Help with all the things please.........☺️

[TerryH]

We will increase coop size to 6x3 today but right now it is much smaller. The roosting bars will be 2 bars 5 ft long. Ventilation is poor but once we have cut the door open and enclosed the run we will have additional windows added. Climate in southern Indiana cold-mild winters and hot summers. Wet in the spring.

The new dimensions should work for your 4.Ventilation is always key. 1 sq.ft. of ventilation per chicken is a good rule of thumb. The ventilation will need to be as high up as possible above the roost bars so they are not in a draft situation in the winter. What are you doing for nest boxes?

 

[Lee-Anna]

We have 3 boxes already, but they are just a tad lower than the roosts so we will probably need to make them lower if they poop in them. So far the poop hasn't been a problem so it may still be ok.

 

[TerryH]

We have 3 boxes already, but they are just a tad lower than the roosts so we will probably need to make them lower if they poop in them. So far the poop hasn't been a problem so it may still be ok.

You could probably get away with less boxes if that would allow more room in the coop. Or perhaps even make some external boxes on the side of the coop.

 

[Howard E]

Using a play set may not be as far fetched as it seems. We visited Key West once and one of the things I remembered most was the feral chickens running around all over the place. But at night.......they would fly up into the trees to roost. Not the low trees, but limbs as much as 10 feet or more up off the ground. I never knew chickens could fly that high, but those birds could. Birds trying to roost up high on a play set seem to be doing the same thing. It is what they would do in nature, given a choice.

So what do we do? Incarcerate them into a small, poorly ventilated boxes close to the ground and then wonder why they don't like using them. They probably feel like it's a jail break and they don't want to go back to the "pen".

BTW, not a knock on you or the coop your mom purchased. They are sold by the thousands by unknowing sellers to unknowing buyers as something suitable for raising chickens. Only when the unsuspecting buyer starts to use them do the learn they are not what they need. They look good to the people making and selling them, and to the buyers, but not to the birds.

Sounds like you are on the right track!

 

[Lee-Anna]

I would love to compost inside the coop floor but without the dirt floor I know it would just be deep litter. Can I just throw in good rich soil from our yard in with wood shavings, leaves and grass clipping with a hard wood floor?

 

[Intheswamp]

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[Lee-Anna]

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So just curious, I'm new to the group, so do those dots mean "what on Earth are you talking about" or to follow the thread?

 

[Howard E]

I would love to compost inside the coop floor but without the dirt floor I know it would just be deep litter. Can I just throw in good rich soil from our yard in with wood shavings, leaves and grass clipping with a hard wood floor?

My guess is that was intended to be "yes", but came out as dots.

My answer would be yes, except skip the dirt........use all the rest of that. Over time, it does start to compost. It can get up to a foot deep or more, with no issues, except the birds may run out of headroom. The droppings are the nitrogen to go along with the carbon that is all the rest. Birds may add enough moisture to make it work and they will also turn and scratch it for you.....toss in a handful of scratch grains.....raw oats work well and they will tear it up. If it looks bad, and or starts to smell, that is your clue to add more litter in the form of leaves, wood chips, clippings, etc.

When you decide enough is enough and you need to clean it out, clean out most of it, but leave a little to inoculate the next batch of litter and start over. Either hot compost the old to finish it or simply spread it on the garden if it's not too hot to handle.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

We now have an "envelope" in our savings titled NEW COOP! Looking forward to building my dream coop!

Can I have this coop when you finish building your next one?