Bramble & Coop
A good small coop is dry, draft-free but well ventilated, easy to clean and hard for a raccoon to open. Looks come last, though a nice coop does make the neighbors happier.
Size for 3 to 5 hens
Plan about 4 square feet of floor per bird, so 12 to 20 square feet in total, plus a run of 30 to 50 square feet. A 4 by 5 foot coop raised 2 feet off the ground keeps the floor dry and gives the hens shade underneath.
Roosts
Chickens sleep perched. Use a 2x4 with the wide side up so their feet stay covered in cold weather. Put roosts higher than the nest boxes, or the hens will sleep in the boxes.
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Nest boxes
One box per three or four hens is enough; they will all want the same one anyway. Boxes about 12 inches square, lined with straw, with an outside lid make egg collection quick.
A printed and digital project book about running a small homestead on a quarter acre or less: greenhouse, mini coop, garden layouts and many more step-by-step builds with photos and sketches.
See what is inside the bookAffiliate link. Sold through Digistore24; check the current price and refund terms on the order page. Results depend on your yard, climate and effort.Ventilation
Ammonia from droppings builds up fast. Leave vents near the roof line, covered with hardware cloth, so moist air escapes above the birds without a draft at roost level.
Easy cleaning
- A wide people door or a fully opening side
- A removable droppings board under the roosts
- Vinyl flooring or a smooth painted floor that scrapes clean
Ideas that work in small yards
- A-frame tractor coop you can move across the lawn
- Coop built under a raised deck or against a garage wall
- A converted garden shed with a fenced run
- A coop placed next to the compost so cleanings travel a short distance
Build or buy one size larger than you think you need. Most keepers add a few hens within a year.