Storybook Farm
Songster
I am redoing our coop before winter. We have a generous 14' X 14' footprint. We have a roost built like a ladder that's hard to clean under, and we have nesting boxes made of milk crates with a board on top that sit on the floor in a dark corner (I heard they like dark).
Questions:
Roosts: Since I find the ladder roosts hard to clean under, I'm wondering: could I make one long roost, all about the same height (waist height) with an access ramp for them so that I could have waist-high poop trays and an easier time cleaning? Is there such a thing as a roost that is too high?
If you have roosts that are long and waist high (or higher) please post pictures as comments!
Nesting boxes: I know people use milk crates...do they work? My mature laying hen won't go near mine... I'm considering building a shelf higher for them... would hens like them better higher or not? Other ideas to make them more attractive? Right now, they're low and dark, and so far, no takers.
All in all: would it make sense to put the roosts at waist height and then the nesting boxes under the poop trays?
Questions:
Roosts: Since I find the ladder roosts hard to clean under, I'm wondering: could I make one long roost, all about the same height (waist height) with an access ramp for them so that I could have waist-high poop trays and an easier time cleaning? Is there such a thing as a roost that is too high?
If you have roosts that are long and waist high (or higher) please post pictures as comments!
Nesting boxes: I know people use milk crates...do they work? My mature laying hen won't go near mine... I'm considering building a shelf higher for them... would hens like them better higher or not? Other ideas to make them more attractive? Right now, they're low and dark, and so far, no takers.
All in all: would it make sense to put the roosts at waist height and then the nesting boxes under the poop trays?