# Pictures of my coop progress



## tbakko (Aug 12, 2013)

I thought I would post some pictures of the progress on our first coop, any recommendations would be appreciated, I didn't have a plan to go by so I am just designing as I build. I hope I am doing this right









http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/tbakko/Chicken Coop Build/Front8-13-13.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/tbakko/Chicken Coop Build/Inside8-13-13.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/tbakko/Chicken Coop Build/NestingBoxClose8-13-13.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/tbakko/Roost8-13-13.jpg?t=1376417272

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f336/tbakko/NestingBoxClose8-13-13.jpg?t=1376417259


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## 7chicks (Jun 29, 2012)

Looks nice. How many chickens are you going to house in it?


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## tbakko (Aug 12, 2013)

7chicks said:


> Looks nice. How many chickens are you going to house in it?


We plan on 5 or 6 chickens, just enough for eggs for my wife & I.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

What are your plans for ventilation?


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## chicalot (Jun 5, 2013)

Cute. Looks very small..too small.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

chicalot said:


> Cute. Looks very small..too small.


For that number of chickens..yes, I agree. I wouldn't put anymore than 2 chickens in that kind of space.


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## tbakko (Aug 12, 2013)

Bee said:


> For that number of chickens..yes, I agree. I wouldn't put anymore than 2 chickens in that kind of space.


The coop is 4ft x 6ft x 4ft high and it will sit in a 7ft by 15 ft run, this should be plenty of room for 5 or 6 chickens. as far as vents, I am putting in 4 screen vents 12" x 10" and a window 24" x 13" to give more natural light in the coop. I am also putting in a ceiling light for the shorter winter days & a heat lamp for the cold winter nights.


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## Bee (Jun 20, 2013)

Is that 4x6 ft space including or excluding the nest boxes and roosts? Those areas can't really be considered as floor space as they only occupy those areas at certain times. Four square feet per bird is considered a good living area per bird, but if they are confined to a run also, I would err on the side of going even larger if you can.

Those birds will, at times, be utilizing the coop floor space exclusively if they have need of being confined for longer than a day...examples being when it snows too deep for them to get out of the coop, if you are delayed for some reason in letting them out of the coop(emergency absences), etc.

Imagine that you have a house in which to live but you and your family have to sleep and, at times, be confined to only the bathroom space, even temporarily. Tempers are going to fly, stress will be heightened and some bodily functions are concentrated in that one small area...not an environment for good living.

My advice? Plan ahead.

Heating the coop in the winter...not advisable. The chickens having to move from heated to unheated and back again is hard on their immune systems, and the humidity levels produced by heating birds that already have a warm insulation on their bodies can cause a bad coop environment. One would have to seriously open up quite a bit of ventilation to dispel that humidity from the coop...at which time heating the space would be moot.

Chickens are designed for cold winter weather by growing a wonderful undercoating of downy feathers under their guard feathers and this is sufficient for their warmth, much like wild birds don't need heated during the winter either.

For an experiment, dress yourself in down filled clothing from your knees to your nose and even over your head, slip leotard stockings on your feet and lower legs, covered with leather boots. Now, sit in even a _slightly_ warm, very small room overnight and try to get some sleep without sweating and feeling miserable. After that, go outside all day in freezing temps with that sweat on your face and any exposed body parts and see how cold you get on those areas....and you will see why chickens get frost bite on their combs and wattles.

Advice garnered and advice given, you are free to consider it or toss it aside.


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## kessy09 (Jun 16, 2013)

Love the analogy Bee. My grandparents and in laws keep asking what I'm going to do with the chickens over winter and telling me I can't keep chickens over winter (they have no idea about anything chicken). I'm going to memorize what you just said there because I think it's something even they can understand! Thanks!


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## tbakko (Aug 12, 2013)

Bee said:


> Is that 4x6 ft space including or excluding the nest boxes and roosts? Those areas can't really be considered as floor space as they only occupy those areas at certain times. Four square feet per bird is considered a good living area per bird, but if they are confined to a run also, I would err on the side of going even larger if you can.
> 
> Those birds will, at times, be utilizing the coop floor space exclusively if they have need of being confined for longer than a day...examples being when it snows too deep for them to get out of the coop, if you are delayed for some reason in letting them out of the coop(emergency absences), etc.
> 
> ...


The floor space does not include the nesting boxes but it does include the area under the roosts as the poop board is high enough for a chicken to walk around under and they will have access to the run area outside even in the snow as the run will be covered. As for the heat I will only use it in cases of extreme cold as in single digit temps.

I do appreciate your advice as you are obviously very knowledgeable on this subject.


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