Brand-spanking-new. Read: clueless.

[GallopingGoat]

I'm in the middle of constructing my coop, which is in the barn with horses. It's small, 4X5, with three nesting boxes and a 4' roosting bar. I'm planning on having four hens - one Bantam, one Aurican (sp? a colored egg hen) and two layers. I am employing the chickens to scratch the manure piles and help reduce the fly population, so they will be free-range. I am aware of the dangers of hawks, but do not think other predators will be much of a problem as one of my horses is a cranky old pony who chases everything that wanders into the pasture.

Your input is greatly appreciated, as I have never kept chickens, and have some questions:

Do chickens poo in the nesting boxes?
Is my coop large enough for four hens, and will mixing breeds create a problem?
If I wanted Guineas, would there be a problem keeping them in the same barn?
Is there a problem keeping hens and no rooster?

Thanks for any and all information!

Edited to add: I just looked at some nesting box pictures, and they're all elevated off the floor of the coop. Will chickens use boxes that are on floor level (the coop itself if raised off the ground)?

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes, but not often. You don't have to change the nestboxes very often. (Unless the chickens sleep in them. THAT can get messy. If the roost is *significantly* higher than the boxes, you are unlikely to have a problem with that though)

Is my coop large enough for four hens, and will mixing breeds create a problem?

Yes to the first, no to the second

Is there a problem keeping hens and no rooster?

Nope, not at all

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[poultrypatch]

Hi & welcome aboard.
1. My girls don't poop in their boxes
2. coop that's 4 x 5 = 20 sf Reg size hens + 4 sf ea, bantams = 2 sf Sooo....You should have plenty of room. U need 14 sf for them
I have 6 nest boxes, they prefer 2 and will form a line or sit ontop of each other. LOL
3. I have 7 Guineas...4 boys and 3 girls. The problem right now is the males are not getting along and have to be seperated. I have 1 male in with 13 chickens and 2 males in
with abt 21 chickens....hens and a couple of roos. Then that lucky boy is in with the 3 girls. )
3 A......GUINEAS ARE NOISY...ESPECIALLY THE GIRLS. My males are much quieter. I do love them, DH finds them very prehistoric looking.
4. No, U don't need a roo unless you want fertile eggs for hatching. No roo = no crowing. In case U have close neighbors.
5. Yes, I have some nests in one coop that DH built at floor level...my coop is up off ground too...Second coop the nest boxes higher up are the favored ones,.
Best of luck !
Liz
MA

 

[gryeyes]

Welcome!!

Do chickens poo in the nesting boxes? - yes, if you let them.

Is my coop large enough for four hens, - Just barely. The general rule for coop space is 4 sq ft per chicken, and 10 sq ft of RUN space per chicken. Also, you won't need 3 nest boxes for 4 chickens; two would do.

and will mixing breeds create a problem? - Not at all. As one example, my flock is entirely made up of all different breeds.

If I wanted Guineas, would there be a problem keeping them in the same barn? Don't know the answer to that question, sorry.

Is there a problem keeping hens and no rooster? - None whatsoever. Don't need roosters for eggs, just for fertile eggs. (But you might miss out on the wonderful benefits of having a rooster....)

 

[Imp]

You're questions have been answered well, so I'll just say

from Imp

 

[greenpeeps]

Welcome

coop size sounds fine since they will free range most of the time.

I would just have two nesting boxes. Like many others, my chicks prefer to use the same ones.

Good Luck

 

[AtholCoop]

 

[GallopingGoat]

Thank you everyone for such a warm welcome and so much advice! I appreciate everyone's input.

I have already built the nesting boxes, so we'll see which they pick and keep the other as a room. It's great to hear one doesn't need a rooster, despite the antics I know I'll miss - perhaps in the future, if the hens get too lazy and fat! LOL

In the winter, if they get stir crazy, I can let them run around the barn a bit - I just wanted to make sure they would be warm (I'm in Vermont). I'm avoiding breeds that have large combs, as I've heard of those getting frostbite. I've also heard that Bantams, though small, can be better at avoiding hawks as they're flighty.

I think this site is wonderful - I've been going through it for the last couple of weeks gathering as much info as possible.

Many thanks -

 

[CityChook]

from MN!

I don't have a rooster (I'm in the city). Girls do just fine. I like the sound of a rooster, but I also like good relations with the neighbors...
4x5 is big enough for 4 hens. Even better if they can run around the barn in the wintertime. More room=better. They may/may not want to go outside in the snow.
Chickens won't poo (too much) in the nest box if their roost is higher. I added the nestbox after they were already accustomed to sleeping on the roost.