Will this thing work? LOL - Newbies need advice :)

[lisafri]

Hello All,

I am enjoying looking at everyone creative coop solutions!! We are expecting our first delivery of day old chicks next week and meanwhile my husband has been constucting a coop out of scrap wood. We are interested in suggestions and guidance as it is not done yet. I am in favor of a screened enclosed area but I am not sure this house will lend itself to that easily. We are thinking of closing off this whole side yard (image below). Any suggestions/criticisms would be welcomed!!!!!!! Thanks!

Questions
1) Is it big enough
2) Do we need a run if we just fence the whole side yard area

 

[Katy]

How many chicks are you getting and what are the dimensions of the coop?

 

[chics in the sun]

For how many chickens?

 

[teach1rusl]

Well it certainly looks solid!

Whether it's big enough or not will depend on how many chickens you'll have, what breeds they are, and whether they're LF or bantams compared to the size of your coop. If you're in an area that gets pretty cold/snowy in winter, many use the guideline of allowing a minimum of 4 sq. ft. per LF chicken, half that for bantam breeds (for the coop housing). If you're in an area that doesn't really get winters, you could get by with a little less than that.

You don't have to have a covered run, although that's your safest bet. If you do not have a covered run, you need to be sure to secure the birds inside of their housing at night (which many do even with covered runs. Good luck!

 

[lisafri]

We are getting the maximum we are allowed in town here which is 4 chickens - 2 RIR and 2 Easter Eggers

This coop is too small I think at 3 X 4....We do get very cold winters here in Fayetteville Arkansas. Thanks for all your replies! We need all the help we can get!!!!

 

[Katy]

That's really too small.....4 square feet per hen is the bare minimum.....they really do better the more room they have. With a run they won't have to in it all the time, but unless your run is covered when the weather is wet and cold they may not want to go out. Some of mine go out in any kind of weather while others prefer to stay in when it's raining or snowing.

 

[lisafri]

I found out that the nesting boxes will bump out of this structure and not use any of the existing space. This makes me feel a little better. I will see if I can talk my reluctant husband into enlarging our chicken apartmentt into a townhouse or somthing...lol.