoftonFarm82]

I built a treehouse coop. Eventually I'll put shingles on and paint it.. The chickens turkeys and one of my ducks all share it.

 

[bruceha2000]

I built this coop from used wood. I live in South Florida so I'm not worried about cold weather. I put hardware cloth on to protect my birds from Raccoons (not shown in this pick). My question is: My coop is 14' long by 7' wide. How many birds can I fit comfortably in here?

Unless they get a pool pass, I wouldn't cram too many in there. I would start with "how are they doing with the existing 14 sq ft per bird?".

In reality, it doesn't matter how much extra space they have, the birds at the top will still exert their dominance over lower birds even if they have 100 sq ft per bird. Have to keep reminding them lest they forget you know. I have 2 Anconas in my flock of 3 year olds. They grew up together from day one in the shipping box. But they STILL mount the other birds, including each other, in a show of dominance. You have a rooster which I think sometimes helps because as THE unquestionable and unchallenged leader he may maintain some peace. I WOULD make sure there are multiple feeders and waterers if any of the birds are being kept away by more dominant ones.

I don't think I would go anywhere near 19 in there though. Hopefully some of your chicks sell. With regard to integration, my only experience to date is with the 7 chicks I got in early June that were raised by a broody BA. She protected them from EVERYTHING (including a woodchuck that wasn't even looking their way) until she laid an egg when they were ~ 2 months old and the "mother" light switch went off. She even beat up on the Anconas who would make a MAD dash to get past her in the run (alley part of the barn, the coop is a converted horse stall about half way in). It didn't matter that few of the other 8 hens even looked sideways at the chicks. The chicks, now 15 weeks old are fending for themselves just fine. They know which birds to stay farther away from. The social structure will change as they get older. They are already bigger than the little Cubalayas and though they aren't beating up on them, they surely could especially since the older birds chased them out at BOSS and scratch time occasionally after the "mother" quit her job. They are all as big as the Anconas and Faverolles, closing in on the smaller BA (the "mother" BA is huge) and the existing EE. But I expect it to be an almost invisible process since the chicks grow a little each day in both size and confidence. Interestingly, in the last week the 7 chicks have stopped being "the magnificent 7", always together sometimes with the Faverolles that managed to wrangle a part of the "baby duty" job (she is frequently broody) in attendance but no others near by except at morning BOSS and evening scratch and roost time. Now I'm seeing them out and about sometimes together, sometimes one or two will be with some of the older birds.

I have read where people successfully integrated at a much younger age than suggested here with birds that were not broody raised and protected. Given a covered pen of their own inside the coop with an opening too small for the grown chickens, they manage to figure out the social interaction thing just fine and can rush back to safety when needed. I think it would be harder to dump in birds that are full size and would be seen as intruders rather than "chickens that I've seen since they were little but are now full size". The pecking order gets established slowly over time rather than NOW. I will find out fairly soon, I am getting 4 White Chantecler started pullets ('cause the breeder is small, no 90% reliable vent sexing there). Not sure what age they will be but they aren't going to be anything close to "small and easily ignored". I threw together a Q&D coop in the stall next to the "Fort Knox" coop where they will be able to sleep at the same level and within sight of the existing flock but not have to fight for space right off. I will let them out the first few days after the feeding frenzy of morning BOSS is over when the other 16 are going about their business outside. Then the new girls can check out the alley run, the real coop and venture outside at their leisure. The existing birds come and go as they please, to lay, get water, see if there is any food (the feeder is in the coop), hang out away from the midday sun, etc. That should provide a lower stress level integration. Of course I will be hanging out in the barn being a nervous "Dad" until I see that they are working out their social structure in a non damaging way!

 

[bruceha2000]

I just ordered some chicks to arrive in October, 2 BR, 2 BA, 2 BO, 2 EE, and 1 mystery free one, do you think they'll be okay raised together? I've heard conflicting things about BRs. Have also never heard the 5 and 6 sq. Ft. Thing, have always heard 4 for inside, 10 for outside (and in commercial, standard is only 2 inside 4 outside which is obviously way too little) but have heard more is better if possible so it's interesting.

It is not possible to have too much space for your chickens!

If they live in an enclosed area, expect it to have ZERO vegetation in no time. The more space they have the less likely they are to "over graze". My chickens have made a nice dust bath under the picnic table and in an area under a lilac bush by the deck. Other than those 2 places there is nothing that says "chickens live here" in the way of vegetation destruction.

Your chicks will be fine as long as they aren't too confined. My nine 3 Y/O hens STILL bicker over where they want to be on the roosts at night. There apparently are more and less desirable spots even with 2x the "suggested" space at 4' off the ground. I don't know about the BRs or BOs ( I have 2 WRs but at 15 weeks old they aren't going to be dominant over the older birds just yet). The BAs and EEs will be no problem, they tend not to be aggressive. The Rocks might be top of the flock but even if you had 9 of the same breed (assertive or docile) there WILL be a hierarchy. There WILL be one bird that is at the top of the pecking order and one at the bottom and everyone else arrayed between them. My advice is to make sure you have enough roost space at the highest level for ALL the birds. They are generally more comfortable on the top so if there is plenty of room there, they won't be pushed down to lower roosts.

Great ideas for coops here though. I have a plan but there's definitely stuff I keep overlooking. Like for example, I completely forgot about adding a door to the run xD and I haven't quite figured out where to place the windows. Interesting little things I miss. And then of course all the gorgeous decor and design and everything. Not sure I could ever do that lol

Plan the windows so air can flow through the coop without flowing over the birds on the roost. Ventilation is paramount in keeping your birds healthy but should not entail a draft. They can stay nicely warm even in -20F if there is no draft.

 

[ShrekDawg]

It is not possible to have too much space for your chickens!   If they live in an enclosed area, expect it to have ZERO vegetation in no time. The more space they have the less likely they are to "over graze". My chickens have made a nice dust bath under the picnic table and in an area under a lilac bush by the deck. Other than those 2 places there is nothing that says "chickens live here" in the way of vegetation destruction. 

Your chicks will be fine as long as they aren't too confined. My nine 3 Y/O hens STILL bicker over where they want to be on the roosts at night. There apparently are more and less desirable spots even with 2x the "suggested" space at 4' off the ground. I don't know about the BRs or BOs ( I have 2 WRs but at 15 weeks old they aren't going to be dominant over the older birds just yet). The BAs and EEs will be no problem, they tend not to be aggressive. The Rocks might be top of the flock but even if you had 9 of the same breed (assertive or docile) there WILL be a hierarchy. There WILL be one bird that is at the top of the pecking order and one at the bottom and everyone else arrayed between them. My advice is to make sure you have enough roost space at the highest level for ALL the birds. They are generally more comfortable on the top so if there is plenty of room there, they won't be pushed down to lower roosts. 


Plan the windows so air can flow through the coop without flowing over the birds on the roost. Ventilation is paramount in keeping your birds healthy but should not entail a draft. They can stay nicely warm even in -20F if there is no draft.

Thanks so much for all the info.

The coop was going to be 4x8 with the roosts on one end but then I was thinking that that takes up so much floor space plus now with the extra bird, it's not really big enough anyways, only for 8 with 4 sq. ft. Per bird, which maybe isn't enough anyways, so then I thought about adding a 4x4 section to the end and putting the roosts there so 4x12. That's kind of a weird shape though so I might go 8x8, haven't decided yet. I don't want it to take up too much room though.

But anyways, then the run was 8x12 plus the 4 feet under the coop since it's raised, so 12x12 but I'm thinking of free ranging them too (we have almost 3 acres) if possible. But if I made it 8x8, which I might not do, then the run would obviously be different too but I haven't figured that out yet because I had planned for the other way.

I'll find a place for the windows too

 

[bigmrg74]

Dang... Was it a Coopers? hem... no pun intended really.

deb

Pretty sure it was a red tail hawk.

So sorry to hear that! We all fear such things but take that chance since the chickens really love being outside.

A question: If the open lower half of the door is big enough for the hens to go in and out, wouldn't a hawk be able to do the same?

The lower half is still big enough for a hawk to fly right in and out, but its now a tighter fit for him to just fly in. and I put an grain bag on the top half of the door to hang down as a curtain over the lower door. they seem to be figuring out how to get in and out of the coop just fine now.

I built a treehouse coop. Eventually I'll put shingles on and paint it.. The chickens turkeys and one of my ducks all share it.

When did Kansas get a tree??