After putting the small coop kit together, we added a floor made from 3/4" plywood and stilts cut from cleared saplings cut from our property. We thought the raising of the structure would mimic more closely a chicken's desire to be up high at night, and it would keep them safer from predators. We also added latches to all openings.We added a ladder cut from a scrap 2x4, plywood, and 1x2's.
After we created the small coop, which we think of as their "bedroom", we put up an enclosure which is approximately 8 feet tall and began constructing another coop building. This second coop building will enclose the small coop, thereby providing added protection from the elements as well as a space in which the chickens can scratch and move about during winter months and inclement weather. The small coop is referred to as the "bedroom" because this is where our girls like to lay their eggs and sleep at night. Also, since it is now the end of February, it has helped protect our chickens from the wintery elements (20s, 30s below zero) as it is a smaller space it is more efficient at trapping body heat and heat from the ceramic heater. [The small coop is approximately 4' x 4' square]. The larger, outer coop is 8' x 14', and, yes, it is fully enclosed.
