ADVICE PLZ!! new coop (enclosed or wire), poop tray? nesting boxes...

[EGSparrNaturals]

this is our barn that we are converting one section into our coop. It will be 10x12'... as you can see there is 2 existing walls & we can't decide whether we should plywood up and totally enclose the other 2 walls or if just wire would be fine on them.

we live on 4 acres that is totally fenced in so they will free range all day and we will only put them in at night to their coop. We plan on getting 30 baby chicks.

as you can see there is already an existing shelf that we r planning on using for their nesting box, by adding another board to the top of the shelf & a 1x4 across the bottom row so it's slightly more enclosed and the eggs won't fall out. We were planning on adding another whole nesting box on the other wall and adding a roosting pole along the outer edge of that top board, but recently seen that some of yall have 'poop trays'... we r going to build a 'ladder' up to both boxes out of fern strips. So we are not sure where they are actually likey to sleep, the ladder, on top of the nesting boxes, or on the roost pole. And where we should put the poop tray and if that many nesting boxes are necessary for 30 chickens.

thanks for all ur input in advance!!!

 

[PapaChaz]

personally if it was me, I'd enclose it. that's only 2 walls to have to build, and much more predator resistant.

you definitely want a roost built for them. They like to roost as high as they can get (self preservation instints) Chickens do a lot of POO while on the roost at night. This gives cause for a comments on a couple of things:

poop trays have become all the rage because it's easier to clean. Most I've seen (and the way I intend to do it on the new coop I'm building) is a board with a rim around the edge, filled with sand and sprinkled with Sweet PDZ. once or twice a week with plastic scraper and a kitty litter scooper and you're good to go.

secondly, because they do so much poo while roosting, you don't want them roosting on the nest boxes if they aren't covered. will make a total mess out of the nests.

about the nests, if they're pretty much level, the eggs won't roll out. Some people build their nests unlevel on purpose, so the egg will roll into a compartment the chickens can't reach with their beaks. You'll mostly read about this when someone has a chick that develops a taste for raw eggs.....

also, figure 1 nest needed for every 3 (or some will say 4) hens. Odds are even with 30 hens, they're all going to lay in the same couple of nests anyway, LOL

just my thoughts, I'm for sure not the smartest or most experienced on here.

Good luck and keep us posted, and we love PICS as you go!

 

[EGSparrNaturals]

That is what we thought, that the roost should be as high as possible cause they like it, but we also read that they will climb a ladder up, but tend to jump down. So we don't want them to jump from to high and we don't want them to roost on the ladder instead of the roost pole :/... we r going to put wire at an angle above the nest so they sit on top of them.... what r ur thoughts?