- Mar 16, 2010
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Howdy from the Colorado Front Range! This is my first post. Great site!
We are initially planning on 4 birds with allowance to expand up to 6 birds in the future (limited by town ordinance).
So after browsing the BYC site, I've compiled a list of chicken coop design parameters for "regular" sized birds:
1. 4 sq-ft per bird in the coop.
2. 10 sq-ft per bird in the run.
3. Nest/Laying boxes should be roughly 12" square and 10" tall and accessible from outside.
4. Insulation - may or may not be necessary depending on climate, but if you use it should not be accessible to peck at.
5. Ventilation - a must, but I haven't been able to find guidance on exactly how much. I'm currently planning on a 3" wide strip along the entire length at the top of the coop's long wall and another near the bottom on the other side to allow for cross/thermal currents. Ability to restrict ventilation may be required during very cold times.
6. Access for cleaning should be large and allow access to the entire coop without excessive reaching.
7. Line the floor and possibly the walls with linoleum and/or tile board for easy cleaning.
8. Locate food/water so they aren't easily pooped in, i.e. away from the roost pole.
9. Roost pole should be even all the way across.
10. Covered storage for supplies/tools nearby is handy.
11. A way to isolate birds that are misbehaving and/or sick is desirable.
12. Ability to access the coop/laying box/close doors/ without entering the run is suggested.
We have a 6'x12'x6' dog kennel that we are going to use for the run. Instead of installing the fourth 6' wall of the kennel, our coop will butt up to the other three walls.
Dimensions of the coop will be 6' long, 4' wide and 3-4' tall installed on a 2' tall platform. I'm considering two options for the platform: 1) enclosing it with siding for storage of tools/supplies or 2) incorporating it into the run to allow for a sheltered area. If the birds need shelter, wouldn't they just go back into the coop?
We think our dog will help to keep predators at bay during the day and the hens will be locked in the coop at night...
I'm planning to frame it up with 2x2s to keep the weight and cost down and will be making some visits to the Habitat Home Supply Stores to see what kind of cheap materials can be had. Hope to find some siding, linoleum and tileboard cheap there...
That's all I have thought of so far. Anything else to add?
Thanks for the great info and feedback!
Cheers,
Jeremy
We are initially planning on 4 birds with allowance to expand up to 6 birds in the future (limited by town ordinance).
So after browsing the BYC site, I've compiled a list of chicken coop design parameters for "regular" sized birds:
1. 4 sq-ft per bird in the coop.
2. 10 sq-ft per bird in the run.
3. Nest/Laying boxes should be roughly 12" square and 10" tall and accessible from outside.
4. Insulation - may or may not be necessary depending on climate, but if you use it should not be accessible to peck at.
5. Ventilation - a must, but I haven't been able to find guidance on exactly how much. I'm currently planning on a 3" wide strip along the entire length at the top of the coop's long wall and another near the bottom on the other side to allow for cross/thermal currents. Ability to restrict ventilation may be required during very cold times.
6. Access for cleaning should be large and allow access to the entire coop without excessive reaching.
7. Line the floor and possibly the walls with linoleum and/or tile board for easy cleaning.
8. Locate food/water so they aren't easily pooped in, i.e. away from the roost pole.
9. Roost pole should be even all the way across.
10. Covered storage for supplies/tools nearby is handy.
11. A way to isolate birds that are misbehaving and/or sick is desirable.
12. Ability to access the coop/laying box/close doors/ without entering the run is suggested.
We have a 6'x12'x6' dog kennel that we are going to use for the run. Instead of installing the fourth 6' wall of the kennel, our coop will butt up to the other three walls.
Dimensions of the coop will be 6' long, 4' wide and 3-4' tall installed on a 2' tall platform. I'm considering two options for the platform: 1) enclosing it with siding for storage of tools/supplies or 2) incorporating it into the run to allow for a sheltered area. If the birds need shelter, wouldn't they just go back into the coop?
We think our dog will help to keep predators at bay during the day and the hens will be locked in the coop at night...
I'm planning to frame it up with 2x2s to keep the weight and cost down and will be making some visits to the Habitat Home Supply Stores to see what kind of cheap materials can be had. Hope to find some siding, linoleum and tileboard cheap there...
That's all I have thought of so far. Anything else to add?
Thanks for the great info and feedback!
Cheers,
Jeremy