Bantam "Condos"

[John]

They do work very well to house about 7 to 9 females and one male each, during the winter and spring breeding season.  They should have vents near the top of each to let the heat out, if used in the hot summer months.  I don't have any plans drawn, but have several photos attached.  They are made of treated lumber, using 4 by 8 sheets of plywood, 2 by 4s, miscellaneous lumber for framing on the inside and coated screws.  I used clear acrylic trimmed with a vinyl siding channel to let some light in on the East, West and South sides.  Each unit has a nest box made from a plastic pail bottom and hinged plywood lid.  Also each unit has two roosts and a rabbit style feeder inside.  I keep the water outside the coops - in the pens.  I use wood shavings, in stead of straw, for bedding and it is very easy to scoop out for cleaning.  A light has been installed in each unit that works off a timer to increase egg production.
The outside piece, with the door in it, is 4' by 54" high.  The doors are 17" by 28" and centered.
The inside piece is the left over plywood from the other side, so it is 4' by 42".
The side pieces are 24" wide by 54" on one side and 42" on the other.  This means the outside (total) width of the sides is 25" when you add in the 1/2" plywood of the front and back pieces to the side piece dimension.
The total width of the front and back is 48" - the width of the plywood.
There is very little material waste, if figured properly.
Part of the 2 by 4 legs are buried, leaving the bottoms of the condos about 2 feet off the ground.  Of course these could be incorporated into movable pens also.
Let me know if you need more info.

[Suz]

Very helpful! Thanks, John.

[John]

Someone emailed me for info on the Condos I built years ago and directed him to this topic.  I've made a few changes to the Condos, so I'm posting some updated photos to show those changes. 
I've removed the next box that was on the floor and installed Fowl Stuff nest boxes thru the walls.  This increases the amount of available floor space inside the condos. 
I've also used the Condos to house birds during the summer.  I used bungee cords to hold the doors open and hung a piece of 2 by 4 welded wire on a couple 8 penny nails to secure the openings while allowing for air flow.

[OldChurchEggery]

I really like your set-up for these. Do you think that a similar size would work for a trio of large fowl? With the fall and winter months coming up, I'm thinking of reconfiguring some of my pens given all the predator problems I've had. I think having the night-time housing fully enclosed and off of the ground would alleviate the trouble I've had with raccoons tearing in and snakes slithering in to swallow up chicks.

[John]

With the two roosts these units house 10 to 12 bantams nicely and I would imagine they would work well for 4 to 6 LF with just a little larger entrance hole/opening.  They would be get as part of a movable chicken tractor.