Chicken Housing

[SeanK]

I began building a chicken coop last weekend for my Cornish X that I am getting ready to order. The dimensions are 8X8X3 tall and half is covered. After looking at it I thought maybe it was going to be a bit small for 25 birds and decided it would work better for 8-10 layers.

My question is this. Since it is only 3 feet tall is this too short to allow for roosting space? Will the nests be too close to the ground?

I decided that I would do a more simple space for the Cornish X and fence an area off near my garden, cover it with avary netting and build a simple lean-to for shelter. Have I over thought this process too much?

 

[Brian]

This one is hard to answer in that I think most of us realize that the birds will survive your structure, but it is definitely a compromise. Chickens want to roost high. They can't do that in your shelter. They need shelter from the elements (heat, cold, wind, rain, drafts), and so if your shelter is simply netting and nothing else, you'll need to address that as well, creating good shelter for the birds.

I'm glad you decided to decrease the number of birds you'll put in this enclosure, and 25 would be more than double too many.

Consider "adding on" to what you have with a structure that gives them a place to roost, and, if possible, 2-3 nesting boxes which are off the ground too. Make the structure tall enough, perhaps 6 feet tall, so that the hens can roost, and you can go in there without stooping. Allow enough room for perching for all hens.

Brian