Two Australorps?

[Alyssa Bates]

Hi! I am looking to start with backyard chickens this spring. We are looking for chickens that will be calm/kid friendly (as far a chickens go), be good egg layers, and can tolerate our cold Minnesota winters. After doing a bit of research and reaching out to several experienced chicken folks, it seems like Australorps are my best bet.
But I have one concern... they look to be rather large chickens when they reach adult size. Our city only allows a maximum of 3 chickens, and have strict restrictions on how far the coop/run needs to be from the fence line, home, etc. With these restrictions in place I am limited on how large of a coop and run I can install. I think it might be best if I get a setup small enough for us to move around our yard during the warmer months. The setup I'm looking at is similar to this...
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Pawhut-D...hicken-Coop-Poultry-Hen-House-w-Run/121455497
Or this....
https://www.amazon.com/Pawhut-Woode...d=1499782116&sr=8-3&keywords=chicken+coop+100
I would allow the chickens to free range in our yard whenever we can supervise them, so they get a bit of exercise... but I'm still concerned that 3 Australorps will be too large for either setup.
Should I only get 2 to be safe, so they aren't too crowded? Or will 3 birds be happier, even in one of these setups? Or should I look at a smaller breed all together?
Any advice I could get would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Those coops can be pretty tight for large breeds. 2 is the maximum I would put in there.

That's not your biggest problem with your plan though. Being in Minnesota, I'm in Wisconsin, winters are brutal and long. There are times your hens will need to be confined, so either plan on something big enough so they can stay inside if a blizzard is blowing or plan to enclose the run somehow in winter.

Another problem will be snow will bury that coop, and getting feed and water in it will also be difficult.

In summer the coop will be very warm and stuffy, so your hens might not go in it.

One more thing is those coops are flimsy and expensive. You might do better building your own, there are lots of great ideas for coops on the coop pages.

I definitely don't want to discourage you, just let you know the potential problems before you find out the hard way.

 

[andreanar]

Maybe get bantams? Ive never had them so I don't know much about them. Also, Serama are small chickens.

 

[biophiliac]

If you can't/don't want to build your own, you can get more for your money and will enjoy the experience more if you think about a small wooden shed from one of the home improvement stores and just modify it for chickens [mostly add ventilation and pop door] . It will last longer and be more secure. Best wishes.

ETA Australorps are just lovely birds and did great in Wisconsin winters.

 

[Mrs. K]

Those darn pre-made chicken coops are so cute, but really don't hold up to the elements, and lack in enough space inside. Chickens are close to the walls or ceiling so that moisture can collect on them which can lead to frostbite. Cleaning them out is difficult too.

I agree with a small shed, and a run attached. Will give you longer satisfaction. One can paint them up and they are cute.

Letting birds out once in while is a good idea, but it does not allow you to cheat on space. In the north, the nights are long, my birds, here is SD, are headed to bed just past 4:00 pm, not getting off the roost until nearly 7:00. That is when they need to be roosted up in dry conditions.

Mrs K

 

[biophiliac]

Those darn pre-made chicken coops are so cute, but really don't hold up to the elements, and lack in enough space inside. Chickens are close to the walls or ceiling so that moisture can collect on them which can lead to frostbite. Cleaning them out is difficult too.

I agree with a small shed, and a run attached. Will give you longer satisfaction. One can paint them up and they are cute.

Letting birds out once in while is a good idea, but it does not allow you to cheat on space. In the north, the nights are long, my birds, here is SD, are headed to bed just past 4:00 pm, not getting off the roost until nearly 7:00. That is when they need to be roosted up in dry conditions.

Mrs K

Yep, and a shed will be tall enough for roosts above poop boards above nest boxes etc , or you can hang a feeder under the poop tray in winter. I always kept the water outside using a heated dog bowl in winter so the bedding doesnt get wet inside the coop.
Also, you can stand up in there which you will be glad of if you ever want to inspect your birds on the roost. [For example looking for mites at night when they come out or checking for other health issues.]

 

[Alyssa Bates]

Thank you everyone for getting back to me which this great advice! Based on your feedback, I have decided to totally scratch my initial idea and revamp my approach to starting chickens. Rather than going the transportable coop/run kit approach, I have decided to get a much larger permanent coop within a MUCH larger permanent run. I honestly believe you all kept me from making a very big mistake resulting in some very unhappy birds. This online community is so fantastic!
I am now considering purchasing this model of coop...
http://snaplockchickencoops.com/standard-coop.html
and completely enclosing 1/2 of the space under our 2nd story porch as their run. The space under our porch is tall enough to stand under without having to bend over (so I'd say about 7 feet tall), and would provide 12x7 feet of floor space for them to move about in. The coop would be inside of the run, elevated on a stilt frame so the chickens could walk under it. With this new approach, I have a new set of questions:
1) Is a run of this size adequate for 3 Australorps?
2) Does anyone have experience with this sort of coop? My biggest concern is whether or not this style provides enough insulation and ventilation for 3 Australorps to keep warm in our extremely cold Minnesota winters (without the use of any heat lamps or mats).
3) How about the size of this coop? It need to be large enough for 3 Australorps, but cozy enough to 3 Australorps to stay warm in during the winter, right?
4) Is having chickens under our porch a terrible idea? It is a large and airy space, and I would fill the run with sand, but will smell be a big problem?
5) Lastly, during the winter, should I keep their heated waterer and feeder inside the coop, or outside of it? (I'm concerned about coop size if the answer is inside).
Again, thank you all for being such an amazing resource! I want to make sure I don't move ahead with anything on impulse.

 

[andreanar]

This still seems awfully small. would the chickens be able to get any sun if the run is under the porch? I keep feed and water inside the coop in the winter, sometimes they prefer to stay in the coop on nasty, cold days. I wouldn't think that coop would be very warm, it looks like it would just be a wind blocker.

 

[User395221]

3) How about the size of this coop?

I'd say that it is still too small, if your girls are going to need to stay in there sometimes when the weather is bad. I used to have a small coop and 3 australorps. It was fine for sleeping in, but my girls were allowed out every day, and they were never confined in there (mild climate). I still felt they were "too big" for it (one girl was huge), their proportion seemed "wrong" for it. Also, if you get snow, I think you'd need better insulation for it to be warm inside? (I don't know, we don't have it). It might be ok if your undercroft is well sheltered.

As for using the undercroft as the run, I'd say a lot depends on its drainage and how you would be keeping it clean.

I'm also not trying to be discouraging, I've just "been there, done that" with smaller coops and I'm much happier now my girls (and I) have more room.

 

[andreanar]

Can you check your local craigslist for coops that are for sale? That's what I did and I found a 10 x 10 foot sturdy awesome coop for 250$