tell me your Coop tips

[WingItRanch]

I'll keep my tip short... whatever you do, make it easy to clean. Dust, poop, surprise egg messes, etc. Just make sure you can reach and easily clean and/or replace bedding. I have a wide cleanout door I can just align the tractor bucket up against. I rake the soiled bedding directly into a tractor bucket and move to a compost pile. So happy with that decision!

 

[LeverAction35]

I'll keep my tip short... whatever you do, make it easy to clean. Dust, poop, surprise egg messes, etc. Just make sure you can reach and easily clean and/or replace bedding. I have a wide cleanout door I can just align the tractor bucket up against. I rake the soiled bedding directly into a tractor bucket and move to a compost pile. So happy with that decision!

Half of my ideas are based around easy cleaning. I could not agree more.

 

[FrostRanger]

If you're just getting started I'd advise against getting a rooster, at least for the first year. Part of it is so you gain some experience with chickens and the other reason is roosters turn out well a bit more often if they have mature hens around to teach them some manners. Aside from that, you only really need a rooster if you want to hatch eggs from your hens. Many of us, myself included, have all hen flocks and are happy with that.

What I would consider adding if you can is an in coop brooder. Brooding in the coop makes integrating chicks so much easier and smoother

 

[aart]

My coop is in an old shed, 16x16' and ~2' off the ground,
part of both my runs go under it but those parts are limited to about 4' from the edge so not far to crawl if needed...which I've only had to do a couple of times.

 

[jreardon1918]

(Apologies for being repetitive.)

Northern New England crys out for more Woods style fresh air coops!https://gnipsel.com/files/chickens/mfaph.pdf (kudos to @jthornton for providing this!!)

I agree. I built a cute 4'x8' coop. I currently have 11 hens and overcrowding is real. Soon, I will cull a couple older girls and consider an expansion or a new coop. A woods style would be my preference.

 

[Toothpick]

Back in 2017 I bought a storage shed from Lowes and customized it.




It has taken many forms inside over the years





I put rubber coating on the floor and up the walls about a ft. I forget the name of it - Rubber 57 or something. Then I finally did some proper nest boxes under the poo boards that are loaded with Sweet PDZ. I also made a brooder in the rear. This way I put the chicks in there and they grow up with the adults. Once they are feathered and big enough I let them out and never had any issues.

This what it looks like now -

If you have something you can walk in and clean and collect eggs you will enjoy the hobby 100x more. I had one of those little cheap Tractor Supply coops at first - besides it being a piece of junk it was not fun trying to fit half my body in there to clean and collect and whatever. Plus....if you are thinking "oh I'll only have 6 hens" you are lying to yourself. You will have at least double whatever your initial estimate is.


You don't need a rooster. BUT, IMO I like to see one out with the hens. Keeps them in line, protects them somewhat from preds, and you can hatch the eggs if you want and sell fertile eggs If you want. But I only keep one if it's nice to me. If it spurs me and we ain't friends then it goes bye bye and I try again with a different one. I'm in and out of the coop daily and I don't want to be worried about getting attacked.

Don't necessarily need windows but ventilation is a must. I simply cut vent holes in the coop I got. And put chicken wire over one side of the doors so I can leave it open during the day.

 

[MROO]

The only thing I'd add to all of this great advice is to face your main opening (usually the door) away from the prevailing winter winds. It will keep out most of the snow & bitter winds.
My converted playhouse coop has double "barn doors" on the southern exposure. I covered the opening with hardware cloth, so I can open it up & let the sunshine in. The door is on the southeastern side, where it's protected from the wind by two other buildings.

 

[Iluveggers]

Elevated.
Elevated.
Elevated.

My coop is 10' by 16' and is elevated 3' to 4' off the ground; it is walk-in, I have a three step 4' x 4' platform at coop level, very much like most folks front door.

Elevated coop benefits:

1. Free space - one gets use of the footprint for both run & coop.
2. Eliminates possibility of critters living underneath.
3. Deters access by critters into coop for food/water.
4. Increases life of the shed floor, by extension of the coop as well.

I prefer elevated, also. I am almost 50, and it wasn’t fun the one time I had to rescue a sick chicken from under the coop. But that is the only time I’ve had to go under. I keep a rake nearby to grab a random egg or if they happen to kick the oyster shell under. I have cinderblock “stairs” set up to get in & out. When I clean it, I move the blocks and rake everything into a wheelbarrow placed under the door. Easy peasy.

I put rubber coating on the floor and up the walls about a ft. I forget the name of it - Rubber 57 or something.

Interested more in how this works. I was going to buy stick on linoleum floor to apply this summer but maybe I’ll do this under the flooring. I had a roll of old flooring stapled down, but they pecked it and ripped it up

Plus....if you are thinking "oh I'll only have 6 hens" you are lying to yourself. You will have at least double whatever your initial estimate is.

This is the truest statement of all. My hub said 6 when he initially caved to my desires. We will be at 36 this summer after adding a second coop. Happy wife, happy life! Of course, as part of the deal, I do all chicken chores I am physically able to.

 

[KyCoop]

I have an elevated coop also but it was purpose built as one. If I were converting a shed I would leave it on the ground. Crawling under it with a sick chicken in one hand and using the other to crawl is no fun at 53. Yeah that happend.
Windows YES. I have HWC screen doors on 3 sides it's fantastic in summer. It's like them sleeping on a screened in porch.
I positioned the nest boxes in such a way that they don't have to walk through poop and get their feet nasty on their way to lay. Keeps the box and eggs cleaner.

 

[Ted Brown]

@Iluveggers

Product is BlackJack 57, i used, great product!