My coop too small?

[Baxokie]

So I bought this coop and I have six chicks now, three barred rocks and 3 amicannas. I am wondering if this coop is going to be big enough or do I need to expand it? Boy for scale.

 

[lcertuche]

At first chicks seem really small but they grow fast. If you let them free-range during the day time it might work. I'm not sure it is even big enough for the chickens to all roost in it at night. Can you move it to other locations for fresh grass and dirt? It is really cute. My husband wants to buy a similar version but we have 15 juvenile birds and there is no way it would be big enough. I am thinking maybe 2 or 3 birds. I want to build some hoop coups for my birds that is light enough to move. I hope this helps.

 

[Baxokie]

I can move it fairly easy. Looks like I will be adding on to it.

 

[teach1rusl]

Those little prefab coops are good for about 2 adult large breed chickens. 6 adult LF chicken would require appx. six linear feet of roost space, and there's no way that housing could offer that.

I'd modify it to make the entire structure the housing (remove main flooring and front/pop door wall - add plywood/t1-11 to the "run" walls) and add your own run - the run should be at least 60 sq. feet, but more would be better.... Leave the nest boxes as is - those should work fine - you'll have to add roost space inside the remodeled version...

 

[Baxokie]

Those little prefab coops are good for about 2 adult large breed chickens. 6 adult LF chicken would require appx. six linear feet of roost space, and there's no way that housing could offer that.

I'd modify it to make the entire structure the housing (remove main flooring and front/pop door wall - add plywood/t1-11 to the "run" walls) and add your own run - the run should be at least 60 sq. feet, but more would be better.... Leave the nest boxes as is - those should work fine - you'll have to add roost space inside the remodeled version...

this is an awesome idea I might do this this weekend. I could then use the side door to let them in and out into a run. so where the ramp is cut it out from there and remove the flooring near the nest boxes?

 

[teach1rusl]

this is an awesome idea I might do this this weekend. I could then use the side door to let them in and out into a run. so where the ramp is cut it out from there and remove the flooring near the nest boxes?

Yes - remove or cut out the wall where the pop door is, as well as the floor over to the nest boxes. Not seeing it in person, it's hard to judge...but it looks like the nest boxes could be left where they are.

I don't know how handy you are. But if it was mine, I'd also build a simple table/platform about 16-18" tall, the same size as the footprint of your structure and set/screw the coop onto it. This will make it a lot easier for you to get into it without breaking your back, and gives the chickens a place to huddle when not in the housing - when rain hits. Plus, if you add a run in the weeks/months ahead, it could be a taller run that would be easier for you to get into/manage (at least if it's covered/wired on top). If you use an uncovered run, then it really wouldn't matter.

3-4 2x4s and a 1/2 sheet of plywood would be plenty enough for a platform.

 

[Baxokie]

Thanks for the ideas. I will post pictures when finished.