Coop design questions

[3chickinns]

I'm designing my own coop and building as I go.

1. I have poured a concrete floor for the run. After reading numerous threads in here I'm still confused if I'm supposed to cover the concrete with something that's changed out frequently. We will have 5-6 hens. Do I cover concrete floor with pine shavings and DE? How often does that get changed?

2. For the coop I have nesting boxes. My understanding is the perch needs to be above the highest nesting box. How do the chickens get up to the perch (maybe a dumb question). Do I need to build a ramp to the perch too? Can those be steep? How much height needs to be above the perch bar for a standard chicken to fit? I want to make sure the slope of the roof doesn't impact their ability to sleep. Each bird needs 10"? Perch bars need to be 10" apart?

3. What are you using for removeable poop trays? The coop itself should have pine shavings right? Do the poop trays go on top of the pine shavings?

Thank you so much!

 

[RojoMarz]

I would put something (bark, shavings, etc) over the concrete, but no DE. Unsure about how often to change out...I have dirt floor.

My perch is about 3' high, which is also higher than the nest boxes. They have a ramp that starts it's run from a tree stump. I have heavier birds. They don't fly, so floats are not that high.

I don't have removable poop trays. I have poop boards that have PDZ on them. I scoop it daily.

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

The height of your roosts really depends on what breeds you have. Heavier breeds will need them closer to the floor, whereas light ones generally like to fly up to a higher roost. I have both so I have a stair roost, with the first rung 1 foot off the ground and the last at 5 feet. You should put your poop trays or boards under your chickens' roost. That is where the most poop will be falling. Generally it's elevated off the ground, so it doesn't contact the shavings. The purpose is to keep the shavings/bedding cleaner so that you don't have to switch them out as often.

 

[rosemarythyme]

1. Yes you want to add bedding of some sort to help catch poop and to provide cushioning as a hard floor is hard on their legs and feet, particularly when they fly down off the roosts. What material(s) you use is up to you and your climate and needs, etc. DE is very controversial here btw, so you'll get a variety of opinions on whether or not to use it.

2. What breeds of chickens are you getting? Most breeds of birds can fly up to their roosts without issue.

Your numbers are a bit off. Ideally a standard bird should have around 12" of roost per bird, and roosts should be a minimum of 12" from wall and min. 14-16" apart from another roost. Height above that should be... as much as possible, because ideally you want ventilation well above their heads to allow ammonia and moisture to escape while minimizing drafts. Minimum 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird open 24/7.

 

[Carson213]

you don’t need concrete in the run...

 

[Carson213]

1. Yes you want to add bedding of some sort to help catch poop and to provide cushioning as a hard floor is hard on their legs and feet, particularly when they fly down off the roosts. What material(s) you use is up to you and your climate and needs, etc. DE is very controversial here btw, so you'll get a variety of opinions on whether or not to use it.

2. What breeds of chickens are you getting? Most breeds of birds can fly up to their roosts without issue.

Your numbers are a bit off. Ideally a standard bird should have around 12" of roost per bird, and roosts should be a minimum of 12" from wall and min. 14-16" apart from another roost. Height above that should be... as much as possible, because ideally you want ventilation well above their heads to allow ammonia and moisture to escape while minimizing drafts. Minimum 1 sq ft of ventilation per bird open 24/7.

all of these questions are my same complaints...they’re all anecdotal.

 

[Carson213]

all of these questions are my same complaints...they’re all anecdotal.

if you live in a temperate climate bedding isn’t necessary...roosts can be whatever...and higher the better...

 

[3KillerBs]

if you live in a temperate climate bedding isn’t necessary...roosts can be whatever...and higher the better...

Bedding is only unnecessary if you're willing to,

A. Clean your coop floor at least once a day, possibly more often,

B. Allow poop to build up so that your chickens are walking around in and breathing pulverized poop.

 

[Sally PB]

Use bedding. Jump up and down on a concrete surface in your bare feet for 15 minutes. Stand on concrete in your bare feet for 4 hours. Sit on concrete for 4 hours. Read about treating bumblefoot.

The really great thing about your concrete floor is there won't be any critters coming in from below.

Pine shavings, hemp, wood chips, shredded bark (NOT dyed mulch) all will work. When you decide it's time to clean it all out, it'll be great mulch/compost for your garden or flower bed.

When my chicks were still in the brooder, I was surprised at the "thump" they made when jumping of the perch that was a foot off the floor. That was at 4-5 weeks. That proved to me that they needed a soft place to land.

 

[aart]

I'm designing my own coop and building as I go.

1. I have poured a concrete floor for the run. After reading numerous threads in here I'm still confused if I'm supposed to cover the concrete with something that's changed out frequently. We will have 5-6 hens. Do I cover concrete floor with pine shavings and DE? How often does that get changed?

2. For the coop I have nesting boxes. My understanding is the perch needs to be above the highest nesting box. How do the chickens get up to the perch (maybe a dumb question). Do I need to build a ramp to the perch too? Can those be steep? How much height needs to be above the perch bar for a standard chicken to fit? I want to make sure the slope of the roof doesn't impact their ability to sleep. Each bird needs 10"? Perch bars need to be 10" apart?

3. What are you using for removeable poop trays? The coop itself should have pine shavings right? Do the poop trays go on top of the pine shavings?

Thank you so much!

Got a drawing or sketch of what you're building?
There are lots of different ways to arrange things,
some work well for some but not for others.
Here's some tips about heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

What kind of bedding you use may depend on how you manage the manure.
This is about cleaning, but covers my big picture
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.
-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.
-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.
- My runs have semi-deep litter(cold composting), never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials on occasion, add larger wood chippings as needed.
Aged ramial wood chippings are best IMO.
-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).
There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.
That's how I keep it 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 7 years.


Oh, and......Welcome to BYC! @3chickinns
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