post your chicken coop pictures here!

[Sylvester017]

Bought this on ebay for 160. Figured I would spend at least that much building one myself. No real directions to assemble but if you are handy shouldn't be a problem. It looks like it could hold up to 5.

Constant open ventilation per chicken is 1-sq ft @ chicken. Do you have that much open ventilation inside the coop where the chickens will roost for the night? Also, I would put the coop inside a roofed dog kennel or other type cage for added security depending on what predators are in your region. We live in the suburbs and city raccoons and possums are our concern. Manufacturers over-estimate how many chickens will fit their coop models. Counting nests tells me how many chickens fit minimally in a coop, i.e., 2 nests 2 chickens, 3 nests 3 chickens, 4 nests 4 chickens. It's not that each chicken needs a nest, it's just that's the way I figured how many actual chickens will safely inhabit a smaller coop. Just my personal formula plus need to take into account how much ventilation (not draft) is available per chicken.

3 nest boxes in this 4x6 coop shouldn't house more than 3 hens plus we needed to have a lot more foraging area and ultimately let the hens free-range the backyard; otherwise they went stir-crazy in this small pen. Air circulation was great but space was inadequate.


This Barn Coop's manufacturer said 15 to 16 chickens would fit into this 4x4x6 coop but let me say the ventilation was inadequate for that many chickens with only 2 vents and windows that didn't open at all.




Ventilation was inadequate so we ordered a kennel wire floor for added circulation. Chickens poop a lot inside a coop and suffer respiratory issues without proper air circulation (not drafts).


This Barn Coop has 4 nest slots so IMO only 4 hens adequately fit this 4x4 floor space - not because each chicken needs a nest but the number of nest slots tells me the number of chickens that will minimally be safe in here. The coop is 6 ft tall and comes with 5 total roosting perches but there is no way we would crowd the manufacturer's recommended 15 to 16 chickens in this small space. We swapped out the solid floor tray for the wire floor tray above.

 

[junebuggena]

More ventilation? There are the 2 wall vents front and back, as well as a roof vent under the tin roof that runs the full 22ft, and 4 windows. How much more would be suggested? Ultimately it gives the 18 birds just under 15sq feet per bird, so I was thinking the low population vs the high Sq footage, would be adequate..how much more would you folks put?

I'd double or even triple the size of the gable vents. The two front windows can be counted as ventilation, because they are sheltered enough to be left open, but the other windows should not be counted as permanent venting.

 

[bruceha2000]

New to chickens in Upstate NY, and don't have any yet. I just ordered this to be used as our coop,(different colors, so being built for April delivery). 2 windows on front, one on either side. 2 ident I called doors for light,b one front, one back, and chicken door being put under front window on the porch. Our game Pl Lan is to insulate, fiberglass board the inside with linoleum floor for ease of cleaning. Nesting boxes, 6 planned made of plastic totes to be removable and washable, roost bars over a pan, to also be removable etc. There are vents at the top, as well as aling v the center roof line. Thoughts? Suggestions? It is 12x22, to house 18 hens. It will have a large outdoor run, and the whole thing will sit inside a large 6ft stockade fence as extra predator protection when we are not home. We plan on free range when we are home.

As @junebuggena said, don't bother to insulate it (unless you plan to heat it, which I would NOT suggest), waste of money. VERY nice size for your planned 18 hens and room for more later as well.

I, personally, have never had any reason to clean out a nest box to the point of wanting removable/washable tubs. If your hens aren't sleeping in them they won't be pooping in them. If the roosts are higher than the nest boxes, they most likely will NOT sleep in them. Most chickens like to sleep as high as they can get in the coop. The only time you will get poop in the nest is if there is some on their feet. I have VERY RARELY seen ANY evidence of poop in my nest boxes in the 4 years I have had chickens. There are shavings in their indoor run and the coop, grass outside where they free range so they don't 'need' to step in poop as they would if they were confined to a small area. Since I have 4" to 6" of shavings in the nest boxes, it is a simple thing to just toss a bit out it there is any "foreign material" on it.

 

[MelissaNY]

Hmm..I will rethink that then! The outdoor "run" itself is planned to be roughly 20 x 20 at this time. This will be able to be enclosed, and latched. The stockade yard that if will sit inside is roughly 96 ft by 160ft..so approx 15,400 Sq feet. We then have approx another 4 acres they can free range on when we are home (lots of hawks/coyote in spring during breeding season). Hubby is getting 2 screen doors for front and back doors, putting in electric, and installing an overhead fan in case it's needed.

 

[junebuggena]

Hmm..I will rethink that then! The outdoor "run" itself is planned to be roughly 20 x 20 at this time. This will be able to be enclosed, and latched. The stockade yard that if will sit inside is roughly 96 ft by 160ft..so approx 15,400 Sq feet. We then have approx another 4 acres they can free range on when we are home (lots of hawks/coyote in spring during breeding season). Hubby is getting 2 screen doors for front and back doors, putting in electric, and installing an overhead fan in case it's needed.

Screen doors may help venting, but keep in mind where you put the roosts. You don't want wind blowing directly on the birds. Venting needs to be 24/7, year round. And you must position the roosts away from the ventilation. Also, any screens and vents should be reinforced with hardware cloth to keep out predators.

 

[MeepBeep]

Anywhere near Beloit? DD2 is a senior at Beloit College.

I'm just outside Gurnee, a few miles West of Six Flags...

 

[MeepBeep]

said, don't bother to insulate it (unless you plan to heat it, which I would NOT suggest), waste of money.

That is certainly open for debate...

If you have breeds of birds that are not cold tolerant, are young, elderly or have existing ailments keeping them healthy and avoiding exposure injuries by heating is not a waste...

At the end of the day, my entire coop heating bill is paid for and exceeded by lower feed consumption, no need to heat the water and no frozen eggs that I can't sell, the constant supply of unfrozen eggs that I sell all winter easily pays for the entire gas bill... Not to mention it's a whole lot nicer to work in there and take care of the chickens when it's above freezing... In the end heating literally makes me money, it does not cost me anything...

Back on the topic, insulation can also help keep a coop 'cool' in hot weather as well, so it can be a big benefit to those in high sun and higher heat regions... Insulation can also prevent frost build up on the surfaces, because even with full ventilation the ambient humidity can cause frost on surfaces that change temps rapidly, just like it does on your car windows... As it warms up with first light the frost can melt and get on the birds aggravating frostbite, this is mostly a problem on thin material roofs, like steel and fiberglass...

Insulating and heating has it's benefits to some, even if it's not generally recommended for most...

 

[TJordan]

2 or 3 at most, 5 if bantams. Needs more ventilation and roost bars should be elevated off the ground level. 

My mother n law got this one and it fell apart fast. I've since took it, enforced floors, doors and perches and removed the pathetic nest box and built one on it. Her 3 hens are happy now but we added a larger run out of a dog kennel. Hope that helps.

 

[MelissaNY]

That is certainly open for debate...

If you have breeds of birds that are not cold tolerant, are young, elderly or have existing ailments keeping them healthy and avoiding exposure injuries by heating is not a waste...

At the end of the day, my entire coop heating bill is paid for and exceeded by lower feed consumption, no need to heat the water and no frozen eggs that I can't sell, the constant supply of unfrozen eggs that I sell all winter easily pays for the entire gas bill... Not to mention it's a whole lot nicer to work in there and take care of the chickens when it's above freezing... In the end heating literally makes me money, it does not cost me anything...

Back on the topic, insulation can also help keep a coop 'cool' in hot weather as well, so it can be a big benefit to those in high sun and higher heat regions... Insulation can also prevent frost build up on the surfaces, because even with full ventilation the ambient humidity can cause frost on surfaces that change temps rapidly, just like it does on your car windows... As it warms up with first light the frost can melt and get on the birds aggravating frostbite, this is mostly a problem on thin material roofs, like steel and fiberglass...

Insulating and heating has it's benefits to some, even if it's not generally recommended for most...

We are planning on cold hardy breeds, however, we do feel insulation in Upstate NY is a given for us, and I do admit to having both heat and ac capabilities if needed in the goat barn. I will have to consider heat in the chicken coop. Thankfully, April l is a bit away, so we are gathering up all info. Thank you.

 

[MelissaNY]

Screen doors may help venting, but keep in mind where you put the roosts. You don't want wind blowing directly on the birds. Venting needs to be 24/7, year round. And you must position the roosts away from the ventilation. Also, any screens and vents should be reinforced with hardware cloth to keep out predators.

Yes. The reinforcement is something I read about, and will definetly be done! The screen doors are for summer use to help keep temps down in case of heat wave. With the size of the coop, there is more than ample space for proper positioning of boxes and roosts. I may make them mobile so the units can be moved around by season in case of an issue.