Second floor in the coop? Covered run?

[patandchickens]

You can do a second floor if you want -- remember you will still need to be able to get in there and easily reach all parts of the coop! -- but the chickens will not use it equivalently to actual floorspace. I would say it helps "some, maybe" but certainly not anything like counting as having that much larger a coop.

If I can't alter the coop , does a covered run help?

For sure. ("Somewhat", but enough to for sure be worthwhile). Roofed (properly, to withstand snow and wind load -- you are basically building another BUILDING, just with mesh rather than solid walls) and with something to block the wind on the upwind side(s), the chickens will be much more willing to spend time outdoors than if you had an open and exposed run. It is still not the same as having more indoor space, nothing is, but it sure *helps*.

In terms of your 12x12 coop, you may be able to do an addition off one end or side -- it is ok if there is a wall with open doorway separating the two halves -- IF you can make it continuous, attached construction. This is easy if it is pole-built, but harder if it is stud-framed and up on blocks.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Weiden Farm]

I'm hoping to start building my coop this weekend. I'm planning on a 12x12. I was going to build 9 foot walls and a peeked roof on top. i was then planning on putting joists on the inside so that i have a 6.5foot height shed, and second floor with roughly 2 -2.5 feet walls on the edges and about 5 feet in the center with the peeked roof - so i would basically build an attic into it for storage. You could do something similar.

Maybe have your DH build a smaller wall above your exisiting walls (tie it in well) and then possible add the peeked roof and get a second floor.

In my area, i have code restricitions that say my shed can't be more then 144 sq ft (hence 12x12). I figure that i can add sqft with an attic.


Planning is the easy part - now i have to get started.

 

[Huskeriowa]

Just to be the downer of the group... you may want to consider that your dh is building a 12 x 12 coop for you and has the lumber. At 4 sq ft per bird that is 36 birds. I am not saying that is as many as you want or need but.. in his mind he may be doing something fairly gracious for you by building it. 'Chicken math' is a fun term to throw around in this forum but I don't know that it is something that a spouse who is trying to do something nice is going to accept as a reasonable idea or a realistic, fair justification for anything. Sorry... just a thought but good luck.

 

[Arielle]

Weiden Farm wrote

" second floor with roughly 2 -2.5 feet walls on the edges and about 5 feet in the center with the peeked roof - so i would basically build an attic into it for storage."

Thanks for the idea, I'm mulling this over. How to make this work with the existing barn structure.

patandchickens wrote:

"For sure. ("Somewhat", but enough to for sure be worthwhile). Roofed (properly, to withstand snow and wind load -- you are basically building another BUILDING, just with mesh rather than solid walls) and with something to block the wind on the upwind side(s), the chickens will be much more willing to spend time outdoors than if you had an open and exposed run. It is still not the same as having more indoor space, nothing is, but it sure *helps*."

This helps when the snow is 3' high like this last winter--a place to get fresh air and stretch their legs outside the coop. Thanks for the input!

Huskeriowa wrote:

'Chicken math' is a fun term to throw around in this forum but I don't know that it is something that a spouse who is trying to do something nice is going to accept as a reasonable idea or a realistic, fair justification for anything.

Thanks for the reality check! It's easy to get frustrated with a long winter delaying the construction and having 6 week old giant pullets crowded in a large box in the kitchen area. I want them out! But in fairness, you are a voice of reason. Oh , and once construction starts, I'll be swinging a hammer, too. Just need him to do the cuts and measurements . Reverse that!

Nice ideas from everyone. Thank you everyone. If anyone else has a suggestion, it's not too late. Trees came down last weekend. Lumber sits where it was unloaded. 2-5 inches of snow expected. Hopefully have the flooring roughed in by end of day Sunday.​

 

[TomG]

Quote:
X2 amen

 

[Arielle]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Fortunately DH loves to chainsaw and build things and he loves animals. The 1 day old fluffy yellow BO's won him over in under 5 minutes!; the ones I just happened to pick up at the feed store. Today we compromised on the turkeys, I cancelled the order. No place to process and hens are not laying as expected.

I really am pretty handy with power tools and a hammer. I can do rough work , not technical cuts. I'm designing the coop; he can do the measuring and the cutting.

 

[Raen]

You can do a second floor if you want -- remember you will still need to be able to get in there and easily reach all parts of the coop! -- but the chickens will not use it equivalently to actual floorspace. I would say it helps "some, maybe" but certainly not anything like counting as having that much larger a coop.

I hear this a lot, about a second story not really counting, but I don't understand why. Do the chickens just ignore it? Why doesn't it count?​

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Not sure how to answer this... "because they're chickens not people", basically

They just do not use it the same way as they use the 'real' floor. They will go up there and sit, similar to what they do on a roost, and if it is a TOTAL second floor (not just a wide shelf all the way around the coop -- a total second floor is only practical in a small reach-in coop) some of the hens will wander around up there "some". But basically at the end of the day they just prefer being Down most of the time during the day. I guess there is a limit to how much you can flex the "mainly ground-dwelling bird" heritage

So since they do not USE the upstairs space as much, or in the same ways, as they use the floorspace, I do not think it is reasonable to count it as relieving crowding by counting it equal to real floorspace.

Pat

 

[Arielle]

Thanks for your in put Pat. I look for your posts, you always have great information to share!

I think the 2nd floor idea may be limited to storage. The 3' x4' room for supplies may need to be eliminated if I can use wall space instead or overhead storage. usually need to think about it a while and mentally visualize each idea.