12 x 16 coop

[alpacaroad]

We have Guinea keets and Easter Egger chicks that are rapidly out growing their current quarters. We have the keets in plastic storage containers while the chicks are living in the chicken tractor.

We are building a 12 x 16 coop that will have a 2 x 16 food storage area and the remaining 12 x 14 area will be divided in half -- one side for the guineas and the other side for the chickens. Vents on each gable end and 4 - 6 next boxes with out side access on the chicken side.

Both sides will have access outdoors where once they are large enough they will have free access to 5.5 acres.

Each side will have a 3x5 brooder that will be on legs to allow more floor space for the mature chickens/guineas. We will use hardware cloth to divide the areas so the guineas and chickens can see each other.

I currently have g & c living together in harmony so we'll see if they will provide an example on how to behave.

I'll take some pics tonight and post tomorrow.

 

[TytoAlba]

Sounds like it will be a great coop. I've got plans for something similar, although smaller. One suggestion: I was originally also planning on nesting boxes with outside access, but then I realized I could back the nesting boxes up to the wall between the actual coop area and the food storage area and access the back of the nesting boxes from the food storage area. That will make it simpler to build because you don't have to do complicated carpentry for those outside-access nesting boxes and can just have a completely rectangular building. You could even do storage cabinets above the nesting boxes that also open into the food storage area or use the area above the nesting boxes for the brooders you plan which saves floor space elsewhere.

 

[alpacaroad]

Great idea!

 

[TytoAlba]

Thanks! I'm looking forward to doing it myself. It might mean you need to increase the dimensions of your coop slightly because that wall between the coop and storage area will expand a few feet and take up a bit of your interior space, but overall I like this idea better than trying to frame outside nesting boxes and make the lid weather-tight. I would love to see pictures when you build. I'm still some time away from starting construction and am just in the planning phase so I love to see real-world progress.

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

Outstanding ! I can't wait to see the pictures of this coop.

 

[aart]

We have Guinea keets and Easter Egger chicks that are rapidly out growing their current quarters. We have the keets in plastic storage containers while the chicks are living in the chicken tractor.

We are building a 12 x 16 coop that will have a 2 x 16 food storage area and the remaining 12 x 14 area will be divided in half -- one side for the guineas and the other side for the chickens. Vents on each gable end and 4 - 6 next boxes with out side access on the chicken side.

Both sides will have access outdoors where once they are large enough they will have free access to 5.5 acres.

Each side will have a 3x5 brooder that will be on legs to allow more floor space for the mature chickens/guineas. We will use hardware cloth to divide the areas so the guineas and chickens can see each other.

I currently have g & c living together in harmony so we'll see if they will provide an example on how to behave.

I'll take some pics tonight and post tomorrow.

Geeez...what a tease!!

Looking forward to seeing pics!

 

[alpacaroad]

I can't get pic to post