Bought coop needs modification

[binders]

I recently bought a CCONLY cc-32 coop and am mostly very pleased by it but am wondering if I need to make modifications to it. Does anyone else have this coop and have they had to change it a little?

It has 4 nest boxes that are a few inches above the floor and the roosts are in front of and lower than the nest boxes. I was thinking of moving them above the boxes and was wondering if anyone else has done this? My pullets aren't laying yet and I have the nest boxes boarded off so that they don't sleep in them at night but they are not using the roosting bars at all and are just sleeping in a huddle on the floor.

This is a picture of the coop from CCONLY's website so that you can see what it looks like:

Any suggestions? I would love to know what others have done with the same coop. I have raised mine up so that it is 2 feet off the ground so that the chickens can go under it and have a always dry place to go. It is too small to have the water and feed inside so I thought I could use the space under for the feed so that it won't get wet when it rains.

 

[teach1rusl]

I've never seen this coop, and wish I could see more interior pics. If it's doable to raise the roost, then do that...above the nest boxes as you said. Depending on their age, and how new the coop is to them, it may take a while for them to use the roost. And if the roost is really low, it won't matter a whole lot to them anyhow - a roost normally indicates safety, because of it's height. So a roost just a few inches above floor level won't really be seen as a safe zone.
If you're in an area that gets cold winters, you'll most likely have to cover those windows with plexiglass or lexan or something when temps drop, since the size of the coop puts the openings pretty much at roost level (cold drafts are BAD). If that's the case, it there any ventilation up high, well above the roost area??? That may be another modification you'd need to make.

 

[binders]

Thanks for the input. I plan to cover the windows on the side when it gets colder, but unfortunately there is no ventilation up high. Maybe I will have to cut some holes at the peak of the end walls and cover them with hardware cloth to get some fresh air in there. I leave to "front" door open at night. Should I be closing it (I mean the door with the ramp)? They are in a secure run so I don't worry about something getting in and hurting them but what about warmth?

 

[Time-Out]

I bought this pre-fab one (but the size up).


I've coated it with two coats of deckign woodstain and preserver to make it a nicer colour until I can convince OH it needs painting. I'm building a frame, so the run can be stood separate to the coop. I'll also add some rafters, because the run roof looks a bit flimsy to me.

In the coop: I'll be insulating, plying, caulking and painting the inside. I'm also going to cut out a second door, so the whole side opens for easy cleaning. I'd like to put a window in the back for extra light and ventilation. The roosts will also be put higher and the divider between the nestboxes will be changed to a full-height piece of ply, rather than the shaped piece that chickens will love to perch on.
Depending on how far the walls come out after my mods, I might put some sloped wood all the way around the bottom edge, so any sawdust they kick around doesn't go straight down the sides of the drawer.
I was also thinking about one of those solar lights... but not sure OH would let me put a big hole in the roof

ETA: I'm hesitant about the ramp too... looks too slick and too spaced out for my little sebrights legs. I might either wrap it in mesh, or build my own.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
I'd say you will definitely want ventilation up high or your raised roosts will be drafty from using windows for ventilation. You don't need to close the pop door for warmth, it will make little difference in temp or to them, but you might need to for drafts on the roosts.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah, you'll need to shut the pop door at night come winter time to prevent icy drafts blowing in on (and under) them. So ventilation openings up high will be needed. That's a simple fix though...

 

[binders]

Thanks for the replys. I will have to look into getting some type of ventilation up high. The side wood is really soft and not very sturdy so I don't know how much I can work with it. Will post pictures of what I end up doing. Still don't know what that will be.