Cleaning the chicken coop questions...

[black_cat]

Yes. Typo is now corrected.

Bad time for my dyslexia to pop out.

No problem!

 

[Ourminizoo2021]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters and we'll give better advice if we know what sort of weather and predator load you're likely to be dealing with.

@black_cat already mentioned my article. I hope you will find it informative.

@aart also has some useful information about cleaning -- using poop boards in a slightly different manure management system. Your workbench might lend itself to being turned into a poop board.

Is this shed the chickens' permanent home or a temporary residence until you build a coop? One nice thing about concrete is that it's safe from digging predators. But one common problem with sheds is that they need a lot of additional ventilation.

If you post photos and dimensions for your chicken facilities we'll help you figure out how best to make it a healthy environment for a happy flock.

Got some pictures ! The window I was thinking what if I remove it and put chicken wire to have some air flow and have a little wooden door to close it when we have heavy rain or during winter months...also should I be concern about them chewing on those wires? They haven't so far...we put a radio in there to help keep predators away and to get them use to sounds haha I'm not sure if that works but I don't think they mind anyway haha.

 

[aart]

Those shelves are perfect for poop boards!
I'd cover that electrical stuff to keep the birds away from it.

Might want to cover the bottoms of the rafters with 1/2" hardware cloth,
will keep preds from coming in thru the soffit openings(great ventilation there) and keep the birds form roosting on the rafters. Or cover the soffit openings from outside with HC and put chicken wire for a 'ceiling' to deter rafter roosting.

 

[black_cat]

Those shelves are perfect for poop boards!

Definitely!!! You could move food and water underneath them to make sure that they stay poop free, as well (although, if you have trouble bending down for any reason, it's probably easier to leave them where they are)

I'd cover that electrical stuff to keep the birds away from it.

Might want to cover the bottoms of the rafters with 1/2" hardware cloth,
will keep preds from coming in thru the soffit openings(great ventilation there) and keep the birds form roosting on the rafters. Or cover the soffit openings from outside with HC and put chicken wire for a 'ceiling' to deter rafter roosting.

Agree here as well!


Where are your nesting boxes, currently?

 

[Ourminizoo2021]

Definitely!!! You could move food and water underneath them to make sure that they stay poop free, as well (although, if you have trouble bending down for any reason, it's probably easier to leave them where they are)

Agree here as well!


Where are your nesting boxes, currently?

They are on the shelf on the side same side of the window!

 

[Ourminizoo2021]

Those shelves are perfect for poop boards!
I'd cover that electrical stuff to keep the birds away from it.

Might want to cover the bottoms of the rafters with 1/2" hardware cloth,
will keep preds from coming in thru the soffit openings(great ventilation there) and keep the birds form roosting on the rafters. Or cover the soffit openings from outside with HC and put chicken wire for a 'ceiling' to deter rafter roosting.

Really great ideas never even thought of !

 

[black_cat]

They are on the shelf on the side same side of the window!

A permanent design could look like this- the boxes would have a slanted top to prevent roosting, and the roosts would be several inches higher than the floor of the boxes, to discourage the birds from sleeping in the boxes.

 

[Ourminizoo2021]

View attachment 2709342
A permanent design could look like this- the boxes would have a slanted top to prevent roosting, and the roosts would be several inches higher than the floor of the boxes, to discourage the birds from sleeping in the boxes.

I'll definitely have to do this! Thanks!

 

[3KillerBs]

Looks like a great space to work with. The open soffits are wonderful, though I agree that hardware cloth is needed against predators.

Do you have a ridge vent? If not, I suggest opening up the gable peak. Heat and ammonia both rise and so either soffit and ridge or soffit and gable peak ventilation creates the idea draft-free but airy environment.

Then you could add top-hinged windows anywhere you think they're convenient to bring in light and additional air. But use hardware cloth to cover all openings because predators can rip right through chicken wire.

It would be hard to ask for a better building to convert.

And yes, I would also cover those wires. I don't know that they'd peck at them, but I could see my Popcorn, who likes squeezing through tight spaces, getting caught in them.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Got some pictures ! The window I was thinking what if I remove it and put chicken wire to have some air flow and have a little wooden door to close it when we have heavy rain or during winter months...also should I be concern about them chewing on those wires? They haven't so far...we put a radio in there to help keep predators away and to get them use to sounds haha I'm not sure if that works but I don't think they mind anyway haha.
View attachment 2709235
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View attachment 2709228View attachment 2709227View attachment 2709229
View attachment 2709241

Just add some 1x2 to the edges of your shelves with a roast in the middle and wallah, poop boards