Trying to decide which spot would be best for a new coop

[rosemarythyme]

One of my goals this year is to put in a new coop in order to expand my little flock. End goal is to have space for up to 12 birds (I'm aiming for 8 to 10 birds total, but am adding some wiggle room just in case). I want to use the runs I already have but can't decide what the best option would be as far as coop location relative to the run.

Option 1: Build behind the current run (marked in blue). Estimated 64 sq ft coop with 200 sq ft run space.

Pros: Since there's no fencing behind the run a larger coop can fit without an issue. Coop would be similar to this one: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/8x8-coop-almost-done.1221211/

Cons: Since I want to use the run directly in front of it we'd have to cut an opening out of the chain link. I don't know if that would compromise the fence any? It's also slightly harder to run power and water out to this spot versus option B. With this option we would not be netting over the secondary run, so the chickens would stay in the current run.



Option 2: Build inside the second run (marked in purple). Estimated 48 sq ft coop with 432 sq ft run space.

Pros: Existing fence provides a level of extra security around the coop (the coop structure could easily support more netting, so entire run could be used). Easier to run power and water to this spot.

Cons: Coop size would be limited by the secondary run, which is 14x20. I want to leave enough space to get a wheelbarrow all the way around as well as room for the run gates to swing. And coop would have to be built on-site (so no dropping in a premade structure), or we'd have to take the fence down and put it back up after.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Other considerations are shade and to eliminate any standing water. For the latter, build on the highest ground or a slope to avoid mud pits.
Chickens need shade. They don't die from cold but they do suffer from heat.
I'm not fond of the coop inside the pen because it eats up valuable space.
It isn't hard to add a door to a chain link pen. Lowes and HD have all the parts. I ALREADY had a big chain link dog pen I decided to use for one of the pens but with a single gate I couldn't have a man entrance and still get the chickens from the coop to the run. I just bought another chain link door and put another door on the other end.
Another option, if you have enough space, is to build in another area altogether to get a shaded dry spot. Then you'll he 2 coops separated for quarantining new, sick, injured birds, grow out or housing broodies and chicks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The reason the run is in that spot is it's fairly well shaded come spring and summer thanks to that large willow tree, and also because its close to the house, so we can easily monitor things. Also in Pac NW heat isn't really a concern, and even then I start putting out extra water as early as 85 degrees to keep them cool.

Our property is sitting on a lot of water but the drainage is quite good in the current run area, especially with deep litter.

The only other spot I considered for the coop is in the shed seen in the upper left corner of the 2nd photos in each set. However the ground is not even there and drainage is an issue, as the water pools behind that location due to a pond being on the other side of the shed. So I already eliminated that as a possibility.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well I was hoping someone would see something I'd missed, but right now I'm thinking I like Option 2. If I get a little creative with the coop layout I can get the square footage in Option 1, just in a more convenient location.

How do these look as far as coop layouts? Is one layout better than the other? Footprint is 9x9 L-shape for 65 sq ft coop floor space. The pink sections on walls are windows/vents, going to pack in as many windows on 3 sides as possible.

OR

 

[lazy gardener]

I don't have a lot of input other than to suggest that you have your nest boxes BELOW the broody/isolation area. If the boxes are above, the birds may be more inclined to sleep in the boxes.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'll consider that, thank you - my hubby mentioned the same thing. I suppose another option for a chick integration area is to take apart our current coop and make an integration pen out of it, slowly raising it over time to let the chicks explore (but keep the bigs out). We'd only be adding chicks every other year or so, so it's not something that needs to be in there full time.

 

[speedy2020]

Make sure it easy to get access to collect egg and refill food/water. No one want to get inside the run to collect egg daily.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I think I'll be okay with picking up eggs from inside the coop (and I don't like the look of egg boxes sticking out). Currently I'm using a dog house as a nest box and have to lift off the heavy roof to get eggs multiple times a day. Anything would be an improvement over doing that!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have to second having access to nest boxes from outside. You have 2 choices there. Boxes inside the building with just a door for access or as you said, the boxes on the outside that you aren't fond of. I've done them both ways. The downside of having them inside the building is that you need to get creative so you don't eat up floor space. It isn't an issue if you can build a large enough building so stocking density isn't an problem.
Where I live, anything over 100 sq. ft. needs a permit. So every time I build a building, I keep it just under 100 sq. ft. which helps me fly under the radar for lots of things but I have to creatively design to maximize use of space.
The last building I built is a hexagon shaped breeder complex split down the middle with a covered breezeway. There are two units on one side of the breezeway that can hold up to 8 birds each and three units on the other side for pairs and trios. The smaller units also make great broody apartments as well a temporary quarters for batches of hatchlings. The best part is that from under the breezeway, regardless of inclement weather, in relative comfort and from one location I have access to all nests, bulk feeders, an automatic water system that runs through all units and the roosts themselves. With access doors running the length of all units, I can pull birds off of the roosts at night and move them between units or to other buildings.

Another suggestion that makes things more pleasant is to arrange the nests, roosts and chicken doors so that when hens come in to lay, they have a straight shot to the nests so they don't walk under roosts which would have them tracking feces into the nests. And as Lazy Gardener noted, roosts need to be significantly higher than nests to prevent sleeping in them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks for the feedback - I'll keep in consideration the relative location of nest boxes and roosts. Maybe the shed company can suggest something creative to make outside egg boxes less obvious. I don't want to substitute aesthetics for functionality but the coop does need to look as nice as we can make it (as we don't own the house).

A structure with a breezeway sounds amazing, your set up sounds fantastic! I originally planned to tear down our old shed and build a mini barn with a pass through, but due to drainage issues the replacement shed will probably be smaller than the original and therefore not have room for a coop without sacrificing other things I wanted.

I believe our restriction here is up to 200 sq ft without a permit, which is nice, since a small flock can easily be housed in a coop well under that cutoff.