Will this be enough room?

[NorthChicken]

We have started construction of our coop, even though we aren't planning on getting chickens until next spring. I figured I would rather build it now vs in April when we still have a lot of snow on the ground!

We are using the wichita coop design, with the coop enclosed in the run. The dimensions are 10x6x8 (back is 7 feet, sloped roof). The coop itself will be about 6 feet across, 4 feet long and 7 feet tall.

I am planning on a mixed flock of 1 speckled sussex, 1 easter egger, 1 polish, 2 silkies, 1 cochin and an orphington. Is this too many birds? I figured the silkies and polish are small, and I hear they don't roost, or if they do it's on roosts that are low. I plan on giving multiple roosting spots. They will be free range only when I am home to keep an eye on them, so several days during the week, evenings and weekends.

Does this sound like enough room? I live in Maine where we have long, cold winters. I plan on trying to keep their run shoveled out so they can still come out in the winter if they choose, but I'm sure a lot of time will be spent in the coop.

Here is the coop so far after spending one weekend on it. Lots more work (and money! Augh!) to go.

 

[scooter147]

It's pushing it, especially in a climate like Maine's in which they will probably want to spend a lot of time inside.
I would probably reduce it by at least one and I would eliminate the Polish. The reason is in confined spaces the other birds love to peck at the top knot of the Polish.
By the way Polish will roost and my experience is they love to get just as high as they can.

 

[thomasboyle]

You coop looks great! I agree with Scooter, you are maxing out your coop space. To make winter more tolerable, and to avoid shoveling, I wrap my coop with clear shower curtains. They are 6' x 6', and I can get them for a couple bucks a piece. It keeps the wind out, allows plenty of light it, and best of all, no shoveling snow out of the coop.

 

[scooter147]

Thomas
Are those shower curtains tacked down with wood strips?

 

[Iuvmychix]

Your coops look great! I agree eliminate the polish.

 

[NorthChicken]

What a great idea!! I will definitely be stealing that, as I truly hate shoveling and was not looking forward to another area to shovel.

Thanks for the advice, I will probably skip the polish and maybe even the cochin, and just have the orphingon, sussex, silkies and easter egger.

And thanks on the compliments! I am blessed with a husband that is a great carpenter, all I did was dig the trench and stain it...I'm sure he'll have me shingling the roof though, lol!!

 

[Iuvmychix]

Great! I love Orpingtons and Silkies!

 

[thomasboyle]

Thomas
Are those shower curtains tacked down with wood strips?

I used 1 inch deck screws with a 1 inch fender washer on the screw to prevent the vinyl from pulling through. Attached the scres every 9 inches or so. Wood strips would work well too - I thought of that, but didn't plan ahead enough - I would want to paint the boards red so they would look nice, and I put the curtains up at 9pm on the night of our first snowstorm last winter, so due to lack of time, I went with box of washers I already had in the shop. If I have time this fall, I want to paint up some boards for use this winter.

 

[chynasparks]

I guess you can say my coop is like the Wichita coop. The coop is enclosed in the run. The structure is 4x8x6. The nest/roost area is 4x3x4. I started out with 4 girls but there was a wild card in the bunch so now it's Wild Bill and 3 girls. The roost is designed like a tool caddy. A 3 inch lip around and center roost is 8 inches high. This gives them plenty of head room when full grown. I have 2 nest boxes. I don't think they are too crowded but come winter if I see a problem I can move the entrance wall out some. Hubby used wood screws so we can make changes if needed. I don't plan to increase my flock and if my rooster becomes aggressive he will get re-homed. Are your chickens going to free range?

 

[elrener]

Awesome looking coop. I love the shower curtain idea too.