herdingcats
In the Brooder
- Apr 3, 2018
- 18
- 22
- 39
Hi all,
I've looked through countless other posts and realized I need to just post some pics and ask re. our specific coop. My DH kindly did not lose it last night when I announced "I don't think the ladies have enough room to fly down!" after he had spent 2 hours building the roost bars per my instructions.
I just didn't factor in that the roost bars would take up depth in the coop.
Oops...
Here's the deal: we are moving 15 chickens in together soon (and are prepared for the meet and greet phase of introducing 11 chicks to 4 hens). 3 Buff, 3 Black Orps; 2 Silkies, 2 Easter Eggers, and 1 Blue Polish will be mingling with our 3 Black Australorps* & 1 Red Sex Link. The chicks are now 8 weeks old and as the weather improves here in the Pacific NW, we are close to finishing the new coop. Floor, windows, predator proofing are yet to be added.
Question 1: ROOST: Based on my research, the lowest of the 2 roost bars is about 3.5' off the ground. The second roost bar is almost 5' high. They are located on the N wall of the coop. We plan to install a 'poop deck.' The opposite side of the coop from the roost bars (south side) is to hold nesting boxes, and W wall is for food/water/human entry door. Access hatch to covered run will be on E wall.
Overall coop dimensions are 7x9'; essentially a big shed.
Roost bars are located on the 9' south wall.
Lowest roost bar is 2.5' from the wall.
Should I add some sort of ladder for the chickens to access the roost bars, or will they have enough space to hop up & down? Should we just lower both of the roost bars? Should I move the roost bars to one of the 7' walls so they have more space to enter/exit? E wall MUST contain the access to the run due to where the run will be located.
*The Black Australorps are not my favorite breed, and may be going to live with a neighbor if they don't take well to the flock additions. So we are planning on 15 chickens, but aside from typical predator/nature loss, the 3 Aussies are not "essential" to our flock.
Question 2: FLOOR: We live in a woodsy area of the Pacific NW. It is rainy here more often than it is sunny. Our first coop was a small, elevated design, but when we built a new coop we didn't have the option to elevate it. The coop will forever be on the ground, with a dirt floor to start. The run itself will be large enough to accommodate all 15 chickens, but they will be able to free range as well. We are looking for input from fellow mud-dwellers as to your preferred floor design. Again: we just can't elevate the coop so other options are much appreciated. Gravel? Pallets? Shavings?
Thanks all!
I've looked through countless other posts and realized I need to just post some pics and ask re. our specific coop. My DH kindly did not lose it last night when I announced "I don't think the ladies have enough room to fly down!" after he had spent 2 hours building the roost bars per my instructions.
I just didn't factor in that the roost bars would take up depth in the coop.
Oops...
Here's the deal: we are moving 15 chickens in together soon (and are prepared for the meet and greet phase of introducing 11 chicks to 4 hens). 3 Buff, 3 Black Orps; 2 Silkies, 2 Easter Eggers, and 1 Blue Polish will be mingling with our 3 Black Australorps* & 1 Red Sex Link. The chicks are now 8 weeks old and as the weather improves here in the Pacific NW, we are close to finishing the new coop. Floor, windows, predator proofing are yet to be added.
Question 1: ROOST: Based on my research, the lowest of the 2 roost bars is about 3.5' off the ground. The second roost bar is almost 5' high. They are located on the N wall of the coop. We plan to install a 'poop deck.' The opposite side of the coop from the roost bars (south side) is to hold nesting boxes, and W wall is for food/water/human entry door. Access hatch to covered run will be on E wall.
Overall coop dimensions are 7x9'; essentially a big shed.
Roost bars are located on the 9' south wall.
Lowest roost bar is 2.5' from the wall.
Should I add some sort of ladder for the chickens to access the roost bars, or will they have enough space to hop up & down? Should we just lower both of the roost bars? Should I move the roost bars to one of the 7' walls so they have more space to enter/exit? E wall MUST contain the access to the run due to where the run will be located.
*The Black Australorps are not my favorite breed, and may be going to live with a neighbor if they don't take well to the flock additions. So we are planning on 15 chickens, but aside from typical predator/nature loss, the 3 Aussies are not "essential" to our flock.
Question 2: FLOOR: We live in a woodsy area of the Pacific NW. It is rainy here more often than it is sunny. Our first coop was a small, elevated design, but when we built a new coop we didn't have the option to elevate it. The coop will forever be on the ground, with a dirt floor to start. The run itself will be large enough to accommodate all 15 chickens, but they will be able to free range as well. We are looking for input from fellow mud-dwellers as to your preferred floor design. Again: we just can't elevate the coop so other options are much appreciated. Gravel? Pallets? Shavings?
Thanks all!