Confused on interior of coop

[archerobx]

I used the search and either I am doing it wrong or read right over what I am looking for.

So far I figured a 8ft x 4ft x 4ft coop for 25 chickens. Was going to buy the egg/meat combo from mcmurray. Get 10 egg layers.

Was thinking 5 nests? Do the meat chickens need nests? And is 15L x 18W x 8D the correct dimentions? Do I place them on the Floor or should they be a certain hight off the floor?

Roasts. Completely lost on them. Found somewhere they are supposed to be about the nests and other places said below the nest.

Sorry for the newbie questions. I am driving my wife crazy with chicken talk. As soon as I get this done I am going to place more order.

Again. thank you

 

[KellyHM]

8x4 is really small for 25 chickens and even on the small side for the 10 layers. You might want to rethink it...

 

[archerobx]

my bad. math error, lol. 4x8x4= 128sqft divide by 4sqft per chicken and you get 32 chickens, all well and good. Was wondering why mine was smaller then the other coops I saw for the same number of birds.

thanks

 

[Zahboo]

The coop size is only big enough for 8 hens. For 25 you need a 10x10 at least! Also, I'm not sure, but I think meat birds are killed about 3 months, and they don't lay until 5-6.

 

[KellyHM]

Quote:
LOL, yeah, you can't count the height.

 

[sewincircle]

I am getting the impression this is for meat birds not for egg layers right? Meat birds do not use perches from what I understand. I was told it made them muscular. Tough ya know? Well dimensions I am not sure how much room meat birds need. 8x4 is not big enough for 25 chickens. You do not count the vertical length. I sure hope this helps some. If you are raising egg layers they need roosts and should be placed up high so they dont sleep in nesting boxes. Good luck!!!

 

[archerobx]

Thanks for the help. Going to go with a meat coop and egg coop.

10 egg going to go 8x8.

15 meat. they are cornish X Rocks and Cornish Roasters. Also figure 8x8.

How should the interiors be set up?

Thanks

 

[fasbendera]

We read this book and you can either buy or check it out at the library like I did. "Living With Chickens" by Jay Rossier. I made my own nest box from the design in the book from scrap lumber cheaper than any I have seen for sale and I made it. Actually I only made a 4 hole and last year I added another level so now it is a 8 hole nest box.

My husband built me a 8x16 coop four years ago and we have 21 hens year around. Each spring I get in 100-150 meat chicks. Since it is warm out when I get the chicks the hens are outside as soon as I open the door in the morning and don't bother the little ones who are penned up inside. I feed & water outside as soon as weather premits. I have a fenced in chciken yard and the gate is only closed at night or when we are gone. I close up the coop everynight no sense tempting the wildlife with a midnight snack.

I have two doors (I would have them swing out if I could do it over) one inside the chicken yard with steps down and one accessable outside the chicken yard with a ramp for the wheelbarrow to get close for cleaning and easier to haul in feed if I'm not going up steps. I have a chicken hatch with a ramp out the back into the chicken yard easier for the heavies and if it is stormy out I leave the big door closed and when I have chicks under lights inside.

I know maybe more info than youwant but it is addicting. I love our chickens, the eggs, the meat and the entertainment. Yeah we have the camp chairs out by the fence in the spring and all through summer and fall, and we have to move them when we mow. They have been in the sun so much I have to replace two they are ripping.

I ended up using 2x2 lumber for my roosts and just put a ledge board on each end of the coop the 8' length and screwed the 2x2 to that at the proper spacing. I sanded them to round off the edges a little bit and they are perfect. I did cheat a little closer than the book said and I haven't had any problems. I have been using screws and I am glac because I have moved my nest box once and changed the roost three times.

Feel free to email me but the book is the best.