Topic of the Week - Building a Chicken Coop

[lazy gardener]

I dont like exterior nest boxes that you raise the lid on. Alway disturbing a chicken getting ready to lay. Walking into the coop. Is less disturbing. Also I have had eggs freeze due to cold air blowing under the nest boxes.

My boxes have an outside access, but they are actually part of the footprint of the coop. Minimally invasive to sneak the door open for a quick peek. IMO, less invasive than walking into the coop to take a peek. Outside access next boxes are also extremely helpful for anyone who has asthma. Less exposure to bird dander. In 2 years, with outside access boxes, I've only lost 2 eggs to freezing, in my 44.6 lat. climate.

P.P. mentioned issues with cold winters. For those of us who live where the ground is frozen at least 5 months of the year, I consider that it's a necessity to have a "sun room" available for the flock. My sun room consists of a section of the run, with poly covering south, east and north walls of one bay of the run. This bay is partially covered with 2 x 4 wire, with the remainder covered with a green house tarp. There is a deep composting litter in this area. With winter temp of 15*, the birds would be out in their sun room all day long, dust bathing and turning the compost. It's well worth it for me to be knocking snow off that sun room roof, and shoveling a path from pop door to sun room during and after every storm.

 

[Patinas]

I am new to chickens this year and built my coop this spring. Took us 2 1/2 months to complete the coop and run and I literally have my blood, sweat and tears into it so here are some of my insights and tips having just gone through this --

- Do's and don'ts - What did you wish you did differently, or knew, when you built your coop?
DO plan it out well. Make sure you know the number of birds you eventually want and build your coop accordingly.

DO your research. I started researching chickens and coops two years before I was actually able to get chickens. I already had a picture in my head of what I wanted my coop to look like, the size and the features I wanted to build into it. I actually purchased coop plans but they still weren't exactly what I wanted so I used them as a guide which was very helpful.

DO make sure your coop is predator proof. Those little extra steps like burying hardware cloth as an apron can go a long way to keeping your birds safe and giving you peace of mind.

DO make your coop easy to clean. I put a lot of thought into maintenance and it's paying off in spades in terms of time spent cleaning. I spend about 10-20 minutes a day cleaning poop trays, filling feeders and waterers. Makes it way less of a chore when it can be done quickly. Also consider interior height. You do not want a coop that you can't freely walk around in without ducking/bending.

DO consider poop trays under your roosts. Easy to scrape off and keeps the coop fresh so much longer!

DO consider an automatic chicken door. An added expense but in my opinion, so worth it! Even though my coop and run are predator proof, you just never know so I do use a metal auto-door between the run and the coop. I love never having to worry about getting up to let them into the run or making sure I'm around to close it in the evening.

DON'T build your coop/run for 6 chickens and then put 12 in there. Your chickens won't be happy and neither will you. Overcrowding brings its own set of problems and too many chickens in a small space means your coop and run will require much more of your time and expense for maintenance. Just remember, chickens poop A LOT!

- What materials would you recommend (or not) and why?
I live in the rainy NW and we had a particularly wet spring and our yard became really muddy so I made a decision to pour a concrete pad for the chicken run. This was definitely an added expense but in retrospect, so glad we did this. My chickens are dry and content on rainy days when they are in the run. I cover the floor with straw and shavings and planning to clean it out entirely twice a year.

I let my birds free range in the afternoons so it's not like they have to scratch concrete their whole lives and I've had no issues with their feet on concrete because of the thick covering of straw and shavings. If you live in a wet climate, consider pouring a pad for the run. If I hadn't taken this step, I'm sure I'd have cold, muddy, unhappy chickens most of the year.

Often, materials will be dictated by finances but my philosophy is if you can't afford it, don't build it. It's not worth building a cheap shoddy coop. You nor the chickens will be happy with it over the long haul. I know someone that has lost 3 flocks of chickens to predators due to a coop built out of free pallets and some nails and an uncovered run. It's also overrun with rats and mice!

- Coop size(s)?
Obviously cost is a factor when it comes to coop size. If cost is an issue then create yourself a budget and stick to it. Again, if you can only afford a coop for 6 chickens then only get 6 chickens.

My coop is 8 x 12 for 20 hens and 1 rooster. The chicken run is 12 x 20. The coop has 6 nest boxes and two 8 foot roost bars. My birds spend very little time actually in the coop as they are either in the run or free ranging during the afternoon. Occasionally, on a cold rainy day, they will hang out in the coop but there is plenty of room for them in there as well as additional feeder and waterer. I suspect during the winter they will be in there quite a bit so it's nice to know they have plenty of space.

- Money saving tips for coop builders?
This one's a bit tough for me. I did not have access to used/free materials so my coop was not cheap but I had planned and saved up to build it. My other thought on this is there are some things you should not skip on because of money. There are just certain things you should include that will be worth every penny spent in terms of your time, your flocks health, their safety and your peace of mind.

- Anything you'd like to add?
After wanting chickens for years and finally having them is really wonderful. I enjoy them so much and even don't mind the maintenance. But, I am convinced that building a coop large enough for them and building it for ease of maintenance for me is a huge factor in my positive experience with chickens. If I'd not planned it out I am sure I would be sitting here today saying "I wish had added fill-in-the-blank to my coop" or "I wish I hadn't built it so small"....etc.

Overall, I am extremely happy with how my coop turned out and the chickens seem to enjoy it too. They clearly are comfortable and safe in it and I never have thoughts like, ugh! I do not want to go in and clean the coop! My coop is bright, airy, large enough to walk around in without ducking my head and easy to maintain.

My advice...plan, plan, plan and build for the number of chickens you want OR plan, plan, plan and build for what you can afford and only raise as many chickens as your coop and pocket book can comfortably accommodate. And don't forget to plan for your own comfort in terms of cleaning and maintaining it! Not a positive experience if you're full of regret!

 

[Annemade]

I am getting ready to attach hardware cloth (1\2 inch) with washers and screws. How far apart should I put them? These are my first chickens and don't want to lose any to coons.

 

[jeria]

If you are in a town or city limits check your zoning laws. My planned coop site changed because it was 5 feet to close to a neighbors home. She would not have cared but future owners (she is 90) could have a problem with it and get picky.

 

[Annemade]

I am in the country, no problem with location, or township, just lots of predators. I have the run framed and ready for the hardware cloth.

 

[jreardon1918]

We are also new to chickens. Ours 7 chicks are8 weeks old. They moved into the coop at 5 weeks. We bought the daisy plan from Mypetchicken. The coop is 4'x8'. With outside access nest boxes on each side. My brother framed the coop for us off site and we trucked it in. The two back doors give easy access to clean out while standing outside the coop. We put in a ridge vent for extra ventilation. The attached run is 8'x8' plus the 4x8 under the coop. The run is covered by a plywood roof. Even though the run is quite secure, we still put hardware cloth on the windows. They have been putting themselves to bed very night since the move. They fly up to the roost bars. The removable roost poop boards are great. We have the nest boxes closed off until they get closer to egg laying age. I used shingles for the nest box roof and that added considerable weight. I need to work on a lift assist for them. We will also need a step stool to access the eggs. I love that I dug the hardware cloth half way to China. There are all kinds of wildlife in backyard. Just saw a fox last week. He walked right by the run and didn't even bother to try to get in. We spent way too much on the coop. But are pretty proud of how it came out. Just have to neaten up the construction site.

 

[mertzy1963]

Here is my chicken run/ coop........built from scratch, followed a picture of a coop found online, made ours the way we wanted it, have 6 teenage chicks living comfortably in it so far........

 

[Lori C]

To me the three most important things in building a coop (and run) are location, location, and location. If you put your coop (and run) in a low spot where water drains to it or stands you will have issues. If you build it where (or so) water drains away life will be much more pleasant. You need to keep it dry!

- Do's and don'ts - What did you wish you did differently, or knew, when you built your coop?

This is hard to answer because we all have our different preferences. My coop has been constantly evolving as I go along. You make your plans but they never work out exactly as you expect. We are all going to have different goals and conditions. Even if you have some experience your needs will change. Things you think you want are never used. I made a couple of my nests so I could access them from outside. I never use that feature, it’s much more convenient for me to just walk in and gather eggs. Some people really like access from outside, and if your coop is too small to get inside yourself it’s pretty necessary.

- What materials would you recommend (or not) and why?

Anything touching the ground needs to be able to stand up to touching the ground. Non-treated wood will rot pretty quickly in most climates unless you use special expensive varieties of wood. Some metals will rust. Pay attention to the foundation, use stuff that will last. That can be treated wood, special wood, certain metals, cinder block, brick, concrete, or something else. They can all work.

For roosts I want wood. Metal or plastic are good heat conductors while wood is a good insulator. Wooden roosts will stay warmer in winter and won’t be as hot in summer.

That’s about it for specific material recommendations. People successfully use wood, metal, or plastic in various combinations for coops. Some of that is personal preference, some might be climate, some might be what’s available or inexpensive.

- Coop size(s)?

You can follow the link in my signature for some of my thoughts on things to consider when determining coop size. We keep them in so many different climates, with different goals, set-ups, flock make-ups, and use so many different management techniques no one square foot number can fit us all. We are all unique.

Make it bigger than you think you need. I find the more I crowd them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues. A lot of this is about me, not the chickens. If I manage them right I can crowd them, but why make my life harder than it has to be?

Flexibility is priceless. If you shoehorn them into the tiniest space possible what do you do if you get a broody hen? Or if you need to separate an injured chicken for a while? Or try to integrate replacement chickens? If you plan your coop around free ranging all day so they only sleep and lay in the coop, what do you do if you have a predator issue?

You need to be able to access everything inside your coop. At some point that’s going to change from a small coop you can reach most places from outside to where you need a walk-in coop. Again, think about your convenience.

- Money saving tips for coop builders?

Consider the size of your building materials when planning your coop. If you are buying new, here in the States most building materials come in 4’ and 8’ standard dimensions. If you plan your build around this you can usually reduce cutting and waste. A 4’ x 8’ is probably not going to be much more expensive (if any) than a 3’ x 7’ and will probably be easier to build.

- Anything you'd like to add?

I’ll give links to a couple of articles that I think should be required reading for anyone building a coop (and run).

Pat’s Big Ol' Ventilation Page

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

Pat’s Big Ol' Mud Page (fixing muddy runs):

http://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-fix-a-muddy-run

You will get a lot of advice on this forum, many people will tell you that you absolutely have to do things one specific way. But then you’ll see where someone did it totally differently and it still worked. There is practically never one way to do something, there are many different ways that work. That makes it harder because you have so many options that can work instead of someone just telling you that you have to do something a certain way.

We all keep chickens in totally different conditions. When you see advice from someone I suggest you try to determine if they are talking about your circumstances. What works for someone free ranging a large flock with multiple roosters may not work at all for someone keeping four hens in a small suburban back yard, totally contained in a small coop and run.

Try to keep things simple. Again, that’s for your convenience, but animals are a commitment. If you leave town for a wedding, vacation, or funeral, you will need to get someone to feed and water the chickens. The easier you make it to take care of your chickens the easier it may be to find someone. Think about where you store your feed, get water, and such as that. Chickens should be easy to take care of. They are much more enjoyable if they are not a burden.

Hi there,

Some great info for someone such as myself. Perhaps it's just me but I was unable to connect with either link.

Thanks

 

[RonC]

I am getting ready to attach hardware cloth (1\2 inch) with washers and screws. How far apart should I put them? These are my first chickens and don't want to lose any to coons.

I spaced them about a foot apart on my brooder. Pull the hardware cloth tight and put the screw close to the wires both vertically and horizontally so it doesn't get slack as you put the screws in. Some people cap the edges of the hardware cloth with another trim board but don't try to put the board over the screw and washer. It won't sit flat. You can put another screw/washer in between if you're not happy or feel secure with a foot apart. Also get someone to help pull it tight if possible.

 

[lazy gardener]

If you put a trim board over the HW cloth, the fender washers are not needed. Simply place the screws such that they will suck the trim board down tight to sandwich the HW cloth between the 2 boards.