Building coop...bedding and roost questions.

[harley96cube]

I have just about completed converting a garden shed to a coop.
I have nest boxes a couple of feet off the floor.
I am going to try first with 5 or 6 layers and then at a later date grow some for putting meat into the freezer.
Edit: I think I am going to try Plymouth Rocks.

There is one beam (2x4 with 1/2 plywood sandwiched on each side) running across from one wall to another at about 7' high.
I didn't plan to designate that as a roost, but I would imagine that some will use it.
I plan to add a couple more roosting 2x4 at probably 4' and 5'.
The coop is not insulated and has 2x4 stud walls.

Should I screw a couple of 2 foot 2x4 to the stud so they stick out , or should I make 2 brackets so that a 2x4 can be attached parallel to the wall?
If parallel, is a foot from the wall enough room?

Also, I have neighbors that have cattle and grow hay...so hay will be much cheaper for me than buying wood shavings, etc.
I have a wood floor (plywood). I would like to keep it as dry as possible, and would like to use the chicken poo on the garden.
Is hay going to work o.k. for the nest boxes and the floor?

How deep should I put it on the floor?

I currently have a galvanized waterer that is made to sit on the floor.
Should I rig up a rope/chain to hang it a couple of inches off the floor?

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Not sure where you are located. That might help on the insulated bit. Mine is not insulated either and my normal lowest winter nighttime temperature is around 0*F, if that helps.

They will probably use that beam if it is the highest thing in there they can get to. If there is enough room above it for them to sit, they will probably try to get to it. I'd suggest you either fix it so they cannot sit up there or plan on that as the roost. It would probably help them if you gave them some intermediate perches for them to use as steps going up, maybe 2' apart in elevation and about 1' apart horizontally. If you attach another roost or the intermediate steps parallel to the wall, 1 foot out is a pretty good distance.

Hay will work both for the floor and the nesting boxes. A possible problem with hay is that it tends to mat together, so it could be hard to remove. I don't use it so I can't suggest how deep to make it. That kinda depends on how often you clean it out, how dry you keep the coop (it really needs to be dry) how much you or the chickens stir it up, and whether you use a droppings board or droppings pan to keep the poop under the roost down. If it starts to smell, it is time to remove it.

You can hang the waterer or build up an area, maybe with bricks or paving stones, to get it up off the floor. You need it up about the height of of the back of your shortest chicken so they don't scratch so much trash in it. I find it beneficial to hang something over it, like maybe a gallon milk jug or something like that, so they don't try flying up to perch on top of it. They can turn it over if they try to perch or, if they don't turn it over, they will poop in it.

Good luck!

 

[harley96cube]

I'm in MN.
I probably won't insulate the coop unless I need to.
I have a 90 watt bulb in the light fixture now...could plug in a heat lamp if needed.

I will probably hang the waterer right away just to avoid the poo and junk from getting in it.
I have long tray feeders with covers that have oval holes in them).
I'll see how they work. If need be, I'll come up with a hanging feeder as well.

I also realized/read that I need to modify my nesting boxes.
Right now they have a flat plywood top.
I think I had better add a sloped piece so that they don't roost/sleep on top of them.

I was thinking that when I do clean the pooped up hay out of the coop, I'll put it right on the garden between my rows.
It should keep the weeds down and also fertilize.

 

[~*Sweet Cheeks*~]

I tried straw in the coop since I use it for the goats bedding but didn't like it in the coop. It goops together, gets stinky, I read mites can hide in it, and the girls would kick it out of the nest boxes.

I'm using white pine shavings in the nest boxes and layering it for deep litter method with DE and wood pellets.

Coop stays dry, smelling better, and 95% fly free. I find it is easier to scoop out and put in compost pile for garden later too.

I have mostly heavy full size breeds like buff orpingtons, plymouth rocks, rhode island reds that are big, fat, fluffy butts. Getting up on roost is not a problem but they seemed to hit the ground hard when flying down, so last weekend, I redesigned my roosts and lowered them down from 5 1/2 ft to 4 1/2 ft.

I used 2 heavy-duty pallets that are 4 1/2 ft tall, spaced 10 ft apart that I attached to the plywood walls and screwed two 2 x 4s to the top of 18" apart. (previously the 2 x 4's were 1 ft from the walls and the walls got poop running down them.

I then have another 2 x 4 that is 1 1/2 ft from the floor and the roost creating the first step up or down.

I moved the hanging water and feeders out of the middle of the coop to the side to create open space in the middle for them to fly down.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Here are my nest boxes with a flat top. Some use them as a step to get to my 4 foot high roosts. Some fly straight up to the 4 foot roosts. I've never had a problem with them sleeping on my nest boxes since the roosts are higher. The poop on them is from when I had 5 week olds locked in the coop. They would play up there during the day. I've just never bothered to clean it off.

 

[Schultz]

Quote:
Hay is fine but pine shavings are better. They say that hay will harbor parisites more so than the shavings.
BEWARE! I wouldn't use a heat lamp in there because of the fire risks. Those things put out enough concentrated heat to ignite the hay pretty quik! think more ceramic heat emmiter bulb or regular light bulb.
Putting the waste directly out in your garden during growing season is also a nono. Chicken poop is very "hot" and will burn your plants up. You need to compost it first then put it out there.

 

[Luckytaz]

Harley, You don't have to insulate, but I would, it's better winter and summer. And as for your floor litter my first choice would be, wood chips,then straw, then hay. Even leaves
or shredded paper will work. I try get the litter about 8 inchs deep.

 

[harley96cube]

Quote:
Where's a good place to get wood chips in Central MN?

 

[harley96cube]

Quote:
Where's a good place to get wood chips in Central MN?

What about buying a chipper, and putting tree branches that I trim off of trees that I am cutting up for firewood?

 

[harley96cube]

I decided to insulate and sheet the coop.
I hung my waterer from the ceiling, rebuilt my next boxes, and built a ladder of sorts for them to roost on.
For the roost, I cut 2 2x4s with 45 degree angle on each end, cut 3 2x4 for roosts and screwed the roost (rungs) between, leaned it against the wall and screwed it to the studs.
I have temporary light fixture right now, but will wire soon.
So, tomorrow I'll pick up some pine shavings and hopefully Saturday I'll get some birds.
Hopefully I can properly convince my dog that the chickens are not food for him...but family he should protect!
Pictures to follow!