# Coop plans



## DavidJo23 (Apr 6, 2021)

For those who have chickens and chicken coop will be interesting. I am re-thinking several factors of my chicken keeping. One of which is having 2 flocks instead of one. 2 less crowded smaller coops, over one large coop.
I plan to house no more than 6 birds per coop. Things to consider are snow and wind loads, as I live high up in the rocky mountains where snow blankets the ground more than it does not. I will place each coop on opposite ends of the run with a door to the yard and with one to the run. This will allow me to alternate range time and run time, it will also allow me to have better control over my breeding program.
I am not fully sure what I want to build, I do know that both coops will be placed so to have a large south-facing window. I will be building a small car port-style roof over the top of the run to keep the snow out of the run.
One thing I learned last winter was that my current coop has a lot of unused open space that would be better served in floor space. This open-air resulted in less efficient coop temps and some of my birds did get small amounts of frostbite in the coldest periods.
Rather than a 4x8 shed-style coop I have currently which is over-engineered and more than required, I am going to build 2 6x6 coops. rather than building them so I can walk in to clean, I will make it much shorter and will make it so one half of the roof opens for cleaning. I would also redesign the roof adding some pictures with a heat press machine.
Doing this will allow me to fix a few issues I had come up with water as well.  6x6x4 or 5 feet at the peak of the roof. I hope good for 6 birds.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Have you considered raising the floor instead of lowering the roof? My coop is about 3' off the ground. It is great for getting a wheelbarrow under a large door for easy cleaning. And I don't have to bend over to do anything in the coop. There is the added bonus of a dry place for the chickens under the coop.


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## Tanya (Mar 31, 2020)

Also raising it helps with heat management and of frozen ground.


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## DavidJo23 (Apr 6, 2021)

Thank! I suppose it would be better


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

Btw, in case you are not already doing this; cover the coop floor with a piece of vinyl flooring. It makes cleaning a lot easier.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

What about one of those triangle shaped chicken coops. That way you can stand up in the middle.


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## Mike at Capra Vista (Nov 30, 2017)

ksalvagno said:


> What about one of those triangle shaped chicken coops. That way you can stand up in the middle.


Nothing wrong with those. Question is, why do you want to be in the coop at all? I can understand that if you have a lot of chickens and therefore a large coop, that you would need to be able to walk into the coop. But with a small number of chickens, such a large structure seems to have no benefits.

Generally, chickens only need the coop for sleeping and laying, the rest of the time they are out in their run or free ranging. So, with a smaller, off-the-ground coop I can clean everything without going in, without breathing as much dust and without having to bend over. I just sweep everything into my wheelbarrow and I'm done. I have 10 chickens and they seen content with their coop which is about 6' x 3' and 4' high.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It is easier for me to be able to go in to clean and collect eggs.


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