Walk in coop vs. elevated coop (4 ft)

[wolfandfinch]

a couple thoughts on the other side of the fence - if you have a smaller coop like mine will be then you could reach everything from one door, elevated. Also, it's cheaper to build it shorter since you don't have to use as much lumber etc.

Of course take my thoughts with a grain of salt as I don't have chickens yet...

 

[JerseyHen]

Quote:

a round coop would be soooooo cool. I don't even know if my uber amateur carpentry skills can pull off a square let alone a circle.

 

[perchie.girl]

Well as I think about it If I were going to keep one or two chickens it would be easier to care for them with an elevated smaller coop and access hatches... But Id say anytihing over six chickens starts at 24 square feet of space. 4 square feet per chicken. One nest box for every five hens six by six coop gets to be lawn shed size. Now you can clean with a rake and shovel or hoe. Put down some Linoleum if you have a wooden floor and you can mop occasionally with disenfectant. All from a standing position.

For me... Mine will have dirt floors with Decomposed granite bases with maybe Deep litter (still on the fence about deep litter for me). Though logistially for me it makes sense for me to build a chicken house.... 24 x 24 feet six partitions ranging from six by six up to six by eighteen. One of the partitioned areas will be a feed and supplies room.... But I digress...

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:

a round coop would be soooooo cool. I don't even know if my uber amateur carpentry skills can pull off a square let alone a circle.

I saw a picture of something that looked like a Yert here. Take a look at Yurt construction its a pretty simple self supporting structure and round.

Here you go

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1976-11-01/The-Little-Yurt.aspx

Bad example.... NO pix I will dig for more later.

 

[JerseyHen]

24 x 24 is half the size of my house...lol. DH would make me live in it with them!

 

[Anna_B_Happy]

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
LOL sorry I get caught up.

I have eighteen acres. And am in serious planning mode for my own... "coop/house" I am driving my family NUTZ...

It will be right outside my bedroom door, next to the horse corral moving the goats out of the back yard to share with the Horse and the chickens will have my whole back yard. I am planning on about sixty half chickens and half guineas.

But back to you... you have to build what suits your needs... your space considerations... and the amount of chickens you have.

 

[perchie.girl]

OK a Yurt...

http://www.strombergschickens.com/starplate_building_system

Pretty cool and versitile structure if I must say so.

 

[JerseyHen]

I would love to have more acreage, but only 1 for now, so no other creatures (except the dog and a bunch of chickens). We live adjacent to state game lands on 3 sides, so there is lots of free range location (lots of predators too, but I will protect them as best I can: only out of the run when I am there, watch dog, electric fence, etc). I have heard of yurts, but never thought to make a coop from one, I will check it out when I get on my computer (on phone now). I was going to put in corner boards (to soften the angle for cleaning) I did that in my storeroom and it worked pretty well (you lose a teensy bit of floor space).

 

[GarlicEater]

To me walk in is the ONLY way.

8x16' coop here.

Cramped spaces make you uncomfortable and that makes the gals nervous.

Think about it: Chicken coops aren't for chickens, they're for people. Chickens don't build coops in the wild. They're a way for us to keep them, they don't need them to keep themselves. They should be comfortable for us, as well as them.