What would you change about your coop if you could?

[3littlechickies]

Hi!

I am going to start building my coop next week for my three girls and want it to be perfect!!

What would you change about your coop to make it better?

What is your favorite thing that you would recommend to anyone, especially to a new chicken keeper? Any other tips would be appreciated!

Thanks!!

 

[katie1500]

Woohoo! Building is fun!
How big are you wanting to go? I have a few recommendations but it depends on if it's a smaller coop or larger. I know my smaller ones it is always best to think of how you plan on cleaning the waste from the bottom-- so slide out drawers(slide out bottoms) are fantastic and easy to clean. Also I'd recommend nesting boxes that you can access from outside the coop- it just makes things easier. Also we have snake problems so having nesting boxes that open straight up are nice so you can see everything before reaching in there. Helped out today because I found a black widow in mine... Scary

 

[Sciencediva]

I actually would not change a thing - I love my coop the way it is. However, the best advice I got myself right before we took the plunge was to make it bigger than I thought I would want it. At the time our coop felt huge and I though three chickens was all I ever wanted. Turns out it it is just right and 8 chickens is really what I wanted

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My advice: Make it bigger!

 

[buttercup95]

I agree with having nesting boxes that open from the top. I would also say make sure your chickens can get to the roost. I actually made a chicken roost in mine and none of my bantams could even reach it. I didn't even find out until a week later I felt so dumb. oh and avoid putting the roosts above the nesting boxes as that can just be a whole different mess.

 

[Folly's place]

Make it bigger!!! Nobody ever thinks that they built too big! I started with three chickens and now get down to only 30 to 35 for winter because that's all the room I have... Plan to expand this fall... Mary

 

[katie1500]

Yes, also what everyone says. Always go BIGGER because sometimes you just can't resist adding a few more to your flock, I know I have that problem... Thus I have more and more runs/coops

 

[CatUT]

I would go with the bigger sentiment too. When we first got chickens the city only allowed us 6 then the next year they upped to 10. It's a bit tight for 10 but we made the run bigger and that seems to have helped. Also if you have a garden where the chickens run around be prepared for them to eat everything in sight. I ended up building them a yard to keep them out of the garden.

 

[chynasparks]

I would make a bigger enclosed run. I only plan to keep 4 chickens. The entire enclosure is 4x8x6. I wish we would have made a longer run. But the beauty of it is we can add on. I don't want to pester hubby with it now but come spring, I think I'll get him to add to the run. We work so they can't get out. I can't free range them. We completed a moveable cattle panel whoop run, now I can get them out to forage in the grass. And come spring I am considering moving the coop off the concrete then add to the run. Don't tell my hubby now, he's still getting over all the work he did this summer.

 

[buttercup95]

What's a whoop run? Can you post a pic I wouldn't mind seeing it!

 

[chynasparks]

Well I can't seem to post pics in this comment box but I have a picture of it in my album. Click on my album and you'll see it. It's made with cattle panels secured to a frame. Kind reminds me of a chuck wagon. People make their entire coop out of them. I can add to it any time. I can't free range so I put them in this run. I move it around the yard so they don't strip an area