Beginner Coop Designs?

[21hens-incharge]

The flip side....

If you have a floor close to the ground the vermin have a nice cozy spot to set up camp without being disturbed or potentially eaten by the birds.

 

[3KillerBs]

Like the Deep Bedding/Deep Litter vs. Daily/Frequent Scooping/Cleaning debate the Solid Floor vs. Dirt Floor debate is one of those never-ending things that boil down to individual circumstances and personal preference.

If you have a well-built coop with half-inch hardware cloth and an anti-dig apron your chance of having rodent issues with a dirt floor are minimized. In fact, rodents LOVE to live under a solid floor that's low enough to the ground to give them shelter.

But they are unlikely to live under a floor that's high enough to admit air, light, and chickens.

As for cleaning, unless you have some serious issue with mites or other such contaminants you never need to actually remove every last scrap of bedding down to the base. It's your chicken coop, not your kitchen.

With a dirt floor in a dry, non-composting environment you just fork out what's on top of the dirt. With a moist, composting system you pull back the top layers and harvest compost from underneath when you need the compost or when the pile gets inconveniently tall.

 

[snyper82]

Fantastic, both posts are excellent points. thanks!

 

[snyper82]

OFF TOPIC:
As we are getting the brooder ready, and the excitement is building, I'm starting to think through more... we have a privacy fence around our back yard, it's old and in some places has some small holes or areas underneath where groundhogs, squirrels, and such get through.
How big of an opening can a chicken squeeze through? I tried searching, but most of the results are related to predator proofing a run or coop, or pop door dimensions. I just need to know which ones to patch when we let them out for a while during the days (as adults, of course).

 

[3KillerBs]

How big of an opening can a chicken squeeze through?

A remarkably small hole, especially if they have time to do some digging. A lot of the size you see is feathers so they can squeeze their bodies through holes you wouldn't have thought they could make it through.

I would guess that with my flock, Chipotle, the California White, who is slim and smaller than the rest could wiggle through a 4"x6" hole if she were determined to do it (though she's more likely to fly over), while anyone but Dumpling, the Light Brahma, could get through 6"x6".

 

[snyper82]

A remarkably small hole, especially if they have time to do some digging. A lot of the size you see is feathers so they can squeeze their bodies through holes you wouldn't have thought they could make it through.

I would guess that with my flock, Chipotle, the California White, who is slim and smaller than the rest could wiggle through a 4"x6" hole if she were determined to do it (though she's more likely to fly over), while anyone but Dumpling, the Light Brahma, could get through 6"x6".

Thanks for the info, I'll get to patching... lol, oh the adventure we are about to begin!

 

[aart]

How big of an opening can a chicken squeeze through?

When I first set up my coop partition wall with tiny doors for integrating chicks,
I had a bird get thru a 4" x 4" opening, she was 'slimline' line bird but still.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Except that when you've spent that money on a build of your own you'll have a larger, better-built, better-designed coop that will make you happier over the long term.

Ya buddy!

 

[rosemarythyme]

When I first set up my coop partition wall with tiny doors for integrating chicks,
I had a bird get thru a 4" x 4" opening, she was 'slimline' line bird but still.

Same, I had my head hen (not so slim) squeeze into a chick opening about 4" wide. A truly thin or smaller-than-average standard bird could probably fit through a 3" gap.

 

[aart]

Same, I had my head hen (not so slim) squeeze into a chick opening about 4" wide. A truly thin or smaller-than-average standard bird could probably fit through a 3" gap.

This hen was my slimmest, and determined.
Luckily 2 of 3 doors were adjustable, I narrowed the opening and baited with BOSS, until she couldn't get thru. 3.5" was the limit.