Coop and chicken yard

[Swamp_Yankee]

Finally started tearing into the old overgrown sheep pen:

The block foundation is 16' x 32' and the penned area is 32' x 32'.  Planning on a 10' x 16'  coop which will fit perfectly on the foundation. Off of the front of the coop I'll build an enclosed run 20' long by 10' wide by 6' high. Basically I'm thinking three levels of security, the coop being the "vault" with a concrete block foundation, wire cloth windows, and secure doors. The run would be "semi guarded with wire fencing all around (including topside for hawk protection and floor protection for diggers), and the remainder of the 32' x 32' pen not taken up by the run would be "free range." 

Hoping to at least get a frame up before the snow flies this year and then finish it up in the spring.  The coop is a Woods design which takes advantage of large south facing windows and passive ventilation to keep the birds comfortable all year long with no supplemental heat or mechanical ventilation.  The design was pioneered in the early 1900s by a gentleman who had studied coop construction across the Colonial states and found the similarities that worked well from Maine to Georgia.  

Edited October 22, 2018 by Swamp_Yankee

[Buck154]

Good luck with it. How many birds are you planning on having?

[Swamp_Yankee]

8 minutes ago, Buck154 said:

Good luck with it. How many birds are you planning on having?

Thanks-to start off, no more than six layers-probably three Barred Rocks and three Rhode Island Reds, one rooster, and a guinea or two.  That will give us more eggs than we'll need.  As my daughters get older we'll probably get more.  I know that the size of the coop and run is overkill, but I have the space and large coops are a lot easier (for me) to move around in and clean.  Again, when my girls get a little older and experienced we'll get some goats and I'll build a shelter for them on the other side of the old foundation. 

Edited October 22, 2018 by Swamp_Yankee

[rgw]

Over size like you are doing. I gaurentee  you will add more, it's an addition, trust me. I started with 3 and said that was enough. A year later I had 50 lol

[Nomad]

I hope you have netting over the whole thing.  Hawks pic ours off without it. And , how do you close it up at night.  We have raccoons climbing over the fence, until I put wire mesh over the whole top.

Edited October 22, 2018 by Nomad

[Swamp_Yankee]

36 minutes ago, Nomad said:

I hope you have netting over the whole thing.  Hawks pic ours off without it. And , how do you close it up at night.  We have raccoons climbing over the fence, until I put wire mesh over the whole top.

They will be in the coop (the red structure) overnight.  All windows and doors on the coop will be secured.  The 10' x 20' run off of the front of the coop will be a wood frame with wire mesh on the top and sides.  For floor protection I plan on scraping about 6-8" of soil off with the tractor bucket, laying down wire mesh, and placing the soil back over it.  They'll only be allowed out into the rest of the pen when we're out there with them.  

[Nomad]

That sounds good.   You know, you can go for months without any problems and then when you let your guard down, disaster.   Headless chickens, feathers, and teary eyed kids.  I know all about it. lol  Best of luck, the layout looks terrific!

[Joeybeets]

Good luck with your project looks like fun. 

[Swamp_Yankee]

8 minutes ago, Nomad said:

That sounds good.   You know, you can go for months without any problems and then when you let your guard down, disaster.   Headless chickens, feathers, and teary eyed kids.  I know all about it. lol  Best of luck, the layout looks terrific!

We have friends over in Lebanon Twp who have been there done that.  They've never lost a single bird to four legged predators but three to hawks.  

1 hour ago, rgw said:

Over size like you are doing. I gaurentee  you will add more, it's an addition, trust me. I started with 3 and said that was enough. A year later I had 50 lol

My oldest is 7 and chomping at the bit to start with 4H, so we'll definitely be getting more once we get established.  

[Swamp_Yankee]

For those who are interested this is where I got the coop design:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=ncs1.ark:/13960/t32236w44;view=1up;seq=9

More information about the benefits of the Woods design:

https://www.wideopenpets.com/1924-open-front-chicken-coop-design-fresh/

[Nomad]

Chickens are great.  Will provide you with some great stories, maybe some like mine.

Running after a fox with a chicken in it's mouth in your underwear, while carrying a shotgun port arms.  I actually gained ground on him,( I think the chicken in his mouth was slowing him down), and I was able to drop him at 40 yards with some #4 turkey shot!

Sticking your head in the coop and seeing a raccoon hanging upsidedown inches from my face.  He got the 9mm. lol  I had no pity on him, because he had already killed 3 chickens.  Tooth for a tooth.

And of course the not to exciting times, spent with the wife and kids, collecting the eggs and rejoicing over the holy double yoker!

Edited October 22, 2018 by Nomad

[NJREALTOR]

I like it, Looks like it lays out well.

[Swamp_Yankee]

2 hours ago, Nomad said:

Chickens are great.  Will provide you with some great stories, maybe some like mine.

Running after a fox with a chicken in it's mouth in your underwear, while carrying a shotgun port arms.  I actually gained ground on him,( I think the chicken in his mouth was slowing him down), and I was able to drop him at 40 yards with some #4 turkey shot!

Sticking your head in the coop and seeing a raccoon hanging upsidedown inches from my face.  He got the 9mm. lol  I had no pity on him, because he had already killed 3 chickens.  Tooth for a tooth.

And of course the not to exciting times, spent with the wife and kids, collecting the eggs and rejoicing over the holy double yoker!

I'm very much looking forward to it for a number of reasons, not the least of which is farm fresh eggs from chickens that scratch the ground and eat grubs, worms, ticks, etc...rather than just commercial feed.  Another big reason is what it will teach my girls-about food, about work, about life, and a lot of other things.

Edited October 23, 2018 by Swamp_Yankee

[PSE160]

Commenting kind of late but was lurking topics, I highly suggest the automatic closing and opening coop door. As long as it works you never have to worry about a chicken getting left outside and getting picked off by a racoon or fox. I have quite a few so keeping track of numbers can be a pain and haven't lost another chicken since I got that door.

[Swamp_Yankee]

55 minutes ago, PSE160 said:

Commenting kind of late but was lurking topics, I highly suggest the automatic closing and opening coop door. As long as it works you never have to worry about a chicken getting left outside and getting picked off by a racoon or fox. I have quite a few so keeping track of numbers can be a pain and haven't lost another chicken since I got that door.

Where did you get it/how does it work?  Link?