What are your favorite coop features?

[Judy]

Favorite feature: SPACE! An 8x8 costs little more than a 4x8 (do the math) and IMO is as small as I would go. I have 17 chickens at present, have had more, and my coop is 11x17. Most of the materials were already here so it was a lot less expensive than it sounds -- but in no way is it too big. There is room for two garbage cans to store feed, and a separate 5x6 fenced off area (I've used it for storage, broody, sick chicken, chicks.) And I keep a lawn chair in my coop.

A close second is power. Running power to a coop is not as expensive as you'd think, much superior to extension cords, and makes life so much simpler if it gets cold enough that their water will freeze where you are. Also comes in handy if you need to handle the birds at night (worming, etc.) or brood some chicks (which I won't do in the house.)

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

Poop boards under the roosting area and definitely space. Standing up inside the coop is a BIG plus.

 

[7L Farm]

Big three sided coop!! No pop door needed. Also, use half inch hardware cloth & an apron around the whole coop & run. Here's two three sided coops that are predator proof & big. Birds, like alot of space.

 

[baldessariclan]

Nice/convenient things to incorporate into coops:

1) Being able to stand up inside (essential, come cleaning time!)
2) Windows / ventilation controls / door controls accessible from the outside (no need to go inside when you don't want to).
3) Along the same lines as above, outside access to egg gathering.
4) Roofline that won't drip on you while entering coop, egg gathering, etc. during rainy weather.
5) Incorporate a mild slope in flooring to aid with draining if you wash coop out w/ water periodically. Likewise for nesting boxes.
6) Make it tight and pest/predator-proof from the get go -- avoid later headaches/retrofit work.
7) Lots of ventilation / big windows.
8) Bedding, cleaning equipment, and/or food storage in or near the coop.

 

[I-Have-Happy-Hens]

Quote:
And Auto door

 

[wyododge]

Well we live in the frigid wilds of Wyoming, so our best feature may not be applicable for some of ya'll, but it makes my wife VERY, VERY HAPPY!!!

bulk water storage. Our coop is inside a 100 year old shed barn, 300 yards from the house so when it is -30f out, it's a long walk with water buckets, or to drag a hose. (i work two week shifts so I can't always do it for her).

So this is what I came up with... A 130 gallon bulk storage tank with a de-icer and submersible pump in an insulated box or 'the cooler' as we call it.

The pump fills our five gallon nipple waterers with the flip of a light switch. The garden hose self drains so it does not freeze. The paper bag in the 'cooler' on top of the tank is full of potatoes, it is great cold storage during the winter. The 130 gallons of water keeps the inside of the cooler at about 40*.

Now, it did not cost all that much either. We already owned the tank and pump, they were just sitting around, the 2" foam insulation panels were $5 bucks each at the lumber yard because they were 'damaged', and the OSB was left over from various projects.