Sentinel coop modifications

[colospgs]

I've had five hens in a TS Sentinel coop for almost two years now. I also attached an additional 40 SF covered run to it. They only go inside to roost at night and to lay eggs. That seemed like an OK setup all this time. Now I've noticed some feather pecking going on and I was advised that's probably because the coop is too small. So now I am looking at ways to modify the Sentinel coop. Referencing the pictures below, would it work to "plywood in" the area below the building and add some roosts on the lower level? I guess I am looking for ways to relieve the crowding at night. Would the chickens even go into the newly enclosed lower level at night?

One picture is a generic pic of a Sentinel coop, the other is mine with the attached run.

 

[-Chanticleer-]

Is it possible to extend the coop to one side and then move the door? If you do that you could extend the run as well. Just a thought.

 

[Evadig]

Just watch the roof…I’ve only had mine for two years and what with the rain collecting on top as well as the little bit of snow we get in the winter:

 

[Evadig]

I’m planning on enlarging mine too, as soon as I get the roof fixed. So we’re in this together .

 

[colospgs]

Now that I'm thinking about roosts, they wouldn't go into the lower level if I built that out, would they? They like to be up high. And if I did what Chanticleer suggests, I'm not sure if there would be room for new roosts. The height between the new floor and the ceiling would go from 18" to 16" as the roof slants. Not sure that's enough room. If not, I think I'm out of luck.

 

[Evadig]

My idea was to take out the side on the end (opposite the coop), add some more run, and build another coop on the other end…but then you might as well just build a new coop, right?

 

[aart]

Now that I'm thinking about roosts, they wouldn't go into the lower level if I built that out, would they? They like to be up high. And if I did what Chanticleer suggests, I'm not sure if there would be room for new roosts. The height between the new floor and the ceiling would go from 18" to 16" as the roof slants. Not sure that's enough room. If not, I think I'm out of luck.

Pretty much.

but then you might as well just build a new coop, right?

Yeppers!

 

[Evadig]

What might work is to block off the pop door inside (where the ramp is) with chicken wire and then so no one can get up there and then add a roost in the lower half. That way a couple chickens would be forced to sleep down there. The other two can jump up into the main coop through the side door. During the day, leave the side door open so they can all get in and lay their eggs. I did this when my geese were living in the run and the chickens only got to have the coop. It worked out pretty good once everyone got the hang of it…

 

[colospgs]

My idea was to take out the side on the end (opposite the coop), add some more run, and build another coop on the other end…but then you might as well just build a new coop, right?

That thought did cross my mind. I am trying to find an alternative in order to avoid that.

 

[colospgs]

After all this, (and thank you) I'm wondering about coop size anyway. Elsewhere on these forums I read that each chicken needs 12" of roost space. In the photo below the long roost is 36" and the two perpendiculars are 17" each. In my "reasoning" I figured that would be adequate for my 5 hens. I also read that each hen needs about 4 SQFT of coop space. So if my hens only go into the coop for egg laying and sleeping, why does the 4S SQFT rule of thumb even matter if they have adequate roosts?