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Thanks everyone! I will add that info to my profile, aart. I had a walk-in coop years ago, and I loved it. I had 6 chickens then, which was way too many for me. That was at an old rental property, and those birds did not free-range. On my property now, in southern Oregon, I have an enclosed run, altered from an unused lean-to-type woodshed. It is about 8 x 12, and the coop will fit within it, leaving about 72 sq feet of run.
The adult birds are in the run now only to lay, eat, drink and sleep. The rest of the time they are roaming one-half acre. They've also taken over a gazebo, haha, which they prefer for dust baths, shade and shelter during the day if it storms.
The current coop in the run is barely 3x3, built locally, and was supposedly for 4 birds. No way. I bought it for three barred rocks who refused to roost there. We recently lost our Sauron
A "chicken specialist" nearby suspected heart failure. Speedy and Trex remain. These birds have never chosen to use that coop to sleep. Sauron taught them to roost on the roof. She was the big leader. They do use the coop to lay.
They are used to having 2 nest boxes, so I'd rather not take one away, but I wonder if I could build boxes to place in the run, instead. There is a spot I could do that. Removing the boxes from the coop, I could make the footprint 3x7, which will add a bit to the cost since 2x4's generally come in 8 foot lengths, as far as I know. I will have to move their water if I lengthen the coop.
Unfortunately, 3x8 will not fit where I'd like to place it. That wall is about 8 feet long, but I'm pretty sure it's not quite 8. Considering where the door to the run is, I would rather not widen the coop. If it is wider, I will also have to move their feeder and build another upright to accommodate it somewhere else.
The adults currently jump 2-3 feet in one shot from ground to nestbox lid and then to the roof of the coop, and they roost there all night long, so the design above should be a whole lot less work. No jump in the new coop is greater than 18 inches, and there is no way they will reach the roof, haha. I think they will most definitely use the highest, 4-foot-long roost.
They do not coop themselves even in the worst weather. The run is well placed, dry and secure. There are solid west and north walls, a solid roof as well as nearby trees to protect from the wind.
I've read and researched a lot of plans, including the whole coop-building pinned post and links. I know chicken math, and I know it is real, but this coop will merely be a bedroom and a birthplace.
These are the 2 coops that mostly inspired the design... The Purina-type coop was not one of them.
https://www.communitychickens.com/cool-coops-the-rustic-whimsical-coop/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-coop-4.49731/#comments
When integrating the new birds, a tentative plan is to give them half of the current coop, while they're still fairly smaller, until the new coop is built (if it isn't done in time). This is just so the adults still have a nest box. Otherwise, the kids could have the whole thing to themselves for the time being. If I separate the coop between kids and adults, it will be done securely, but I also can place an extra nest box in the run.
The new coop, I think, might also be easily sectioned with a couple changes and additions, both temporary and permenent. Babies and adults, regardless, will be totally separated by fencing at first, and babies will also have their own temporary run within the current run. I also have a dog crate if if comes to that. It is already reaching 80s during the day and high 40s-50s at night.
The 2 adults are crazy hearty when it comes to weather, sleeping out in the open, on the roof, basically their whole lives. We have put them in the coop at night, off and on, when it's 20s or lower, but this is rare and does not last long. I keep a close eye on them, and they have never suffered frostbite, lethargy or any obvious injury from cold.
They don't like snow much and stay in the run more when that happens, but snow here is kind of a joke. We rarely get more than a foot, and it rarely lasts more than 2 days. Many years we get none. Summer and fall are hot, but the run is totally shaded. That's why all the vents and windows.
The chicken door will pretty much always be left open, except for those rare, super cold nights. The other two walls of the run are enclosed in hardware cloth that is buried under lumber and dirt. It is secure.
Here are a few more pictures from the front, with doors hidden, and the top. I added my idea for a poop board, but I guess I am assuming that chooks will roost facing people doors
I wonder if moving the roost closer to back wall can entice them to definitely roost butts toward the back.
So, I'm totally into doing this. I love DIY, I'm (just a little) stubborn
, and I love the idea of building something from scratch. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm nay-saying any suggestions. Everyone's input is really, truly appreciated!! There's just a lot of stuff I've already considered, and I don't want to have to re-site and build a different run, too.
The adult birds are in the run now only to lay, eat, drink and sleep. The rest of the time they are roaming one-half acre. They've also taken over a gazebo, haha, which they prefer for dust baths, shade and shelter during the day if it storms.
The current coop in the run is barely 3x3, built locally, and was supposedly for 4 birds. No way. I bought it for three barred rocks who refused to roost there. We recently lost our Sauron
A "chicken specialist" nearby suspected heart failure. Speedy and Trex remain. These birds have never chosen to use that coop to sleep. Sauron taught them to roost on the roof. She was the big leader. They do use the coop to lay. They are used to having 2 nest boxes, so I'd rather not take one away, but I wonder if I could build boxes to place in the run, instead. There is a spot I could do that. Removing the boxes from the coop, I could make the footprint 3x7, which will add a bit to the cost since 2x4's generally come in 8 foot lengths, as far as I know. I will have to move their water if I lengthen the coop.
Unfortunately, 3x8 will not fit where I'd like to place it. That wall is about 8 feet long, but I'm pretty sure it's not quite 8. Considering where the door to the run is, I would rather not widen the coop. If it is wider, I will also have to move their feeder and build another upright to accommodate it somewhere else.
The adults currently jump 2-3 feet in one shot from ground to nestbox lid and then to the roof of the coop, and they roost there all night long, so the design above should be a whole lot less work. No jump in the new coop is greater than 18 inches, and there is no way they will reach the roof, haha. I think they will most definitely use the highest, 4-foot-long roost.
They do not coop themselves even in the worst weather. The run is well placed, dry and secure. There are solid west and north walls, a solid roof as well as nearby trees to protect from the wind.
I've read and researched a lot of plans, including the whole coop-building pinned post and links. I know chicken math, and I know it is real, but this coop will merely be a bedroom and a birthplace.
These are the 2 coops that mostly inspired the design... The Purina-type coop was not one of them.
https://www.communitychickens.com/cool-coops-the-rustic-whimsical-coop/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-coop-4.49731/#comments
When integrating the new birds, a tentative plan is to give them half of the current coop, while they're still fairly smaller, until the new coop is built (if it isn't done in time). This is just so the adults still have a nest box. Otherwise, the kids could have the whole thing to themselves for the time being. If I separate the coop between kids and adults, it will be done securely, but I also can place an extra nest box in the run.
The new coop, I think, might also be easily sectioned with a couple changes and additions, both temporary and permenent. Babies and adults, regardless, will be totally separated by fencing at first, and babies will also have their own temporary run within the current run. I also have a dog crate if if comes to that. It is already reaching 80s during the day and high 40s-50s at night.
The 2 adults are crazy hearty when it comes to weather, sleeping out in the open, on the roof, basically their whole lives. We have put them in the coop at night, off and on, when it's 20s or lower, but this is rare and does not last long. I keep a close eye on them, and they have never suffered frostbite, lethargy or any obvious injury from cold.
They don't like snow much and stay in the run more when that happens, but snow here is kind of a joke. We rarely get more than a foot, and it rarely lasts more than 2 days. Many years we get none. Summer and fall are hot, but the run is totally shaded. That's why all the vents and windows.
The chicken door will pretty much always be left open, except for those rare, super cold nights. The other two walls of the run are enclosed in hardware cloth that is buried under lumber and dirt. It is secure.
Here are a few more pictures from the front, with doors hidden, and the top. I added my idea for a poop board, but I guess I am assuming that chooks will roost facing people doors
I wonder if moving the roost closer to back wall can entice them to definitely roost butts toward the back.So, I'm totally into doing this. I love DIY, I'm (just a little) stubborn
, and I love the idea of building something from scratch. I hope it doesn't seem like I'm nay-saying any suggestions. Everyone's input is really, truly appreciated!! There's just a lot of stuff I've already considered, and I don't want to have to re-site and build a different run, too.
I was newb enough to buy a totally stupid coop, but thanks, HowardE (sorry, I misread earlier)! I am going to do some more measuring and really stake it out and, maybe, rethink my plan. If I can fit a 4 x 8 walk-in coop in the run, it would be a great addition if I ever sell the property, which is totally possible. If I can get a 4x8 walk-in coop in there, that will leave an approximately 8x8 run. I'll have to look at the math again for that.
