Starting over...

[JenMamaOf4]

We’ve been pushed into rebuilding our aging coop sooner than planned... a large tree fell into our chicken yard today! So we’re quickly getting ready to rebuild. Amazingly no chickens were hurt. My question is, if you were starting over and needed to build quickly, what would you go for? Our first coop was pre-fab and left a lot to be desired. I’m excited to start over now that I know how a coop should function. We have 6 layers.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Where are you located?

 

[springvalley123]

I'd go for something like this:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/ALEKO-Metal-Walk-in-Chicken-Run-CKR10X20BL-HD/305959952
You'd have to put additional tarps on two or 3 sides for wind breaks (attach with bungees). You'd want to replace or supplement the chicken wire on the sides with hardware cloth. Then, either 2X4 no climb fence for the roof and gable area, or a perimeter electric fence. I believe @Parront has a similar setup to this and is pleased.

Of course, depends on your area, but I'm in AZ where it ranges from 20 degrees F to 110 in the summer with winds up to 50mph.

Then you can anchor it with trampoline stakes or J-shaped rebar, or keep it portable.

Another quick semi-temp alternative is to pound some t-posts and attach pallets to them.
That might buy you time to get something really nice/expensive in place, a dream coop!

I wish you success!

 

[JenMamaOf4]

Where are you located?

North Georgia. Warm in the summer, we get a few hard freezes each winter but it doesn’t stay below freezing for long. We have a large fenced in chicken yard, where the chickens free range during the day. We’re looking to rebuild the coop and run.

 

[Alaskan]

North Georgia. Warm in the summer, we get a few hard freezes each winter but it doesn’t stay below freezing for long. We have a large fenced in chicken yard, where the chickens free range during the day. We’re looking to rebuild the coop and run.

For Georgia I would pick something like this:

This is actually sold as plans on Etsy.
Page for coop

But you don't need to buy those plans if you don't want to.... just build something similar.

Just for hot states you want a huge roof, and oodles of shade as well as oodles of breeze.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

For Georgia I would pick something like this:

View attachment 2631659
This is actually sold as plans on Etsy.
Page for coop

But you don't need to buy those plans if you don't want to.... just build something similar.

Just for hot states you want a huge roof, and oodles of shade as well as oodles of breeze.

Go to the search icon and type in open air coops, those will fit your climate best I think. I'm in Texas and just built a new coop that is open air. I scavenged a ton of materials which saved a lot of money

 

[3KillerBs]

North Georgia. Warm in the summer, we get a few hard freezes each winter but it doesn’t stay below freezing for long. We have a large fenced in chicken yard, where the chickens free range during the day. We’re looking to rebuild the coop and run.

Central NC casts an other vote for an Open Air coop. In the Steamy Southeast we have to worry about heat more than we worry about cold. Just give them shelter from the winter winds and lots of airflow and shade for the summer.

This coop in Texas is one of the main inspirations for my new coop build.

 

[Alaskan]

Central NC casts an other vote for an Open Air coop. In the Steamy Southeast we have to worry about heat more than we worry about cold. Just give them shelter from the winter winds and lots of airflow and shade for the summer.

This coop in Texas is one of the main inspirations for my new coop build.

Oh yeah, that Texas coop is a good one.

Lots of roof! And lots of wire!

 

[Parront]

I will chime in here and recommend an open air type of coop. Mine is 10 x 10, surrounded by electro-net fence. The roof is tarp, and 1/2 of the sides are tarp in the winter. I can move it to fresh ground, and the hens are fine in the winter, we have snow and our lowest temp was 8 degrees last winter. I did have a couple of frost nips on the Leghorn's combs, not enough to keep them from laying all winter. Heat is far worse for them than cold. Wind breaks, and shade, and air circulation is why I like this pen & run. My chickens used to sleep in their run when I had a regular coop made of wood, and nice and solid. They hated it! This time around, I just skipped the coop, they like living in their "Run". Here it is when they moved in last summer. I moved in their brooder box, they are standing on it. The second photo shows the tarp on the back and the roof, and you can see the square in front where it was for a week, then moved.