Woods coop enclosed run help

[Medda]

Hi all,
I am about to begin construction on an 8x16 Woods coop with help from some construction-minded friends. For background, I will initially be getting 10 chicks on March 9th from Ideal. I’ve started construction on a 4x6 brooder on 18 inch legs that will be in the garage (1 foot solid sidewalls on 3 sides, 1/2 inch HDC front, 2 feet above solid sides and top).

My confusion is related to how to attach an enclosed run to a Woods coop? Ideally in the location I want to put the coop, the run would extend off the front towards the South. I am concerned this would interfere with the concept of a Woods coop though. Currently I have some 10 ft. w x 6 ft. t chain link dog kennel panels. The run plan is to use 5 panels for a 10x20 run. Half of the run would be covered with a tarp or roofing panels for shade/weather protection. If I extend the run off the front and have roofing over that section, wouldn’t it interfere with the light and possibly air movement in the coop?

I work at my office 3 days a week and I’m gone for about 10 to 11 hours on these days. I know they could stay in the coop on those days if necessary. However, even when I’m home, the girls will need an enclosed run due to predators in my area (hawks/owls and land based). Free ranging is really not an option.

I’ve also been trying to think of a way to attach a run to either side at the front of the coop. But wouldn’t I run into the same issue of blocking light and air from either of the two windows on the sides?

I guess I could put the run area out away from the coop and build a Chunnel from the pop door to run. I should also say I eventually hope to add an automatic pop door before next winter for my piece of mind when the days are shorter I may not be home before dark.

Any advice or suggestions?

Thanks Medda (Sharon)

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

Great question! I'm planning on building a Wood's coop as well with the plan to place it up against my existing 10x10 roofed, chain link dog kennel run. The run would be on the east side of the coop.

Never thought of the run hindering the concept behind the Woods coop....great question.

 

[Howard E]

When deciding what to do, I was thinking coop and run, but in my location, I'm exposed on top of a wide open ridge, so get brutal cold winter winds. To be usable in winter, I'd have to block off the run each winter.

It then dawned on my that unless and until you overpopulate the house, a Woods coop IS a run........a safe and secure covered run enclosed on three sides, the fourth side open to the south. As designed, with open side facing south, opening monitor windows, opening side windows, it can be opened up to breath. Even more so if you are willing to replace or supplement the solid side door with a second screen door inside. Wide open or buttoned up. It is that flexible.

If this is to be more or less permanent, you can really tighten it up with cement foundation and floor. No rats, no digging predators, and dry. Leave the food and water inside and they can survive for weeks on end in there. Then if you want to free range or yard them.......just open the pop door.

Mine is 8 x 12, so about 96 SF.....so I could keep 10 birds in there and each allotted nearly 10 SF per bird. Run space.

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

But would our ideas of attaching a run hinder the concept? I will never free range and I already have the run constructed.

 

[Medda]

Thanks all! I guess my priority now is to finish off the brooder and get the coop built. I can work on an enclosed run later this summer. I would like to range them some on fresh grass, etc but am concerned about the predators. It may be that I build a portable pen and either just put them in it when I'm home or build a Chunnel.
Thanks, Medda

 

[Folly's place]

It would make sense to attach a run at the side where the 'people door' is, and have it open for run use in better weather. Most Woods coops seem to be stand alone structures, with the flock free ranging when it's okay to do so.
Mary

 

[KettermanHillCoop]

It would make sense to attach a run at the side where the 'people door' is, and have it open for run use in better weather. Most Woods coops seem to be stand alone structures, with the flock free ranging when it's okay to do so.
Mary

I guess I'll have to wait and see if there is any changes... My run will be on the east side of the coop. Man door will also be on the east side leading into the run as well.

 

[Howard E]

If I wanted to attach a fully enclosed and protected run on my Woods house, I could do so on the side of the coop that is opposite the people door. I put a pop door on each front corner, so they can go either way. I could open or close the pop door from inside the coop without having to go into the run. Or if I had a gate or door on the run, open and close the pop door from the outside. How secure that would be would (Wood?) depend on how secure I made it. Tight as a drum, or just some type of fence? Rat proof or rat enabled?

I could also put in a partition down the middle and keep two separate bunches of birds in there. One on each side. One going one way and the other another. Water and feed for each.

If I wanted to expand that area, I could also do so by putting up a hot wire poultry netting.......a yard........as big as I wanted. One out of one pop door, the other out of the other?

 

[Folly's place]

That's a much better idea!
Mary

 

[JackE]

If I wanted to expand that area, I could also do so by putting up a hot wire poultry netting.......a yard........as big as I wanted. ?

That's what I did. 650' of electrified poultry net, surrounding the coop. Big area, no aprons to mess with. As far as shade goes, there's the coop, and a cluster of small trees/bushes behind the coop.