Can I turn these nest boxes into poop boards?

[Weeg]

Hey guys!
The first thing that is gonna come up on this thread, is how badly designed my coop is. Yes, I have to agree. My dad built it before I joined, and before I knew anything about chickens. When this coop was build all I knew was chickens need, water, food, run, coop, and to be able to free range. Since then, I have learned so much, along with space requirements, and that chickens can't sleep in nesting boxes.. The coop is 3ftx3ft, (I know I know) housing 4 hens 1 rooster. Its build tiny and tall, its 8ft tall so you can walk into it. It has no room for perches, and the chickens end up sleeping in the nesting boxes despite my efforts for perches.
I would prefer to sell this coop, and build a coop with proper space requirements, and all kinds of other things I really want for my coop. But, my dad is set on keeping it, so here I am, making it work.
The nesting boxes are build sticking out of the coop, and are simply, long, 3 ft boxes. I'm wondering if I can replace the tiny barrier that holds shavings in, with a 2x4, fill the boxes with sand, and some how attach 2x4's to either side of the box to make a poop board. They could then lay on the floor of the coop which they already do, and they will finally have perches that will be easy to clean, and won't take up space.
Ideas? What has worked best for you at the bottom of your poop boards? Sand, pine shavings?
Pictures coming. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Following. Will hold off suggestions pending pics.

 

[Weeg]

Uploading them now!

 

[Weeg]

Firstly, yes, I am absolutely aware of how nasty the walls are.
You can see my attempts for upper perches since the coop is tall not wide/long, and that ended with poop all over the walls.
I haven't cleaned them, since the lack of a better setup will only dirty them again. If this poop board idea works, I'll clean them and hopefully the coop will stay clean.

Pictures-

These are the nest boxes. They are the same on both sides. If I made a poop board out of them, I would attach a 2x4 roost over the nest box, attaching to either side of the white walls. So it would go across lengthwise.
I would then replace the 2x1 holding the shavings in with a 2x4 to hold in the sand. Do you think this could work? What about them nesting on the floor? Do you think that'll be alright?

 

[21hens-incharge]

I find myself wondering if the whole wall on the short side could be moved outward. You don't need both nest boxes since they will share.

It would give you a bit more room but certainly not the needed space for a single roost plus landing space when they exit it.....

Is your dad open to doing any modifications?

 

[Weeg]

I find myself wondering if the whole wall on the short side could be moved outward. You don't need both nest boxes since they will share.

It would give you a bit more room but certainly not the needed space for a single roost plus landing space when they exit it.....

Is your dad open to doing any modifications?

I'll see if this is a possibility. I would definitly prefer to make it bigger then continue to modify.
Taking out a wall maybe a bit tricky though. The coop is wired and has electricity as long as its pugged in with an extension cord to the house. So I'm not sure if its possible to take out the whole wall. I believe I've asked him about that before. They definitely don't need that many nest boxes.
I will revisit a new coop build though, and selling this one. If I add a poop board on at least one side, I bet it could be sold as a 3 hen coop.

 

[Weeg]

Thanks for the @21hens-incharge!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Or given lumber prices right now take it apart and use the materials on the new build.....

In fact I am doing that myself here. I sold my ducks and am turning that structure into a coop for 16 chickens. It was 5x8 and is expanded to be 8x8. I don't have any pictures but I took down a wall, extended the floor and 2 walls then put the removed wall back on. Yup mine has electric and that had to be changed. It wasn't difficult really....the electrical part.

 

[Weeg]

Awesome! Thank you! I'll revisit that with my dad, as he's all abbot projects in the summer, I bet I could convince him to work on it. Thank you!

 

[perkolator]

The footprint inside there is only 3x3 - but it's 8ft tall?

I would probably do some modifications to the existing coop to make it more functional and get the chickens to be where you want them.

Nest boxes - you won't need both for that few hens, so I'd likely block one off with a piece of lumber and use that as storage space for stuff like feed, treats, etc. Because you mention they don't lay in the boxes, to me it looks like the nest boxes are simply too high of a jump up for the chickens to use practically when they're ready to lay a double yolker, hence they just take the easy route and lay in the corner.

To resolve that issue, I think I would lessen the distance they'd have to jump up to the nest boxes, by simply using deeper litter on the floor. I'd likely make a simple baffle on the big door side to hold back the bedding when you open it. On the chicken door side, perhaps another baffle device or even modifying the structure a tad to raise the door opening above the bedding.

For roosts, I'd likely go perpendicular to the human and chicken doors. Do maybe 3 or 4 rungs at different heights to act as a ladder for them to get up/down them on such a small footprint of space. I'd probably make the tallest bar about the height of the human door, on the human door side. Put the lowest one on the chicken door side. I'd use either 2x3s or some found branches in 2-3" diameter.

Good luck!