Even with my big monstrous Orps, 18" is fine clearance for going underneath, but you may want to think about the times when YOU have to go under and get someone, etc...and I guarantee it will happen! I have found that 18" is enough that my face isn't in the poo litter while worming under to get someone, for whatever reason...
your size may play into this more than you expected!
For feed and water, I find that the area under the nest box is generally best. If you give just enough clearance for the feeder and waterer, and have them hung or up on blocks to make them just at shoulder-height for the birds, you'll have less waste, less poop in the bowls, and they'll simultaneously be protected from poop from above by the nest itself. And, btw...I have 20 hens in each of my biggest coops and still only use one nest box, because that's all they choose unless there's a broody.
Pests will still get into a hanging feeder, it's just that we hope they eat the pests...I keep the feed and water outside except in the chill of winter, and I try to put the feed up at night in a metal trash can. It dump out the water and all the waterers come in at night...great habit for winter, as then they're ready to refill and take out rather than frozen solid.
Your plans sound great, but will you have them outside in a run over the course of the day, or does the 6x4' include daytime space? If no run, I'd only go bantam with that space. If it's just for bedtime and inclement weather, you're good.
I'm considering making elevated (6-8") platforms that are enclosed boxes (like pavilions, really) for feed and water, that I would lift the hinged 4th side of at night to close to vermin. The 4th side would be a ramp to get to it during the day, with the ceiling low enough that it would prevent poopage, and it would be up above the normal scratching ground so it would stay clean in general. Because it's covered, it would be protected from the weather, as well as shaded from the hot sun come summer.
Part of the reason this is so attractive to me is that the feed gets flipped over, kicked out, beaked out, stirred up, etc...and because we have the climate we do, the feed that is all mixed into the run 9 months out of the year gets wet as can be during the spring rains, which then starts the fermentation process and it stinks like a pig yard in Florida until something is done! Sour mash in Appalachia never stunk like this nonsense...and we're nearly to that season, so I'm just thinking of solutions.
I might even make it a double decker, with a sand/ash/DE/Sevin/woodchip bath below. That would also be protected from the weather.
You know, now that I really reflect on it, it would be a mad stroke against the abusive fly population, as well, to make a feeding/bathing station like this, because one
could make it with one or two fold down walls which become ramps for getting up during the day- this leaves 2 sides protected from flies during the day, and one could put a little cupola atop the roof with
vanilla or a vanilla air freshener for repelling flies. I'm now considering making a unit that is a base bath unit: 3' square by 6" deep bay, 18" ceiling, filled with ashes, Sevin, DE, and fine sawdust or wood shavings. The corner posts will be 2"x2"s with a second floor that is a platform 24" tall with 2 fixed walls, a pitched roof, and 2 hinged walls that drop down to become ramps (sadly blocking 2 sides of the bathing-bay, so I'll need to be certain the east and south sides are the fixed ones for sunbathing/bathing pleasure) to get up to the cafeteria/bar. I'll need to consider making the fixed walls or perhaps the pitched roof out of plexiglass, because it could be quite dark...
Yeah, hi.
I'm Renee, and I spend
WAAAAAAAY too much time thinking about things that will make my
chickengineering experience optimal. Please just walk away from me if I frighten you. It's unintentional and I really won't hurt anyone...I might make you kiss a chicken, but it's a
good thing!! Promise!.......wait, don't run away... where are you going???
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