The L'Oeuf Shack

[Grayspots]

What do you get when you mix B-52s, chickens, and bad puns? A little ol' place to get together with a TIN ROOF! ...RUSTED!

I haven't built the coop yet (going to see if my fence guy would be willing to take it on as a project), but I did learn 3D modeling in a weekend so I could have real plans and not my terrible chicken scratches on napkins.

The goal is a 6'x8' footprint with a combined run and coop. The sides open out and can be draped with bird netting for lightly-supervised fun in our low-risk-of-predator environment and then closed back up at night for a bit more security. Our local requirements are 10 sq' per bird and I can have a maximum of 6. With the popouts, I should have plenty of room - not to mention they will get supervised play time out of the run in the yard.

 

[Sally PB]

How many birds are you planning to get? Going by the requirements and your 6x8 footprint, you can have 4.8 birds.

Can you make your coop/run bigger? Chicken math* is real. I have never read a post saying, "Gee, I wish I'd made my coop/run smaller." It's always the opposite.

*Chicken math, if you've never heard of it, is the desire to get more chickens. And more chickens. I'm on my second... addition... to my flock.

 

[Grayspots]

The sides open up for an additional 12.5 sq' on each side - total footprint of 73 sq'. The idea is to alternate between the two sides to allow some seeded matter to recover.

My legal limitation is 6 birds, so I should be good with just one side at a time open (60.5 sq'). Spousal request is to start with 4 birds and see how it goes... but I have to cap at 6.

Until I decide to move somewhere where I can have more chickens... and then have to build a new coop anyway!

 

[rosemarythyme]

The sides open up for an additional 12.5 sq' on each side - total footprint of 73 sq'. The idea is to alternate between the two sides to allow some seeded matter to recover.

Going to be realistic, that's not going to happen in such a small space. I managed to keep a small amount of grass going on the second side of my run for a couple of years... and that was 4 hens in a total of 20x25'. Plan on any greenery to be decimated in weeks.

My legal limitation is 6 birds, so I should be good with just one side at a time open (60.5 sq'). Spousal request is to start with 4 birds and see how it goes... but I have to cap at 6.

If you can build bigger, I absolutely would recommend it. 6x8 is a tight space for humans to do maintenance and cleaning, I still bang the walls of my coop with the rake and that's 6x10. Plus you're not giving yourself room for growing the flock like you're planning. You will find integration much more difficult in a smaller space.

 

[aart]

The sides open out

What does this mean, can you show it opened with your software?

 

[Grayspots]

Going to be realistic, that's not going to happen in such a small space. I managed to keep a small amount of grass going on the second side of my run for a couple of years... and that was 4 hens in a total of 20x25'. Plan on any greenery to be decimated in weeks.

If you can build bigger, I absolutely would recommend it. 6x8 is a tight space for humans to do maintenance and cleaning, I still bang the walls of my coop with the rake and that's 6x10. Plus you're not giving yourself room for growing the flock like you're planning. You will find integration much more difficult in a smaller space.

Going to head out with the tape measure after work today to see if I can do 8'x8'. Rake maneuvering is a good point!

 

[Grayspots]

What does this mean, can you show it opened with your software?

Technically, yes. I didn't say I was GOOD at the software though. It would likely take me an hour or so.

It might be hard to see, but on the side opposite the guy standing there, there are a set of doors (you might be able to see the hinges) that open up like French doors. The open doors become the side walls of the "wing" extension and I'll use some sort of netting or wire spread between and over for the roof and last wall. (The wings would only be in use while I'm home and we don't have much in the way of day time predators here.)

 

[Grayspots]

@rosemarythyme I snuck out early with the tape measure and I think I can do the 8'x8'! I'll have a second set of eyes on it later this evening to make sure I'm not missing anything that might get in the way with later plans.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme I snuck out early with the tape measure and I think I can do the 8'x8'! I'll have a second set of eyes on it later this evening to make sure I'm not missing anything that might get in the way with later plans.

A little better, though don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to upsize down the line, especially if you decide to add more birds. Space isn't just for the birds health and well being, but it makes things easier on keepers as well, which makes the entire experience happier for everyone.

Also it gets pretty hot in Sacramento, no? (only been there once) - you might want to increase the amount of ventilation in the coop by making removable wall panels on the long wall facing into the run, or go all wire mesh on that wall provided it doesn't face into prevailing winds.

 

[Grayspots]

A little better, though don't be surprised if you find yourself wanting to upsize down the line, especially if you decide to add more birds. Space isn't just for the birds health and well being, but it makes things easier on keepers as well, which makes the entire experience happier for everyone.

Also it gets pretty hot in Sacramento, no? (only been there once) - you might want to increase the amount of ventilation in the coop by making removable wall panels on the long wall facing into the run, or go all wire mesh on that wall provided it doesn't face into prevailing winds.

Upsizing past 6 birds would require legislation change, so I'm not going to hold my breath. (It's probably a good thing to keep me from getting too invested in chicken math anyway.)

It does get hot! I based the design off one I found in a book and added the sloped roof so I could have the tin. Like just about all the books I've read, this one mentioned cold and snow (which I definitely don't get), so this coop might be warmer than needed?

The enclosed portion of the coop has a hardware cloth window of 6" x 6' opening into the run and the sides each have the angled bit that tapers to the end of the roof. I had originally also included another 6" x 6' window on the back, but all the books kept harping on NO DRAFTS and I got nervous and covered it with plywood in the design. I could easily add that back in and add more to the interior wall. And I can make them with removable panels without too much fuss I think.

Is there a rough percentage of open-to-solid I should be going for on the walls while avoiding the dreaded drafts?

I appreciate your time and guidance!