What are your must haves for the new coop?

[MeatKing]

Ok, So with the help of the great people on this site, I've learned about the poop bored... And that we need one

What are your other ideas, must haves? Would never bulid a new coop without...... You fill in the blank! Thank-you everyone for your imput. Can't wait to hear what you all think. WE are buliding are first coop, so would like to make it perfect!

 

[jones-e]

would never build a coop without lots of windows for natural light and a roof vent or some kind of vent to vent out moisture especialy in winter it is easy for chickens to get frost bitten.oh and a water heater.

 

[gsim]

Lots of permanent year-round ventilation above tops of walls if possible. Can be soffit, louvered gable end, turbine vent, vented cupola, ridge vent, open screened space between top rafters if a shed roof or a gable roof withouf soffit.

Poop plank

Windows that open on all sides, or maybe all but north sides.

Wall trough or feeder bin that takes at least 50# at a time.

Lights and electrical outlets

Ceiling fan for exhausting heat on really hot days

Water to vicinity of coop, inside run if run is big enough to stand up in.

Guillotine type drop-down pop door closers with overhead cable/cord and pulleys.

If a small coop, a bump-out for nest boxes

Optional storage for supplies and feed, if feasible.

Optional skylight for wintertime solar heat or extra natural light. Able to be blocked in summertime.

 

[Scoop]

I love the pop door for the run so I don't have to go into the coop or run to let them out.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

I would never build another coop without two sections. I have one coop attached to a completely enclosed run, it has enough windows, nestboxes and poop board (which I love). It's plenty big for my dozen chickens..... But I wish, so much, that I had built a divided coop... This could be used for two different flocks, broody hen, rooster 'pad', isolating a sick/hurt bird. It would only need to be a small area but getting dh to go back and cut and build another door, add another wall and more fence just AIN'T happening.... But soon we will be building another coop at our farm and that one WILL be divided into different sections...

 

[Mahonri]

Wish I'd have done a poop board.

Wish I'd have insulated and put in a bigger AC unit.

 

[cposz]

Poop board, external laying boxe(s), about 10 squ. feet more space in the henhouse, a slanted roof over the run, and a bit more ventilation. Pretty much sounds like I will be needing a new henhouse this spring, I guess.

 

[weirdmuse]

I would include quarantine box, secure feed area, updraft roof exhaust fan that could be used in the winter, and insulation. Insulation for keeping it cooler in summer more than warm in winter.

 

[LynneP]

Our coop is inside a barn so I have feed room, etc

- common nest box, perhaps two
-electric pet bowl
-quarantine cage large enough for 3
-porch outside the pop door to baffle wind

 

[possumqueen]

ventilation

easy clean floors

ventilation

no crevices or cracks where mites can lodge

ventilation

poop board

did I mention ventilation? Think of the ventilation birds have when they live outdoors and sleep in the trees.