Sharing our DIY coop and run

[Chickada]

Hi!

New to this forum and thought I’d share our new setup for up to 12 chickens. We started with 10 free-run chicks, 4-5 of which appear to be cockerels (they’re 5 weeks old).

The coop is roughly 5x9.5 ft, and the run adds another 9.5x12 ft to their everyday area. The run isn’t finished yet, we’re still adding hardware cloth all around. The plan is to add a much larger but slightly less secure run for them to roam during daytime.

We’re located on a small gulf island just west of Vancouver, so winters are mild but mucky. The coop is well protected under the forest canopy. Chicks moved in last week and will hopefully be able to enjoy the run by Wednesday!

 

[Debbie292d]

It looks wonderful but when you say "slightly less secure" that scares me as it appears you're in a very wooded area where there could be a lot of predators. I would hate to hear you lost them to something. You might want to use 1/2" hardware cloth with an apron at the bottom on your new run too so nothing can get them in there.

Those chicks are so cute! I just hope they'll be safe when you put them out there! They are going to love it out there!

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Welcome! I've used this place for SO long, from beginning to now and beyond! It rocks. Vancouver Wa and or BC ? Either way, I'm not that far from you (I have homes in Alaska and Oregon.) You've got a lovely start there! 12 adults is ALOT so the fact that you're planning to let them range wider is good! I predict you'll expand like I have but again, job well done !!! ENJOY the process !!

 

[Chickada]

It looks wonderful but when you say "slightly less secure" that scares me as it appears you're in a very wooded area where there could be a lot of predators. I would hate to hear you lost them to something. You might want to use 1/2" hardware cloth with an apron at the bottom on your new run too so nothing can get them in there.

Those chicks are so cute! I just hope they'll be safe when you put them out there! They are going to love it out there!

Thank you for your kind words! I found the plan on Etsy and we changed it according to our own needs. There’s one ~9 ft roost in there right now and I’m adding another one once chickens are free to go outside. I’ll also add some excitement to the run area itself!

We’re in a fully fenced backyard and the main predators here are raccoons and birds of prey. One advantage to living on a gulf island is the lack of significant predators . They’re also not desperate here, thanks to the healthy local fauna. We have a large population of feral turkeys that predators get to feast on

The chickens would only use the less secure run when we’re home, so no longer than until dusk. The secure run will have 1/2” hardware cloth all the way around including a skirt and at the top, so chickens can stay in there as long as they like.

 

[Chickada]

Welcome! I've used this place for SO long, from beginning to now and beyond! It rocks. Vancouver Wa and or BC ? Either way, I'm not that far from you (I have homes in Alaska and Oregon.) You've got a lovely start there! 12 adults is ALOT so the fact that you're planning to let them range wider is good! I predict you'll expand like I have but again, job well done !!! ENJOY the process !!

Vancouver, BC I’m expecting some chicken math to happen, which is why I’m starting low at 10 chicks. I’ll be culling excess roosters this summer, either by giving them away or by making coq au vin

 

[Debbie292d]

Vancouver, BC I’m expecting some chicken math to happen, which is why I’m starting low at 10 chicks. I’ll be culling excess roosters this summer, either by giving them away or by making coq au vin

I just gave away the frizzled pet-quality ones I had. With these fancy ones, I'll sell the extras at a low rate though. They are silkies and we don't cull to eat them.

 

[aart]

I’m expecting some chicken math to happen, which is why I’m starting low at 10 chicks.

That coop is about right for 10 birds max.
It's good that you are not opposed to harvesting meat as well as eggs.

Also, I think you may have trouble with your nest lid hinge leaking.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Do you plan to block them from going under the coop?
I would suggest blocking that so raccoons cannot gain entry by going under the coop and chickens cannot decide that's the best place to hide eggs.

 

[Chickada]

Do you plan to block them from going under the coop?
I would suggest blocking that so raccoons cannot gain entry by going under the coop and chickens cannot decide that's the best place to hide eggs.

I wasn’t, as it’s completely surrounded with 1/4” hardware cloth plus a 1 ft skirt and connected to the run that way. But you have a point wrt to laying eggs down there, that would be problematic… Not sure if I want to wait and see or just close it right now.

That coop is about right for 10 birds max.
It's good that you are not opposed to harvesting meat as well as eggs.

Also, I think you may have trouble with your nest lid hinge leaking.

Why 10 birds max? I understood that the math was 3-4sqft/bird and we’re at >45 in there, plus nesting boxes. The run is already 110 sqft, plus another 45 if you add the footprint of the coop, plus we’re extending the run further. I was under the impression I could comfortably keep 12 birds in there.

I have put a waterproof roofing sheet in the crack that could leak, and it’s been pouring here but the boxes are dry for now. I’ll likely make an effort to improve the lid setup down the road though, but for the time being it was most important to us that it was weather and rodent resistant.

 

[aart]

I understood that the math was 3-4sqft/bird

That's a 'rule of thumb', it's basically double of factory reqs,
but most have found it's a minimum.
If you are integrating new birds it's way small as integration works best with lots of space.