Adding coop space to current setup

[BradD20]

Currently have a third coast design coop. I have 9 hens and a rooster, they fit comfortably. But I’d like to get another 5-10 hens. Thoughts on adding more coop space to this setup? My original thoughts are something less lavish, possibly an open air design off the opposite end of the run of the current coop? These birds free range 90% of the time as well so I’m not concerned about adding run space

 

[arianna7]

beautiful coop!!

 

[Penpal]

Can you just add another roost?

 

[BradD20]

Currently maxed on roost space. Could probably fit another bird or two in there comfortably

 

[aart]

Thoughts on adding more coop space to this setup?

How big is that coop, in feet by feet?
Pics of inside, please.

My original thoughts are something less lavish, possibly an open air design off the opposite end of the run of the current coop?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes, where are you located? My interest is your climate, mostly winter but also summer. I'm not interested in average temperatures but what are your extremes? That's where you can see the problems. How cold or how hot can it get? Snow and ice in winter?

What are the dimensions, in feet or meters, of the enclosed weatherproof section? What are the dimensions of the area enclosed in wire? Could you link us to drawings or photos that show different views and dimensions? Those can be really helpful to show what you are working with. It is a lot easier to provide useful suggestions if we know what you are working with.

Do you consider that run to be predator proof? If it is then you have more flexibility in what you can do.

If those are your chickens in the photo then they appear to be mature. How old will the chickens be that you plan to add? Integration tends to take more room than just enough for them to exist together once they are integrated. If they are immature that extra space needs to be maintained for longer. To me, integration is an important consideration.

Right now I would not know what to suggest.

 

[BradD20]

I am located in East Tennessee. Highs in the summer can reach 100°. Winter time the usual extreme lows are in the teens. Every couple years we get a winter storm that can reach single digits. The current run is 8x16’. They do not spend much time in the run other than when weather is bad. The run is predator proof, completely sealed off with hardware cloth and buried 2’ under the run. My hens are mature minus three 4 month old RIR pullets. My initial thought was to sit an Amazon 8x6 storage shed at the opposite end of the run, cut a door in it and tie it to the current run. Add ventilation, a roost ladder, bedding and nest boxes. Could add an additional fence off the back of the shed for a unprotected run, the protected run would be there, plus all the free range area they wanted

 

[Ridgerunner]

I am located in East Tennessee. Highs in the summer can reach 100°. Winter time the usual extreme lows are in the teens. Every couple years we get a winter storm that can reach single digits.

Summers aren't too bad as long as they have good ventilation. Your winter is not that bad either. They'll need enough ventilation to keep most of the moisture from their breath, from their poop, and from their water bowls out of the air when it gets below freezing. They need to be out of a strong breeze too. They'd be OK sleeping in the run as long as you can stop a strong breeze from hitting them.

The current run is 8x16’. They do not spend much time in the run other than when weather is bad. The run is predator proof, completely sealed off with hardware cloth and buried 2’ under the run.

I was also interested in how much room there is in the coop section, they part enclosed in wood. Once they are all mature they will probably want to sleep in there. Trying to scale it out, that looks like it is maybe 4' x 8'.

My hens are mature minus three 4 month old RIR pullets.

I think this means you have 6 mature hens and 3 pullets? I assume the rooster is mature? Where do the pullets sleep now? On the main roosts with the adults? At that age mine would be sleeping somewhere else but our coops, runs, and flocks are different.

My initial thought was to sit an Amazon 8x6 storage shed at the opposite end of the run, cut a door in it and tie it to the current run. Add ventilation, a roost ladder, bedding and nest boxes.

That's not a horrible idea. Set it outside the run and cut a pop door in the shed and fence. That would save what run space you have and provide two separate coops which could make integration of your new girls a lot easier. That is somewhat similar to my set-up. I really like having two separate coops spread like that, it is handy in many ways. The downside is that it can be a long walk around the outside from one to the other, depending on where your doors are.

Another issue is the size. Some people on this forum believe civilization as we know it will cease to exist if you don't provide at least 4 square feet per chicken in the coop (the coop being the part enclosed in wood). Others use different magic numbers. Not only do I not believe in magic, I don't believe chickens can differentiate between coop space and run space. They don't care what kind of space they have as long as they have it when they need it.

This does not mean that room is not important. I find the tighter I pack them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues when they come up.

It is possible you could train some to sleep in the different coop though sometimes they all want to sleep together once they are integrated. If you leave the pop door open all the time they can get to the run if they need to. That's provided the run is available and not off limits to them due to a strong cold wind blowing from the wrong direction or snow hasn't blown in overnight.

Your 8' x 16' run is not huge either, though it is not that bad. You can improve the quality by adding clutter (things they can hide under, behind, or over to get out of line of sight or out of reach). Where you are you can probably free range almost every day though winter storms can cause a problem with that, either strong cold winds or with the ground covered with snow. Hopefully you won't run into the problem where a fox is catching one of your flock every morning so you feel a need to keep them locked up all day until you can get rid of that fox. Dad had that happen and had to wait until he was off from work on Saturday so he could shoot the fox. That's an example of having less flexibility to deal with issues when they come up.

Could add an additional fence off the back of the shed for a unprotected run, the protected run would be there, plus all the free range area they wanted

Anything extra you can add will help. Based on your location and weather you can probably add more chickens if you add that shed and fence. If you have broody hens raising chicks with the flock that might get tight but that should be in the good weather months so less of a problem.

I personally would not add any more chickens to what you have without expanding. Expanding can get expensive. I cannot think of a better way to expand though.