Coop design nest box hight?

[swampy395]

Hello every body I.m new here

i'v spent some time reading this forum and it's grate

there's so much info thanks guy's n gals for all your posts

we intend to get 6 blackrock girls for laying, never had chicken's before, I'v spent some time designing a coop & run "combo" see my picture,

Q1, do my nesting boxes need to be higher from the coop floor ?? or will this be OK?

Q2, the coop will be in a 48 m3 run/compound for free range do i need a top if the fence is 2m high?

Your comments on my coop will be welcome i'd like to get it right for the girls

"don't want to get hen pecked"

Thanks in advance
best regards
ian

 

[midget_farms]

Great coop design! Welcome & glad to add you to the community.

Your nesting boxes are fine - you don't want them too high - really just high enough to have a deep amound of shavings on the floor. You may have too many in the design though. If you only have 5 or 6 hens you will only need 2 boxes. If you plan to increase to 10 hens you should have 4 boxes. They will pick the one they like the best & use that one & the others will be unused.

The chickens can't jump a 2M fence. At least not unless being chased by a fox! You don't need a top on the run as long as you don't have hawk's or other raptors who will swoop in & get one. I have lost a bird to a hawk. Just the cost of living in a cool place I guess.

Also - you will need to close the coop nightly or other pred's will get in & wipe you out. If you don't plan to close up the coop you need to secure the run with a well built top. If it were me (as I've done this myself) I would just have a secure door for the coop & close it nightly.

Good luck with your coop & welcome.

 

[surfchicken72]

depending on how high those roosts are, you could probably eliminate the ramp.
One more thing you'll have to clean...

And reduce your nest-box count as stated above...

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

How long is a meter?

 

[swampy395]

Quote:
Thanks for your welcome and your comments

i'll leave the extra boxes in, and blank the fronts off and use them for storage, the run roof will be moor tricky as there's 5 or 6 trees in the run area! think i'll use some wire to suspend chicken wire across the top.

thanks best regards
ian

 

[Catstar68]

Quote:
3 feet.

 

[swampy395]

Quote:
Thanks mate

The roosts are 30cm and 47cm high from coop floor to top of roost,

I'v seen some people have mesh and slide out trays under the roosts ! does this mean that the girls poop a lot on the roost?

thanks for your comments

best regards
ian

 

[CoupeDeVille]

Quote:
3 feet.

and a coupla little lines....

hehe