Coop and Feathers coop questions

[Camarra]

Hi - I'm brand new at this!! Looking for some advice.

https://www.wayfair.com/pet/pdp/inn...y-chicken-coop-with-chicken-run-inpe1050.html

I just bought this brand new from someone who was reselling it so I got it very inexpensively from them. I have 4 pullets that are about 18 weeks old now, and have had them for a full week.

I have it parked on my front yard about 15 feet from my house to dissuade predators, but eventually am going to move it and try to make it a more permanent part of my landscape. Hawks are the prevalent problem for me.

My first question is that they have not been up inside the nesting area yet. It's dark in there and I think it's probably not very appealing to go inside. The coop is too small (or I'm too big!!) to really get in there and teach them how to get up and down the ramp. I've replaced the ramp that is in there with an antique ladder that they seem to like perching on but they mostly hang out on the bottom rungs during the night time. I have shavings in there on top of my grass.

I know that pretty soon they'll be laying, so I wondered if I could just forget about the nesting area and build a couple of milk crate nesting boxes that I would rest off the ground below the boxed in part of the structure. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[aart]

Is there any ventilation in the coop part?
You're going to need to add some.
I'd cut a big hole right there for starters.

Might tight quarters for 4 birds.
Can you take a pic of the inside of coop, please?
Measurements of inside floor of coop would help too,
can't quite tell what they are from link.

Oh, and...Welcome to BYC! @Camarra
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[rosemarythyme]

For now they should be ok with the amount of space, but yes it will probably be too tight once they grow up.

For a run space you could do something as simple as place this entire coop unit inside a 10x10 covered dog run, then reinforce the chain link with hardware cloth.

 

[Camarra]

Thanks! I updated my profile and my coop is part of my avatar.

The inside footprint of the grass part of the coop is 6' x 4 1/2'. There is a second level and a roosting bar outside the enclosed part.

The interior floor space of the enclosed part is about 48" long by 23" wide. the domed part is all open for them, and the nesting boxes are off to the side.

I didn't even think about it but cutting a hole for ventilation would work perfectly there.

I'm thinking about getting a metal dog kennel for a larger run. I don't want to free range them due to the hawks in the area. but I would like something mobile that I can drag around my yard.

Here are some pictures! Thanks for the help!

 

[Alaskan]

Looks cool... but also...CRAZY!

On that website... they say that coop has space for 12 chickens!

That is actually a good space.....for 2.

Yes, that coop is good for 2 chickens, or a broody.

I highly agree with aart as to vent placement. That is an excellent place to put a vent. Is there really no vent at all on the coop?

The chicks might not want to go into the coop...because they like to breathe?

And I am SO SORRY that so much chicken info out there is so terribly wrong.

 

[jreardon1918]

I too think putting the whole thing inside a larger run (dog Kennel) will help secure and give them room. Putting back a solid ramp will help. To have the ramp take up less room, you could rest it on a log stump or something. Inside, can you raise the roosting bars a bit to get them a bit higher than the next box.

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

Are they outside in that coop permanently? If so what do you do at night with them?

 

[Camarra]

They stay outside cuddled together perched on the ladder usually. I WANT them to go inside the coop but although I've spent hours trying to entice them in, they don't show any interest in it.

 

[Camarra]

Thanks for your reply! Nope no venting at all in there...

I think I read somewhere in here to cut in half the suggested number of chickens a retail coop can hold?? I agree even 6 in there would be way too many!

So far I'm really lucky in that these 4 seem to get along well but I do need something larger and more permanent and soon.

I don't think they want to go in there because they don't even know it's there!! I have a little feeder just at the opening so if they do find it they'll get a reward but so far none of them have even looked in there although they've climbed almost to the top of the ladder.

Once I have some time I'll create a vent which will also bring in some more light, too.

 

[Alaskan]

The general rule is 4 square feet of coop space per chicken.

So if the coop is about 4 feet x 2 feet, that equals 2 chickens.

Even in a "perfect" coop, chicks can be very scared of new things, and I find I usually have to physically pick them up and put them into the coop then lock the door behind them. Sometimes only once, sometimes for a full week before they get the hang of things.

With that said though.... I would be scared to lock them into a fully enclosed box. No light or air.... I would think the chicks would be dead by morning.