Posted: 3/13/2011 2:37:39 PM EDT
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I am currently in the research phase of putting in a backyard chicken coop. Limits per city code is no more than 9 hen and no roosters.
Now I am handy with tools so I wood like to find plan and such. I am looking to make a coop with run on a 8ft by 4ft foot print in size. So maybe room for 6 hens. The main point is for egg production more than meat. So advice for chicken breed that stands up to heat and cold also friendly. Also if you have photos of your coops to give ideas. Any help or info will be appreciated. BTW I live in central texas for climate info. Thanks |
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My neighbor just built one and he did a google search to get ideas and then just picked the best of all he looked at to build.. they are getting one egg per hen per day... it took them about 6 mths to get their first egg though - but once they started laying they really put out..
is 4x8 the entire house including an 'outside' area for them to dig in the yard? i would make it so it can be moved around, so you would want some sort of axle/tire on it.. You may want to use 2 tires per side because the weight will not hold up well to the weight on one side.. good luck brian |
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Thanks for the link. That gives me an idea. The only thing I would change would be to put the house on legs. That way the hens have the full 8x4 area to move around in. I would also put 3 wheels(2 on back , one on the front) for ease of movement and to save my back. |
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My chicken post has some pics of my tractors and explains why I use them.
I have friends in residential neighborhoods who keep their hens in a tractor. Good luck. It ain't brain surgery. 
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I'm also in CenTex. My New Hampshire Reds are growing like crazy and ready to roam the acreage. If you're relatively close to Cameron, you can pick up the chicks at Ideal Poultry instead of having them shipped. There may be other sources nearby to use.
sgt_seti |
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Quoted:
I'm also in CenTex. My New Hampshire Reds are growing like crazy and ready to roam the acreage. If you're relatively close to Cameron, you can pick up the chicks at Ideal Poultry instead of having them shipped. There may be other sources nearby to use. sgt_seti I'm in Austin(ya it sucks but born and raised here) so Cameron is not a long drive. Right now I have a plan for a coop I like and just need to get funds/time to build it once I clear out some fish ponds in the back yard(I have 2 ponds left that are 8'x4' 2ft deep and I am thinking about coverting one over for catfish raising). |
| With 9 layers, you're going to have a LOT of eggs. Make sure selling them pays off..it usually does if they birds can forage for most of their food..less so if you have to pay for food. Expect to get 8 or 9 a day during the summer..fewer during the winter if you don't use lamps. |
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Some coops/ tractors ive built
Nice design makeing another one like this with a few mods 
Better grow out then egg production pain to get to the eggs. http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/ii85/fishsafari/PVCcoop1-1.jpg The stationarry coop Yea its not done in this pic buts thats all i got pics of 
its run mostly RIR with an EE roon bottom right 
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The best design I found was the Catawba Chicken tractor. Do a google search for: "catawba chicken tractor" and you'll find their site (with a lot of pictures) and a youtube video of the plans which I think are in Google Sketch Up. I was able to use these two resources to figure out the design without buying the plans and it works well. I have 7 hens in a 4x8 footprint. This is within the recommended 4 sq. ft. per bird.
Note, I used cedar on as much non-structural parts as possible to keep the weight down. The only thing I don't like about this design is the top cap at the ridge line. It does allow for water to come in when you have a driving rain. I've also found that my hens really only use the nest box closest to the ramp, but I'm not sure why. |
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Quoted: Mine is 16' x 12', but you could adjust it to your desired size. The coop itself is raised about 3-4' off the ground, which I think is what you were looking for. If you want more pictures or info let me know. http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/mudonthetires10/The%20Chickens/IMG00126-20100623-2043.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/mudonthetires10/The%20Chickens/IMG00114-20100623-2039.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/mudonthetires10/The%20Chickens/June232010020.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/mudonthetires10/The%20Chickens/June232010008.jpg http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a154/mudonthetires10/The%20Chickens/June232010003.jpg How do you get in to clean your coop? |
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Pretty neat setups in here.
I live in the city. We can go through an extensive application process including fees and inspections to have chickens, ducks or goats. There's been a good resurgence of city subsistence ideas. People are converting their grass to vegetable gardens. There's now a big push to change the application process and fees related to keeping food producing animals. It sounds like we may see the policies change to reflect that of normal pets. They're putting limits on roosters and even goats for the potential noise issue. I guess the biggest problem could be the neighbor complaints and the management of waste. Either way it sounds like some rules may change for the better. Growing up, I raised rabbits, chickens, geese, ducks, turkeys, cows, etc. I'd be pumped to get some layers in the back yard. I love me some fresh eggs and my little guy is a fan too. |
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Quoted: ahh. It doesn't show in any of the pics. It's a nice predator-proof looking coop.Quoted: How do you get in to clean your coop? The back side facing the woods has about a 3.5' x 3.5' hinged door that I can access. I can stand all the way up in the center of the coop and I'm about 6'2''+.  |
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Quoted:
Quoted:
ahh. It doesn't show in any of the pics. It's a nice predator-proof looking coop.Quoted:
How do you get in to clean your coop? The back side facing the woods has about a 3.5' x 3.5' hinged door that I can access. I can stand all the way up in the center of the coop and I'm about 6'2''+.
I'll see if I can find a picture. I appreciate it; I tried to get it that way. EDIT: 
 
 
 
 
 
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Quoted:
Why the bungee cords on the feeder/waterer? That was just temporarily to suspend the food and water so they'd quit getting so many shavings in there. Now, I've made hanging feeders/waterers with rope/twine and carabiners from under the front edge of the elecvated coop. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Why the bungee cords on the feeder/waterer? That was just temporarily to suspend the food and water so they'd quit getting so many shavings in there. Now, I've made hanging feeders/waterers with rope/twine and carabiners from under the front edge of the elecvated coop. Got it. I've got a wall mount feeder I keep high enough they can just get their heads in the trough. Really cut down on wasted food. I'll have to look at hanging the waterer. Might save me having to clean and refill as often. |
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Small Update: I am building the coop for my mother and she found a plan on Amazon kindle. Small Chicken Coop Construction By erin Scott.
The plans are fairly straight forward and the material list is resonable. His plans call for the use of cedar shingles and 1x3's but to keep cost down I substitued white pine 1x3's and asphault shingles(1 package). Roofed the interior stays relitively cool at 79 degrees in 90 degree dirrect sun light without vents that will be installed later in the weekend.. I started work on it last saturday and tomorrow I plan to put it on it's stand then install the chicken door, windows and roostes. Then finish out the 2 place nesting box. My neighbor is a house painter and says he will donate the paint for the cause(white to reflect the sun). So far I would say I'm 80% done with total cost in materials of 180 dollars and 25 bucks for the wood for the stand. I'll try to post picks when done and when I add the run. Right now I'm trying to find a cookie sheet 46"x44" for a waste catch in the coop otherwise I will make one out of aluminum. |
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Quoted: sounds great. One suggestion, a four foot by four foot tray is going to be awkward to deal with. I'd go with a few smaller trays or something flexible like a piece of thin plastic that you can fold up or roll up.Small Update: I am building the coop for my mother and she found a plan on Amazon kindle. Small Chicken Coop Construction By erin Scott. The plans are fairly straight forward and the material list is resonable. His plans call for the use of cedar shingles and 1x3's but to keep cost down I substitued white pine 1x3's and asphault shingles(1 package). Roofed the interior stays relitively cool at 79 degrees in 90 degree dirrect sun light without vents that will be installed later in the weekend.. I started work on it last saturday and tomorrow I plan to put it on it's stand then install the chicken door, windows and roostes. Then finish out the 2 place nesting box. My neighbor is a house painter and says he will donate the paint for the cause(white to reflect the sun). So far I would say I'm 80% done with total cost in materials of 180 dollars and 25 bucks for the wood for the stand. I'll try to post picks when done and when I add the run. Right now I'm trying to find a cookie sheet 46"x44" for a waste catch in the coop otherwise I will make one out of aluminum. |
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Quoted: Quoted: sounds great. One suggestion, a four foot by four foot tray is going to be awkward to deal with. I'd go with a few smaller trays or something flexible like a piece of thin plastic that you can fold up or roll up.Small Update: I am building the coop for my mother and she found a plan on Amazon kindle. Small Chicken Coop Construction By erin Scott. The plans are fairly straight forward and the material list is resonable. His plans call for the use of cedar shingles and 1x3's but to keep cost down I substitued white pine 1x3's and asphault shingles(1 package). Roofed the interior stays relitively cool at 79 degrees in 90 degree dirrect sun light without vents that will be installed later in the weekend.. I started work on it last saturday and tomorrow I plan to put it on it's stand then install the chicken door, windows and roostes. Then finish out the 2 place nesting box. My neighbor is a house painter and says he will donate the paint for the cause(white to reflect the sun). So far I would say I'm 80% done with total cost in materials of 180 dollars and 25 bucks for the wood for the stand. I'll try to post picks when done and when I add the run. Right now I'm trying to find a cookie sheet 46"x44" for a waste catch in the coop otherwise I will make one out of aluminum. My poop catcher is a plastic concrete mixing bucket I got from Lowes for $5. It slides under the roost area on some 2x2. Works great and cuts down on how often I have to change the litter in the coop. |