A high rise coop

[treehouse]

I am thinking about a high rise
3w x 3d x 2h
My question is training the birds to get to the right floor if they fly in or should I have walks up to each floor? I have bantams and they really seem to love to fly so I wanted to have fun with it, yet keep them seperated for breeding purposes.

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

Hello ,
Sounds like a great idea , would love to see pics when its finished. I would probly put walks to each level or atleast a roost stair stepping up to the next level .

 

[treehouse]

well I have it started at least the first and top floors just need to put them together. I will have to see how they like it and then if they do not like it I will just split it back up. I was thinking about using bird netting for some of the sides and top but at least 4' of wire along bottom, what do you think? The over all run size is 14 x 14 but I think I will have to expand it?

 

[scooter147]

If the levels are just two feet that is just a little hop for a bantam. So I see no problem eliminating ramps.
My pop door is about two feet off the ground and the bantams I have don't use it much. They seem to enjoy flying over it and out into the yard when they exit and usually go to the side of the ramp and jump right up into the door way. My austrolops, well those little fatties have to use "wing power" just to walk up the ramp, they really need to go on slim fast.

 

[treehouse]

you draw a very funny picture with your words i can just see them all belly and these little teenie wings huffin and puffin

 

[treehouse]

I do not think this will work unless i can count on them flying.
there will be too much walking involved if i have to ramp up 6' and 10'. I guess my question would be will they return to the same coop area are bantams that smart?
Does anyone know if it is ok to use bird netting as part of a roof of a coop?

 

[lobb40118]

I have a two story coop. You can see it in my BYC page.

 

[scooter147]

6' and 10' are a different story, I guess they could be trained to do it but the 10' is asking a lot. Some of my black jap hens are a little chunky and I know they can't fly up 10'. My coop is 9' high and serves as a fence on one side without netting and I have seen them try to fly up there and they cannot make it.
The bird netting, if you are talking about netting over a run to keep chickens in and hawks out then it is fine, if you are talking about protection against nighttime predators such as coons, possums, coyotes etc. No it won't last 5 minutes.

 

[treehouse]

no not nighttime protection. Just to keep them in and keep hawks out. they will not get tangled in it will they?
10' is alot I am not going to do it

 

[scooter147]

I have always had netting on my run, they generally don't fly up into it unless they are really spooked but have never had one get tangled in it.