Chicken newbie in need of guidance with coop

[Christal075]

Hi there I’ve had these 4 chickens for about three months I purchased this rabbit hutch/chicken coop(that’s how it was advertised) There wasn’t a roost in the top hatch so I added a 2 x 2 bar at the top which they seem to like now my question is where do they lay eggs if they sleep up top in the what I think is the nesting box is this adequate space and is this design sufficient for four chickens? I’m able to expand it up and maybe out but I haven’t seen any eggs and I’m sure it’s probably too soon I’m just wondering if they should be sleeping up top or if I should put a nest in the bottom area

 

[3KillerBs]

You didn't give the dimensions, but that very pretty coop looks way too small for 4 chickens. The builders who sell coops generally use minimum battery-chicken dimensions to say how many chickens their coops will hold, which is far from ideal for backyard birds. Lots of new chicken owners are fooled that way.

The general rule is 4 square feet in the coop and 10 square feet in the run per chicken so 4 adult, standard-size, dual-purpose chickens will do best with a coop that is at least 4'x4' and a run that is at least 4'x10' or 6'x8'. Again, you didn't give dimensions, but it looks like you've done a nice job setting up their run so that it's not just a barren rectangle.

The usual age to expect your first eggs is about 4-5 months, with some high-production layers starting a little earlier and some slow-developing breeds starting later. To put that into perspective, I got my chicks in late June and am expecting my first eggs some time between Halloween and Christmas.

 

[3KillerBs]

PS. One thing that little coop seems to have going for it is plenty of ventilation, which is one of the keys to good health.

PPS. Where are you located? If you put your general location into your profile people will be able to give you advice that's better targeted to you specific climate and conditions.

 

[Christal075]

You didn't give the dimensions, but that very pretty coop looks way too small for 4 chickens. The builders who sell coops generally use minimum battery-chicken dimensions to say how many chickens their coops will hold, which is far from ideal for backyard birds. Lots of new chicken owners are fooled that way.

The general rule is 4 square feet in the coop and 10 square feet in the run per chicken so 4 adult, standard-size, dual-purpose chickens will do best with a coop that is at least 4'x4' and a run that is at least 4'x10' or 6'x8'. Again, you didn't give dimensions, but it looks like you've done a nice job setting up their run so that it's not just a barren rectangle.

The usual age to expect your first eggs is about 4-5 months, with some high-production layers starting a little earlier and some slow-developing breeds starting later. To put that into perspective, I got my chicks in late June and am expecting my first eggs some time between Halloween and Christmas.

Ty for your response!! Here are the dimensions

 

[Christal075]

Would you recommend building up? I can very easily detach the roof and build it up and then reattach the roof I’m just wondering if that area up top where I put the the bar is where they will lay their eggs or should I clear out the bottom area and Make that The nesting box I’m not sure where they’re supposed to lay their eggs Because they sleep and poo upstairs? I am also expanding the run today

 

[woodworm]

I guess the last photo is the current location - it looks as though there should be enough run space for 4 chucks though the coop is too small.

The roost (bar) that you put in is where they sleep and ideally you should have egg boxes lower than this. They want to sleep at the highest point and if the egg boxes are too high that's where they will go, but you will be cleaning them out far too often! I think one place you could create an egg box would be to block up one of the sides of the inbuilt run (remove the ladder so that it's only accessible from underneath) and make the side of it hinged so you can get the eggs from the outside ...

excuse the bad photoshopping ...

 

[Christal075]

Ohhhhhh I never though of this!! So they would only have one ladder for all 4 chicks will that be sufficient? I can also build up to raise the roost and add another bar for comfort. They are all squeezed onto the one bar and one of them keeps getting kicked to the curb

 

[3KillerBs]

Ty for your response!! Here are the dimensions

So the coop itself is about 2'x3" then? And not even a foot tall in the main section? That's only enough floor space for 1.5 chickens and not enough height for an adult chicken to really stand upright and stretch.^

I HATE the way the sellers of these commercial coops con newbies out of money with false claims.

I'm afraid that I have no idea what might make that coop actually suitable for adult hens. You might like reading the thread about how I renovated my little coop with my thought processes, my evaluation of what I did right and wrong the first time, and input from experienced chicken keepers. It might give you ideas that aren't occurring to me because I don't know the details of your situation and/or your capacity for building/remodeling.

^My Light Brahma rooster was a full 2 feet tall with his head up and both the Brahma and Delaware hens were about 15-18".

 

[Christal075]

Yep... exactly what I feared.. these chickens are BIG. SO.... scrap the whole thing or remodel their humble abode... I am pretty handy. I have a TON of scrap wood. I thought of taking out the floor, To expand walking room and then building walls around it and reattaching floor Raising the roof and adding a sleeping bar. I have to do something... soon. Ughhhh

 

[3KillerBs]

Yep... exactly what I feared.. these chickens are BIG. SO.... scrap the whole thing or remodel their humble abode... I am pretty handy. I have a TON of scrap wood. I thought of taking out the floor, To expand walking room and then building walls around it and reattaching floor Raising the roof and adding a sleeping bar. I have to do something... soon. Ughhhh

If you're handy, and especially if you live in a warm climate, then definitely check out that coop of mine (I will say that future coops I have will probably be walk-in though).