Hey everyone im very new here and im looking for some advice on my
coop before i go much further. this will be a home for 5 standard
chickens. I am building a mobile triangle coop off of this design -
http://www.ranch-coop.com/large-chicken-coop-B.html . My base is 4 ft
by 8 ft by 4ft tall. i plan to leave the sides completely open filled
with 1/2 in hardware cloth and line the bottom with one or 2 layers of
chicken wire to stop any digging. In the colder months I will block
off most of the sides with clear plastic roof panels to reduce drafts
while letting light in leaving a foot of the top open for ventilation.
The plan is to give them 2 nest boxes (not sure where to put them
since i read they needed "raised off the ground a few inches but lower
then the lowest roost") and several roosts (large tree limbs from my
yard) leaving the bottom open to the grass/ chicken wire. I will be
letting the chickens range when i am home and they and their coop will
be inside a chain link fence.
I live in northeastern ohio and it gets pretty cold here so i would
like to know if you think this design will allow the chickens enought
space when they dont want to venture into the yard and if i am
providing adiquate amenities for them? Do they need a floor or shelves
to rest on or will they be alright with roosting polls? if the bottom
is "open" will they need bedding? oh and i know they will need a dust
box to bathe in. Sorry for the crazy post just want to be sure my
chicks are happy from day one. Here's where I'm at I get my day old chicks in 2 weeks so excited!
coop before i go much further. this will be a home for 5 standard
chickens. I am building a mobile triangle coop off of this design -
http://www.ranch-coop.com/large-chicken-coop-B.html . My base is 4 ft
by 8 ft by 4ft tall. i plan to leave the sides completely open filled
with 1/2 in hardware cloth and line the bottom with one or 2 layers of
chicken wire to stop any digging. In the colder months I will block
off most of the sides with clear plastic roof panels to reduce drafts
while letting light in leaving a foot of the top open for ventilation.
The plan is to give them 2 nest boxes (not sure where to put them
since i read they needed "raised off the ground a few inches but lower
then the lowest roost") and several roosts (large tree limbs from my
yard) leaving the bottom open to the grass/ chicken wire. I will be
letting the chickens range when i am home and they and their coop will
be inside a chain link fence.
I live in northeastern ohio and it gets pretty cold here so i would
like to know if you think this design will allow the chickens enought
space when they dont want to venture into the yard and if i am
providing adiquate amenities for them? Do they need a floor or shelves
to rest on or will they be alright with roosting polls? if the bottom
is "open" will they need bedding? oh and i know they will need a dust
box to bathe in. Sorry for the crazy post just want to be sure my
chicks are happy from day one. Here's where I'm at I get my day old chicks in 2 weeks so excited!