Growing our flock: New bigger coop? Remodel existing coop? Add second coop?

[chickenrennie]

Hello! New member here. Sorry in advance for the novel! Summary: should I remodel our existing coop, or build a second coop?

We started our flock here in Northern New England 4 years ago. We have an 4x8 coop and 8x8 enclosed run built by a well-regarded local vendor, surrounded by a ~20x20 fenced run.

We started out with 11 chickens but lost 2 to predators while they were free-ranging beyond the fenced run; we've been steady at 9 girls for the past couple years. We have not added any new birds in the past 4 years and obviously we need to do so as egg production has begun to decline. As we'll be providing a lovely retirement for our elder ladies, we need more room for a larger flock. I'm hoping to double our flock over the next 2/3 years, to about 20 hens.

I don't love our current coop as it isn't walk-in; crawling in to clean it is hard on my body. I've modified the internal layout a bit. Previously, the roosting bar went all the way down the long wall. I've instead created 3 shorter roosting bars going cross-ways at one end, and a 4x4 poop tray that slides in one of the egg access doors. This means I only have to crawl in a couple times a year for full clean outs.

I'm trying to figure out if I should: 1) remodel our existing coop to fit 20 birds; 2) build a second coop of similar size to hold ~10; or 3) build one big coop and try to sell our existing coop. I'd also love to have some shed space for lawn mowers and gardening tools, and not sure if this should be yet another shed or what...

Some of my concerns:

• Our chicken coop etc are down at the bottom of our driveway by the road, and I'd like it to look "nice" and not like a jumble of various sheds.
• Remodeling existing coop would cause greatest disturbance to our current flock.
• Maybe having two coops, or a divided larger coop, would be better longterm for some reason I can't identify?
• It doesn't seem like coops hold much resale value, even from well-regarded local vendor. So seems better to remodel the existing coop for long-term instead of trying/failing to sell it.
• If I remodel, can the hens just live in the enclosed run while I do that? They'd have roosting bars, nesting boxes, food, water, etc. and it would be warm outside. Seems ok?

Here's a photo of our current style of coop for reference:

Thanks for any ideas/thoughts you have!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I'd aim to get one big coop as there's a good chance the birds will want to all cram into one coop regardless of how small it may be for all of them. Make it big enough to easily walk into for cleaning, for your back's sake. For 20 birds you're looking at a minimum of 80 sq ft, assuming there's climate protected areas in the run to let them get out during winter so they don't get shut in for days.

Coops might sell a bit better now that more people are interested in getting chickens due to egg shortages... of course that probably varies wildly by area.

Regardless which route you go the hens should be fine with just the run as long as it's predator safe enough to your liking, and they have some climate protected area to hunker in overnight. Nest boxes could be as simple as crates under some sort of overhang.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I also would build a bigger coop you can walk into. It makes life for you and them much easier.
If it's easy for you to tend them they get tended more often or more thoroughly.

Coming from someone who built a small (ish) coop then added a second, third and fourth...you get the visual lol. Yeah I tore down two of them and repurposed one then built a nice big coop. Sure wish I had done that in the beginning. I still have an 8x8 walk in attached to the big run where new chicks get raised and old ladies can go when chicks aren't in there.

That said having a second coop has come in handy for me for many reasons. I would keep the smaller coop and perhaps look at a way to make a second cleanout door on the other end or the side near that end. That should help limit the crawling in.

 

[Ted Brown]

Northern New England crys out for more Woods style fresh air coops!

https://gnipsel.com/files/chickens/mfaph.pdf (kudos to @jthornton for providing this!!)

I third going with one new larger walk-in coop; also encourage keeping a second for ... all manner of stuff including isolation, brooder, storage, bratty roos...

 

[U_Stormcrow]

4th recommend for larger walk in coop. and personally, I'd make it big enough you could store tools in the "back side" with a door between sides. Your tool side will be rapidly given over to feed storage, shovels, rakes, and the rest of chicken adjacent "stuff", but hey, at least its all right there where you need it.

and yes, "Woods style" - @Ted Brown has the right of it.

 

[Sally PB]

Your back and the top of your head will thank you if you have a coop tall enough to stand up in.

 

[Ted Brown]

I looked at your current coop style...

You could build an 8' x 12' Wood KD style attached to one of your existing coops; fits @U_Stormcrow suggestion of "back side" (excellent suggestion!); there is a facsimile of this in Woods' book.

What directions do your's face? In our location & climate south slightly east is recommended.

 

[NanaK]

Welcome to BYC!

I agree with the others that walk in coops are nice!

We started with a small coop that was difficult to clean. We built a walk in coop and it made chicken chores so much easier. We fenced off an area inside the coop for feed, tools and storing chicken stuff that's not in use. I like having everything right where I need it and no poop on the feed bins.

I have poop boards under the roosts, so we also included a broody/hospital area fenced under the roosts. It has a separate pop door into a fenced area outside. This works great for a broody hatching chicks.

The old original coop is used for straw storage and a few things when not in use. Keeps things clean and dry.

We also have another small coop (chicken math) that's used for various things, to separate a cockerel, extra broodies, raising purchased chicks, etc.

I keep my elderly hens. They have a home for life. Most are with the main flock. I've had 2 pushed out by the younger hens. I will not cull them. An extra coop has come in handy for this too. The old gals can live in peace.

If you can swing it, I'd build a walk-in and keep the coop you have. This way you can leave the flock in the present coop while you build the new one. I pretty sure you will use them both at some point.

Please post pictures when you build. We all love to follow along and will help any way we can.

 

[chickenrennie]

I looked at your current coop style...

You could build an 8' x 12' Wood KD style attached to one of your existing coops; fits @U_Stormcrow suggestion of "back side" (excellent suggestion!); there is a facsimile of this in Woods' book.

What directions do your's face? In our location & climate south slightly east is recommended.

We're on the north slope of a large hill. Unfortunately means generally wetter conditions and less sunlight than desired. In summer we get sun until about 3pm, in winter less. (See photo below following the most recent storm.)

The garden gets dibs on the one spot in the yard with the longest direct sunlight, and the chicken coop gets spot #2. I've had things oriented to give the most sun in the larger fenced run.

I've been digging through all the posts on Woods KD style coops and had already come to the conclusion that I'd like to do that next. I would orient the closed side to the road (north) and the open side directly back toward the house (south).

I also like the idea of making the "coop" larger enough to be a happy self-contained area for winter, and also doing a tractor run or similar for 3-season grazing. The giant rectangle of dirt hiding under all our snow is an erosion problem and an eyesore.

 

[Ted Brown]

I was confused by your first picture, second above clarifies.

I suggest that you talk to your reputable builder about modifying what you have. By that I mean use it largely intact (cost to deconstruct wasted).

My wild thought to a Woods coop:

1. Turn your 4 x 8 coop 90 degrees so that low side faces your house & south slightly east (high front wall removed as two sections are integrated into one).
2. Build a new attached back 8 x 8 section to give an 8 x 12 coop foot print (24 chickens!). Holds monitor window above existing coop...
3. I would elevate both by 3'+ to give year round covered run space.

If you have a good, resourceful builder this could be cheapest route to a nice setup.

Good luck.