Vote--------Is it better to build an 8' by 12' or an 8' by 8'?

[chicken_angler]

I want to build an 8' by 12' coop but I dont know if it will be too big so I wanted your opinions! I know it would save money by making the bigger one but it would also cost more.

Here are the costs I came up with:

OSB= $5 a sheet
2 by 4s= $1.50
Shingles= free
tar paper= free
Nails= mostly free
Linoleum= IDK?

So what would you vote on?

Thanks!
Cody!!

 

[Babe77]

Oh, hands down the 8 x 12!!!!!!!!!! If you ever need to go bigger, say when you are done building it, it will cost much more to add on to it.

We are just completing our 8 x 12 coop for 20 chicks and stood there last night, both saying "we should have made it bigger".

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
I just finished building my 3rd coop (I posted it on here "somewhere" yesterday). My 2 largest are 6ft x 8ft x 8ft tall with very little wasted material. Plus the framing was of an easy size to manuever myself. I would think any larger would be hard to handle unless you have an extra set of hands. On the Linoleum side (I'm in the flooring business), find a local dealer who sells SECONDS, or remnants. I think my TOTAL cost for all 3 coops in Lino was around $30. Hope that helps

 

[LilBizzy]

I'd go 8x12 if costs allowed. You can't build "too big" it seems. You could always section it off to use only part of it for now, but you will eventually fill it up.
I'm sure everyone will tell you how they wished they had built bigger. I'm one of them.
If you do decide to go with the smaller- be sure to make your plans so you can add on easily.

 

[joey7319]

Go as big as your buget will allow. Before long you`ll be wanting more room for more birds. I built an 8'x8' coop and filled it very quickly, now I am thinking of building a pole barn to house more critters.

Joey

 

[chicken_angler]

This coop would have sections in it. It wouldnt be for one whole flock. I would probably have quail and a few chickens in it.

Thanks for the replies. I am going to find out a rough estiamte for how much each size would cost. Then I will post them on here.

Thanks,
Cody!!

PS. My dad just picked up another free roll of tar paper this morning!

 

[featherfooted]

I started with an 8'X8' and in less than a year I was enlargeing it. It's now 8'X20' and I sort of wish it was bigger, but if it was I would have way too many chickens if that's possible.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Definitely 8x12!
We got our linoleum for $8 - a remmant at Sutherlands. Well worth the $!

 

[Thomas423]

8 x 12. You can't go too big.

Ours is 8 x 12 with 8 x 8 for the big girls and 8 x 4 for the little ones. We built a brooder box inside the small section also. There is an enclosed area with a heat lamp (when needed) above the brooder box.

Having two sections made it so easy to intregrate the younger girls with the bigger girls. We would let the younger ones "explore" the larger area when the big girls were outside. By the time we mixed them together the younger girls were already comfortable with their new home and with just a little pecking order stuff no big problems.

Right now I have silkies in the small area until we get their coop(s) (LOL) built. I plan on having it empty before spring so I can get some black astrolorps to add to the flock.

 

[notapandabear13]

BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER BIGGER! definatly bigger. goodluck!