Building a new area for the birds - Please Help me do it right.

[Brahma Chicken5000]

So are you going to connect the coops?

 

[Enchanted1s]

Yes, I'm going to give that a try. The old structure will have to be rebuilt, but we will get it eventually. I have the roofs are connected now. I have been trying to stay focused on working from the top down - otherwise I get sidetracked and nothing gets done!

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Yes, I'm going to give that a try. The old structure will have to be rebuilt, but we will get it eventually. I have the roofs are connected now. I have been trying to stay focused on working from the top down - otherwise I get sidetracked and nothing gets done!

Take out the walls on the side closed to the new roof connection and use them to connect the coops.

 

[Enchanted1s]

Take out the walls on the side closed to the new roof connection and use them to connect the coops.

I have that end ready to remove, but I will have to replace most of what is there (goat fencing and pallets). I bought ½ inch hardware cloth for the project. I am planning to replace ALL of the goat wire fencing with hardware cloth. My bigger concern is there is no underground protection on the old structure. If it is going to be as secure as the new structure - I will have to dig under 3 of the walls .

 

[Enchanted1s]

QUESTION - do you think it would be OK to make them 2 nest boxes (instead of the planned 3) and use that 12x15 space for the access to the run? I have one other area I could put a smaller access door but it would mean we have to enter the run to get to the door. Still might with using the 1st nest box space, but just barely inside the gate to the run. Since they all seem to want to use the same one anyway...??

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

QUESTION - do you think it would be OK to make them 2 nest boxes (instead of the planned 3) and use that 12x15 space for the access to the run? I have one other area I could put a smaller access door but it would mean we have to enter the run to get to the door. Still might with using the 1st nest box space, but just barely inside the gate to the run. Since they all seem to want to use the same one anyway...??

How many pullets and hens do you currently have? I believe it’s 1 nest box per 3-4 pullets/hen.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Maybe you can make it that the best boxes hang onto the outside of the henhouse

 

[Enchanted1s]

Yes, I have them framed into the wall - boxes and access to eggs outside of the building.

We currently have One Broody - Two laying pullets and the three baby pullets. The new chicks (if they hatch) will be sold or given away. There are two boxes currently in the old structure - one the broody hen is in [everyone's favorite]. So, once everyone is laying there should be 5.

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

Yes, I have them framed into the wall - boxes and access to eggs outside of the building.

We currently have One Broody - Two laying pullets and the three baby pullets. The new chicks (if they hatch) will be sold or given away. There are two boxes currently in the old structure - one the broody hen is in [everyone's favorite]. So, once everyone is laying there should be 5.

If you can find a way to get have three nest boxes that would be ideal, but if you can’t then two will do. There will probably be quite a few squabbles if you only have 2 nest boxes and one of your girls goes broody

 

[Enchanted1s]

2 in the new structure - 2 in the old was what I was thinking.