Coop setup checklist

Work through this before your hens move in. Most of it takes an afternoon. The numbers come from university extension advice. The links are at the bottom of the page.

Space

• Inside the coop there is 3 to 4 square feet of floor for each hen.
• The run gives each hen about 10 square feet.
• There is shade in the run for hot afternoons.
• There is a dry spot where they can dust bathe.

Roosts and nest boxes

• Each hen gets 8 to 10 inches of roost bar.
• The roost bars sit higher than the nest boxes.
• There is one nest box for every 4 or 5 hens.
• The boxes have clean bedding in them.

Air and light

• Vents sit up high above the roost so the birds don’t sit in a draft.
• There is about 1 square foot of vent for every 10 square feet of floor.
• A window lets in daylight.

Predators

• Every vent and window is covered with half inch hardware cloth. Chicken wire keeps hens in. It won’t keep a raccoon out.
• A hardware cloth apron is laid flat around the run or buried about 12 inches down.
• Every door has a latch a raccoon can’t open. A two step latch or a carabiner on a hasp works.
• Someone shuts the pop door at dusk every night. Or an automatic door does it for you.

Food and water

• The feeder and the waterer sit off the floor so bedding stays out.
• You have a plan for water when it freezes.
• Feed lives in a metal can with a lid so rats can’t get at it.

Cleaning and health

• The floor has a good layer of dry bedding. Pine shavings and straw both work.
• You can reach every corner to clean. A big door or a pull out tray helps a lot.
• You wash your hands after you touch the birds or the eggs. The CDC asks keepers to do this every time.
• You know who to call if a hen looks sick. Your local extension office can point you to a vet who sees poultry.