the truth about my coop... please go easy on me!!

[TinaK]

Hi Guys,

I love my chickens, I think they are such wonderful interactive pets... I just feel so darn bad for them being outside all alone at the back of the yard...

I need some expert opinion on what I can do to improve my coop... I am sure it is too small for them.

I originally intended on letting the chicks free range every evening when I got home from work.. and on weekends. I just didn't realise how protective of them I would be. I can't handle the idea of them free ranging without me standing guard every second... Not because of predators... but if they choose to fly over the fence!!! (we have dogs on all sides)...

I can't stand guard every evening! I need to cook dinner and things... so unfortunately my babies don't get to free roam...

I move my coop at least once a week, sometimes more depending on what the chickens have done to the grass!

here are a couple of pics of my current coop... (converted bird aviary!)

(That is my house in the background of the pic.. we have a 'split' yard... which I was sure would be great. I thought I could let my dog run free in the first half, and the chcikens out the back... BUT the chickens seem obsessed with pecking through to the dogs side or trying to get over the fence..... the dog is fine when the chickens are calm.. but if they jumped over the fence at her... )

Dimensions: (in aussie speak!)
length: of entire cage 2.5mtrs
Height: about 1.8mtrs? at highest part
Width: 1mtr
Length of roost box: 1 mtr.

the chickens go up the ramp each night to sleep..... but they don't sit on the roost poles. I think that maybe they are too squished up and the chooks can't get up there.... They snuggle in the shavings like they have since they were little.

The roof to their sleeping box is slanted and hinged so I can open it from the front when I go through the door (that is at the far end of the picture). This helps me to access it for cleaning and refilling bedding. It also has a hinged small door on the back so that I can reach in and get eggs (if they lay

) ...


I have a few questions in particular:

1. Am I cruel... is this far to small to keep my two chooks happy of they don't get to free range??... (actually please don't tell me I'm cruel... I might go out there and start renovating tonight!!! (it's 9pm here)

2. they won't roost at night... but they roost during the day on the perch that is below their sleeping box.... Any suggestions on how I can improve the sleeping quarters.

3. Any other kind hearted constructive criticism is most welcome!!


also, I should note that the biggest predator that I would worry about in my yard would be the local cat... (hence why I only have chicken wire over 80% of the coop) I've seen the cat have a dip at the chickens and I don't think he'll go back for more!

the extra wire you can see... is left over from when they were babies

 

[purpledonna]

If you want them to roost at night you will need to make it higher than their nest box......

 

[aussieheelr]

I would seal in the top half of the right side to utilize the upper level and add in square footage for them of indoor usage. Just a thought... doing that would make that coop just "home sweet home" uh I mean "coop sweet coop"

 

[TinaK]

hi purpledonna! thanks for your reply!

I'd have to lower the nest box to have the roosts on top... and that would require quite a bit of reconstruction!!...

i was sooo hoping that a pole inside the nest box would do... i swore to myself that i'd just be vigilant about changing bedding!
and I admit... when i put the poles in the nest box.. i didn't think that there would be much hope of them roosting there!!

Ok.....If I did lower the nest box and make the current floor into the roof (for example)....

1. would the chickens be able to get up to the roosts without another ladder?
2. would the chickens be warm enough if they were not in a 'boxed in' area for roosting at night? e.g if I lowered the nest box and put roosts above... It would not be a 'totally enclosed' area...

Potential Issues I can see with lowering the nest box and having roosts directly above would be:

- The chickens would then poop all over the top of the nest box and I wouldn't be able to have a hinged lid for easy cleaning!
- my current egg door would be way too high and it's a welded metal frame!
- Cold... I think i'd have to enclose the area somehow?


oo just saw aussieheelr's post!

making a a full second story would give extra space.. (and also the opportunity to pretty the place up for my girls!) I'm trying to envision exactly what you are picturing... but what you suggest sounds like a great idea......

but...

I have a hinged door there (in metal frame)... and I wouldn't be able to keep it that way if I boxed in the whole top part of the RHS.. would also make access to that area hard for cleaning?

 

[UnkleMacsChickenShack]

Personally for just a few 2 or 3 chickens I didnt think it was to small of a coop...
First I would make sure that your chickens can get to the roost with out a lot of knocking around and pushing each other off...

Second when chickens dont roost where I want them to try simply placing them on the roost after roosting time, this has been very sucessful for me...try it !!! Ive seen this idea work numerous times..
remember also set them on the roost where you want them then turn the lights off b4 they can jump and go back to where they were...Most of the time this works for me by the 2nd night...

Happy Hatching from THE SHACK.....Pappa Jerrico

 

[mikecnorthwest]

Are the hens healthy and are they producing eggs? If so, then I think what you have is fine if it's just the two hens. If it were me, however, I would expand the size of the house.

 

[teach1rusl]

I do like my girls to have room to move about. Your housing looks really tight (which may be why they won't/can't roost). Could you remodel/close in the back section even with the current housing part, and then open up that current wall???
Also, depending on finances, you could buy a roll of 6 ft. tall chicken wire or welded wire and just place it in a circle around the coop to run around in (while you're in the house)??? The welded wire will stand up in a circle without any posts, and you could probably just use about 4 metal posts for chicken wire. Plus, because it's not permanent, you can roll the wire up and move it as needed. I did that for a while when I was getting my girls use to "free ranging." Many have found that if wire fencing is tall enough and doesn't have a defined top edge (like chainlink and wooden fencing have a top edge, so the chicken has a goal to land on or get over), chickens will not try to fly over it, because they can't tell where the wire ends...

 

[Keenonf]

If the problem is the hens fly over the fence, then clip there wings. I used to think that it was some surgical operation but your literally just cutting part of there feathers. It doesn't hurt and they won't be able to hop the fence. The feathers you cut are under there wing so you can't notice its even been done. I believe there is a how to guide on byc. I think this will be your best option because then you can let them free range without worrying about them flying over the fence.

 

[TinaK]

thanks for the replies guys!

The hens (well pullets really!) seem to be ultra healthy. glowing eyes, nice shiny feathers! but no eggs yet (they turned 11 weeks old today

)

My hubby keeps saying to me that he could legally keep both chickens in a shoe box if he wanted to so I have to stop stressing!..
(he obviously doesn't feel the same way I do about chickens!

). I personally feel that the cage may be too small for them... especially as they still have to grow a bit... They always get sooo excited when they see me and start running back and forth.. it makes me feel bad when I cant let them out!!!

Initially when I built it I wanted to keep it small enough so that it could continue to be moved around the yard (tractor style)... We can move it around now... but if I start making additions it might get too heavy! (I am in a rental property too....)

teach1rusl: I think I need to re-model the upstairs house.. to enlarge it.. I think it is long enough...e.g. about 1mtr long...but it's only about 2 ft high?? I think I need to make it wider and higher with better roost options...... I think I may have a project this weekend!

I was also considering trying to find some chicken wire or something around at some local buidling / hardware places that sell second hand stuff.... maybe I'll go for a drive on Saturday morning and see what I can find!!!

Keenonf: re: wing clipping.. I have been waiting for the little laides to feather out properly before I clipped. They are probably old enough know to have their wings trimmed now! Is 11 weeks old enough....?

 

[TinaK]

I did a coop extension today! Yay! and made their second level bigger.. I went outside just after they went to sleep and popped them up on the roosts (they like to snuggle in the shavings

)

and I just went out and checked before... they have changed roosts so that they are closer together but they didn't hop down! very happy.. let's hope that after a few nights... they'll hop up themselves!!!