What do I need to look for?

[lazy gardener]

Build your own, or buy a shed and repurpose it. I recommend a walk in coop. the shorter coops limit your ability to use DL, and limit your ability to use all of that vertical space. Consider that us humans live on a single level (for the most part) while birds live in their entire space. You will want some floor level venting, nest boxes, perches will need to be ABOVE the level of the nest boxes, and you will need at least 18 - 24" above the perches for head room and ventilation. Lots of natural lighting. Plan on 10% of your floor space for ventilation or 1 s.f. of ventilation per bird. 10 x 10 coop should have at least 10 s.f. of vents! Remember that your ventilation will need to be in at least 2 locations to help remove moisture and ammonia.

If I were designing a coop, I'd put it in a very well drained site, have a soil floor, with rot proof footing (cinder blocks or poured concrete??? A skirt all the way around to keep out digging predators.

Also helpful: a clean out door under the perches, an area in the coop that can easily be set up to brood chicks, keep a broody hen, or a problem child chicken.

Absolute must: ELECTRICITY.

Wanna build on the cheap? Cattle panel coop. I've even seen them built by using vinyl siding to sheathe them. I was fascinated by that idea.

 

[ChickenGrandma2202]

We built ours in our garage. Two sides are chicken wire and 2 are the actual garage walls. Our garage is set up with a large sliding door that we open during the day, offering fresh air and light. There was a window on the wall which we used as an entry to their run. Deep liter is a must! Or I think so lol. There is no smell and very quickly flipped and added to about once every 2 weeks so far. We have lights on as the days got shorter but no heat needed so far hoping we won't need any at all. Actually just expanded their run today to be twice the original size. All the run is covered with a large netting and the new area is cover with bird netting we purchased at Rural King. Keeping the coop dry is a major must. We are in Illinois.

outside ladder with window closed to coop

 

[LilCamoHen]

Thank you everyone for all the amazing advice. I really appreciate it. I am apparently going to be using every bit of this winter to learn about chickens and how to care for them. LOL I am also going to be saving up to build them a coop and run. Thank you again and keep coming with the information you think I may need, I am willing to learn.

 

[Mr Pink]

How far are you from Lebanon ? We live in the Truman lake area and it's only an hour drive over to Cackle Hatchery ... While they supply alot of the farm stores with their chicks many of the people who work at said stores know diddly squat about chickens ( probably try to sell you cornish crosses as layers ) Ordering and picking up exactly what you want right from the hatchery with NO shipping is great when you get ready for your birds

 

[aart]

Here's some thoughts on the heights of coops.
Here's my theory on the 'stack up' aspect to coop design:

Bottom of pop door is best about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.

Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).

Roosts are best about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them, if you use poop boards under roosts it will also 'stretch' your floor space.

Upper venting works best as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

 

[jthornton]

This will be my first coop and I am really excited I want to make sure I do it right. What do I need to look for when it comes to size or durability I live in Southwestern Missouri and am worried about our random temperatures. I am looking to start keeping chickens in the spring of 2018 however I am nervous because I have dogs, I want to make sure my chickens have somewhere they can go if my dogs are being brats. Does anyone have any advice on what I need in means of coop and surrounding area?

If you have dogs make the coop and run dog proof. A neighbors dog knocked down my T post fence and killed all my chickens.
I'm in southeast Missouri. As others have said proper ventilation is a key factor in your chickens making it through colder times as well as the warmer times we get here. Anyone can make a coop you should see my neighbors coops (not the same one that used to have a dog). She lives alone and just cobbles them up from left over stuff. I know a lot of coops shown on here are works of art but a coop just needs the basic things, enough space, enough roosting area, ventilation, nest boxes and predictor proofing. Just about any structure can be converted into a coop...

JT

 

[jthornton]

How far are you from Lebanon ? We live in the Truman lake area and it's only an hour drive over to Cackle Hatchery ... While they supply alot of the farm stores with their chicks many of the people who work at said stores know diddly squat about chickens ( probably try to sell you cornish crosses as layers ) Ordering and picking up exactly what you want right from the hatchery with NO shipping is great when you get ready for your birds

+1 for the Cackle Hatchery, they are fantastic.

JT

 

[jthornton]

Here's some thoughts on the heights of coops.
Here's my theory on the 'stack up' aspect to coop design:

Bottom of pop door is best about 8" above floor so bedding doesn't get dragged out of coop.

Nice to have bottom of nests about 18" above bedding to allow use of that floor space under them(doesn't count if your nests are mounted on outside of coop).

Roosts are best about 12" higher than nests so birds won't roost(sleep) in nests and poop in them, if you use poop boards under roosts it will also 'stretch' your floor space.

Upper venting works best as high as possible above roosts so no strong drafts hit roosts in winter...and hot/moist air and ammonia can rise and exit coop.

I wish I had seen this site before I built my coop...

JT

 

[LilCamoHen]

How far are you from Lebanon ? We live in the Truman lake area and it's only an hour drive over to Cackle Hatchery ... While they supply alot of the farm stores with their chicks many of the people who work at said stores know diddly squat about chickens ( probably try to sell you cornish crosses as layers ) Ordering and picking up exactly what you want right from the hatchery with NO shipping is great when you get ready for your birds

I think I am about an hour and a half from Lebanon, I am not sure exactly though, and thank you for the advice I really appreciate it.