Simple Coop Design [Updated 7/29/2010]

Looks lovely!

I do have a couple of thoughts. First of all, consider adding roof overhangs. This will help keep the wood of your coop dry and help it last longer, and make leaks inside the coop less likely. I didn't put overhangs on all sides of my winter coop and I really regret it.

Second, consider making the access wall that opens (great idea, by the way) one of the walls outside the run, ideally the one on the side where your roof is higher. That way, you won't be standing in run off from the roof when you're tending to chickens on a rainy day. It's very nice not to have to go inside the run to get inside the coop.

Third, consider making the chicken pop door in the wall rather than the floor. If you put it in the floor, not only does it take up valuable floor space, but if you use shavings inside the coop they're going to be always falling down that door. You probably don't need a ramp unless your birds are very heavy breeds and poor fliers/jumpers. I have a pop door fashioned so that I can open and close it from the access door, with an inner sliding panel and an outer drop down door that my chickens use as a perch for ingress and egress (picture on my BYC page). Just remember to cut the door high enough above the floor level so shavings don't spill out of it, either.

The ramp up to the nesting box is also probably unnecessary, but you do need a roost! And consider a droppings board or tray under the roost, which makes cleanup much easier.

Add more ventilation at the tops of the walls. Figure 1 square foot of ventilation for every chicken you plan to have in there. You won't be sorry to have this much, but you may well be sorry if you have less...and are having to add more ventilation after you've built your coop.
 
This is very similar to what I am dreaming up for our coop. We have 6 hens (and are not planning on getting more as we actually live in the city) and have a spot next to our shed that is 8X9ft so that is how big the coop footprint will be. My last hens (had 6 then also) shared 3 nesting boxes very easily, so I will only have three this time, and then have a longer roost instead. The slanted roof is a really important feature for our area (Seattle WA) and I am planning on having the gutters be the 'leaf free' kind so I can collect the water and have a on demand watering system for the chickens and rabbits. Windows can be optional for us here, as it doesn't really get over 90* ever. But I am planning on having ventilation along the north facing wall so the heat from the south can just go up and out through that. I may add one window, but not sure yet... it would open to a fence anyhow.

Anyway. LOVE your plans! Think they look wonderful for a set of 6 hens.
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You will have very happy bitties.
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it looks so much better . you have a vent over the next box you might want to put door on it so u could drop it down if rains comes in. maybe your ramp is to slant down to much. on our it is a 2 tier one and the chicken coop door is about 12x14 inch and 20 inch from the ground. are you going to have a slide down door over the chicken door to lock them in at night too
are you going get the eggs thought the top of the nest box if so remember to put a lock on it too
you are on your way .
ps you can make me a coop too now
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I'm putting latches on EVERYTHING that opens. Probably locks on some, too.

I'll put a slide down door on the chicken door if I notice they don't stay in at night (I will probably have to...).

Thanks!
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I'll put a slide down door on the chicken door if I notice they don't stay in at night (I will probably have to...).

it wise just in case something breaks in the run at night
 
I thought your sketches were good I could have built it from those. Do you already have chickens or are you getting your first ie: planning ahead.
 
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That is true... I've got a paintball gun, so nothing better come near my chickens. Better safe than sorry anyhow. Sliding door on the chicken door it is!
 
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I have had chickens before, but this is my first time building a coop. I'm pretty handy around the house, so I am confident I can do it.

I haven't ordered chicks yet, but I should call around. I hear it can take a month or more to get them. Plenty of time to build this coop.
 
That new design you are working from is the one I built from. I did keep the nest box inside the run, however, just to make sure that it stayed very dry. I made the clean out door bigger, but then had no end of trouble sorting out where to attach the roost! I'm happy with it. Just would have built everything a big bigger if I could do it over.
 
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