Coop Advice Wanted

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Please ignore junk, and yes, the roof is burgundy. That's another story.

Hi, everyone. I have a coop on the works. Any ideas on how to increase the curb appeal to a chicken owner?

It is 4x7 free-range house on skids. It has a vermaculite floor (which is almost like really durable, waterproof plastic) and two nest trays, each able to accommodate 3 large fowl. These trays are accessible from outside. It has a window with hardware cloth. The human door that can both lock, and be opened from inside. I have not put the roosts in yet. I have caulked the floor and nests.

I would like advice on if and where to put the pop-hole. Also, any advice on roosts, and how to decorate. I have not painted it yet.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Being that the nest boxes are so high and the roosts need to be higher than the boxes to keep them from sleeping in them, and the position of the door, the roost will have to go from the bottom edge of the window across. Hopefully that is at least 18" from the wall. You could have a lower one as well, about 18" lower and 18" closer to the door, so they don't have to fly up and down so far and to theoretically allow more birds (though most likely they will all fight over the higher one thus some will sleep and poop in the nest boxes) and I would make at least that one removable so it's not in the way when cleaning.

To keep them from walking through the poop under the roosts on their way in and out, I would put the pop door on the narrow end by the door (ie the opposite end from the roost). I would also put a removable lip at the door so bedding doesn't come out when you open it, and make sure the pop door is high enough for the same reason.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Being that the nest boxes are so high and the roosts need to be higher than the boxes to keep them from sleeping in them, and the position of the door, the roost will have to go from the bottom edge of the window across. Hopefully that is at least 18" from the wall. You could have a lower one as well, about 18" lower and 18" closer to the door, so they don't have to fly up and down so far and to theoretically allow more birds (though most likely they will all fight over the higher one thus some will sleep and poop in the nest boxes) and I would make at least that one removable so it's not in the way when cleaning.

To keep them from walking through the poop under the roosts on their way in and out, I would put the pop door on the narrow end by the door (ie the opposite end from the roost). I would also put a removable lip at the door so bedding doesn't come out when you open it, and make sure the pop door is high enough for the same reason.

Oh, wow. Thanks! I never thought to put a lip by the door. I had one, originally, but it would have been in the way of cleaning. How would I make that look good? I mean, I can slap a 2x4 in there....
And that does look like a good place to put the roost. I think I can make them all removable without much hassle.
Should I put one under the nest trays, though? It's pretty high up, and the far one isn't going to be reachable by the roost.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Do a little roost at the nestboxes that they can land on to enter the boxes. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/outside-nesting-box.597268/

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

It needs more ventilation, a lot more.

Gary

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Ah yeah that is something else I meant to mention but got sidetracked. I do see there is ventilation at the roof but you need some more at the sides.

See up near the peak? Add vents there.

I also like to have some low vents but people have mixed opinions on that.

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

It needs more ventilation, a lot more.

Gary

I plan on poking three holes in both roof pitches. There are too many studs to put in another normal window. I could put a large vent instead of holes, but it would be more work trimming it. You can see we quit half way through framing the door. There was a little frustration, as I recall.
I also plan to put in a pop-hole, so that should add some vent.
I checked out your coop, too, Gary. Really nice.
I kind of want this to look like a sort of storefront. I'm going to make a vertical sign to put between the door and the window. Anyone have a suggestion for siding paint color?

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I plan on poking three holes both roof pitches. There are too many studs to put in another normal window. I could put a large vent nstead of holes, though. But it would be more work trimming it. You can see we quit half way through framing the door. There was a little frustration, as I recall.
I checked out your coop, too, Gary. Really nice.
I kind of want this to look like a sort of storefront. I'm going to make a vertical sign to put between the door and the window. Anyone have a suggestion for siding paint color?

I would go as big as you can on the vents. It will be worth it

Gary

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

I would go as big as you can on the vents. It will be worth it

Gary

Gary, what do you think about low vents?

 

[Fanci Feathers Marans]

Ah yeah that is something else I meant to mention but got sidetracked. I do see there is ventilation at the roof but you need some more at the sides.

See up near the peak? Add vents there.

I also like to have some low vents but people have mixed opinions on that.

Yeah, we don't have all the roofing on there yet. I will try to squeeze a vent in, though