Chateau Du Poulet is Almost Done Need Advice

[Commish63]

The nest boxes should be ok as far as the entrance - how big are the boxes inside? It looks like they're fairly close to the bottom of the coop floor so they don't need anything to land on to get in (but you could just put down a few bricks as steps if needed as well).

You do need more ventilation, the undereave vents right now only provide about 2.5 sq ft. Much better would be doing something like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/texas-heat.1540139/page-2#post-25998208

Not sure how much the roof vents will add but you do have a bit of summer heat to deal with so more would be better.

Thanks to the roofed run you also have the option of opening up the triangle on the coop wall facing into the run for a large amount of ventilation that'll be protected by the existing roof.

Boxes about 12" wide 14" deep and 14" high with removable dividing walls. I will open the soffit vents more. When I was building it in the unusual heat we had this past summer it was much cooler inside. Though there is no insulation in the walls they are sided inside so there is a good dead air space in the walls. I have a bunch of left over campaign signs left over and I was thinking of cutting them to fit in between the roof trusses. They are the corrugated plastic type. I figure four or five deep would be just over an inch.

 

[KyCoop]

It's hard to tell from the pictures but can you reach every corner of the coop from the 1 door? The thing with elevated coops is you must be able to reach every corner for cleaning , retrieving wayward eggs or an ill hen. If you cant reach, I would add a door on the opposite side where your nest boxes are just so you have options.
My elevated coop is 12 x 6 and I have 4 doors.

 

[Commish63]

I added the roosting bars. There are three at 16" on center, 26" from the end walls, 36" from the floor and 18" from the cross ties. I will be adding more ventilation on the run side end wall. What kind of ladder should I build to access the bars? I will have three vent doors so I can adjust with weather. The center square and the side triangles. When I have them built I will post.

 

[Commish63]

The nest Box. About 14" X 13" X 13". The opening is 8" X 8". I have room to enlarge the opening if it needs to be bigger. If I paint the inside of the nest box should I go white or a darker color?

 

[Penpal]

I would use Kilz for the paint. You can have the store add color if you want. Chickens prefer to lay in a dark space, but there won't be light shining into the boxes, so white would probably be fine.

 

[Commish63]

I would use Kilz for the paint. You can have the store add color if you want. Chickens prefer to lay in a dark space, but there won't be light shining into the boxes, so white would probably be fine.

Do you think the 8X8 opening is enough or should I make it bigger? By how much?

 

[Penpal]

I would contact an organization that represents the largest breed you will have and ask what the opening should be.

If you will be breeding your chickens, they can also give you contacts of breeders.

 

[Commish63]

I would contact an organization that represents the largest breed you will have and ask what the opening should be.

If you will be breeding your chickens, they can also give you contacts of breeders.

The two breeds are Rohde Island Reds and Easter Eggers.