Coop Advise..

[thereverend]

I am starting to build a coop for my 7 ladies. Its about 4 x 10 and the mats cost me $300 already just for the wood.
I need to know will my ladies poop outside more than inside and how often would you clean the coop? would you put
down hay for the bedding? or just leave the floor uncovered? how do you clean the poop off the floor ect.. 1st timer
so please all the help would be great! thanks..

Also putting a CAMERA in the coop so i can see my ladies at night or during the day if i so wish.. I will have that online for everyone
to watch when all is done. If you want to watch a live coop.. If anyone else has one let me know..

 

[chicks4kids]

I have learned over time NOT to use hay...it gets "webbed" together and is so hard to clean because it becomes so intertwined. I use wood shavings now and cleaning it is much easier. I can just use a wide shovel...so much easier. The majority of the poo is where they roost, and where they eat...so cleaning it just depends on your own preference.

Welcome!

 

[Moabite]

Wait! Don't start building until you spend some more time on this sight. If you don't build it right the first time, you'll end up spending lots more money and time. That said, I understand that as a rule of thumb, each chicken needs about 4 square feet of space in the coop, and 10 to 12 square feet in the run. Chickens mainly poop under their roosts and a lot of folks put a "poop board" under it and clean it off with a putty knife weekly or more. Check out the "Deep Litter Method" and also do a search on using river sand in the run. Don't waste your money on "chicken wire" as it wont protect your chickens, use hardware cloth instead. I also recommend using Google Sketchup. It is a FREE 3D modeling program that is easy to use. Just a few ideas and welcome to BYC! You are gonna like it here.