Am I missing anything for my coop plans?

[Lollipopchiki3]

Consider poop trays that slide out if you don't want deep litter.

That sounds like and interesting way to go...ill ask hubby if he can swing it...thank you

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

I can't consider anything to be easier to manage than deep litter. In the run, I NEVER have to clean it, and NEVER have any odor. As for the coop, everyone eventually has to clean it if using standard bedding. When Using DLM in the coop, it's simply a matter of adding fresh bedding materials to top things off. Remove finished compost now and then. What could be simpler???

I'm still thinking about it...but I'm leaning heavily towards deep litter

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

External access nest boxes are wonderful. It allows you to check egg status and slip those eggs into your basket without getting poo on your shoes, and with minimal interruption of your layers. In the north, I recommend that the box it'self actually be inside the coop, with a drop down door on the side of the coop. Keeping the box inside the foot print of the coop, especially placing it on the south or east side helps prevent the eggs from freezing. A "side car" nest box that hangs on the side of the coop, with the boxes actually outside the coop foot print is great if you have limited floor space. However, those eggs are more prone to freezing. No matter how you build it, you gotta make sure it's weather proof. Sometimes my doors freeze shut, but I never get rain in my boxes.

Well managed DL does NOT smell.

My first coop was a loft style over run, cattle panel hoop affair. Night mare as far as frost bite issues go.



a bit of grass will grow up between the pallets. To maximize your green, you will need to build a frame and cover it with wire so sunlight gets to the entire foot print.



Don't know how to build one, or don't know how you'll incorporate it into your design?



Excellent commentary!

I ment I didn't know how to build one but I found amazon sells them so ill just get that

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

Another vote for a walk in coop. For 1/2 inch hardware cloth, check the prices on amazon and walmart.com, they are usually the best prices. Below is a video for the deep litter method, I think it will work well for you, to keep the smell down. A well kept deep litter will smell like the your walking in the woods. and you get rewarded with good compost material. If your neighbor gardens or uses topsoil, share some of this with them along with eggs and you shouldn't have any problems.

thanks I was going to get the hardware cloth at Lowe's but ill defiantly look at Wal-Mart and amazon first

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

I'm in North Florida, so climate about the same. DLM works great as long as it stays fairly dry. Anywhere you have cover it should work. If it gets too wet during thunderstorms and spring rain, which as you know can be torrential at times, you will have odor, and you have to consider the blowing sideways rains. I use DLM in my covered run, it stays pretty dry, I have no odor, and works really well. On the rare occasion it gets wet I turn it with a hay fork until it dries out. For your coop, ventilation is going to be super important or it will be a hotbox in the summer. I have a ridge vent, and multiple windows covered in hardware cloth that can be completely open in summer and closed in winter on those few really cold snaps we get. I also run a fan or two (12volt) in my eaves in summer to help move the air and cool, and to reduce mosquito born pox. Heat is going to likely be much more of an issue for you than cold. If you ventilate well for heat you will not likely have any issues when it does get cold. I also recommend a walk in coop, it makes so many things so much easier. My first coop was not walk in and it was really a pain in the rear. I have both internal and external nest boxes.

yes our climates are very similar... Was thinking of fans too actually but I saw some warning about fan and chicken dust

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

If you don't want to fool with deep litter, just make your new pen easy to clean and be done with it.

lol yeah...still looking at my options on that one

 

[PetesChicks]

A poop board under the roost is a great time saver. Mine is about 2 1/2’ or 3’, with sand and some PDZ on it. I just use a kitty litter scoop to scoop it into a bucket for the compost pile.

Make sure the pop door to the run is high enough that it will be above your deep litter. Also, your roosts need to be higher than your nesting boxes or they will use the boxes to sleep (and poop) in.

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

So I did some math tonight to calculate how much space in was giving my bantam chickens...just making sure I didn't need anything bigger...their is conflicting responses (even here) on how many square feet a bantam should have...but here's what I got...if my numbers are off or you think my math is screwy please let me know.
:Square Feet:
Run 8'8" x 36' = 228² (228 / 6 = 38²)
Coop 8'8" x 8' = 64² (64 / 2 = 32²)
(This will be for 10-15 bantam breed chickens with plans for a few to raise)

p.s. Notice the coop is getting bigger and bigger the more I plan...it went from 8'.8"x5' to 8'.8"x6' to now 8'.8"x8'

 

[Lollipopchiki3]

A poop board under the roost is a great time saver. Mine is about 2 1/2’ or 3’, with sand and some PDZ on it. I just use a kitty litter scoop to scoop it into a bucket for the compost pile.

Make sure the pop door to the run is high enough that it will be above your deep litter. Also, your roosts need to be higher than your nesting boxes or they will use the boxes to sleep (and poop) in.

I'm glad you mentioned the pop door being higher...I didn't even think of that...my future chilies thank you

 

[jthornton]

their is conflicting responses (even here) on how many square feet a bantam should have

The numbers are just a guide and it really depends on the design of the "coop". Take for instance in my case my "coop" ended up being 20 sq. ft. but I have room for 13 full size birds in my "coop". how is that possible you say, well I have 11' of roost in my "coop" and that is all that is in there. So 11' x 12" / 10" = 13 and some change. So the only function my "coop" does is provide a place to roost. Even the 10" of roost per bird is not 100% correct it just depends on the birds and how high the roost is from the floor. My roost is 10" off the floor so they just hop up and at night 7 RIR pullets and 1 Barred Rock roo will be on 4' of roost. Yep thats right they only use 6" of roost on the average. It's really funny to watch them try and squeeze another pullet on that roost.

JT