Coop needs some TLC - recommendations needed

[CORedRocks]

Hello everyone,

Back in 2020, amidst soaring lumber prices and shortages, we constructed our coop. As a result, the exterior parts of our coop are showing signs of wear and tear. While we've been working on repairs over the past few months, there are still a few issues that need attention:

1. Redoing the nest box (hens seem reluctant to lay there, probably due to too much light)
2. Replacing the sides below the windows, as they are delaminating
3. Finding a solution to prevent poop from dropping out when opening the coop doors by the nest box
4. Replacing the solid roof over the run
5. Add more roosting options in the coop

The most pressing concern that I would appreciate suggestions on is the problem of poop and bedding dropping out whenever we open the doors on either side of the nest box. My dog seems to enjoy cleaning up this mess, but I'm not particularly fond of it. We've attempted to address this issue by adding a small piece of wood, but it hasn't proven very effective. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

What sort of budget and what are your chicken goals (getting more?) You could do many things that take advantage of what you've already done from using panels of treated wood siding to cover the whole exterior, to adding a shed where the existing coop become interior to the shed, can be used as a brooder. For improving what you have without adding square footage I'd add siding and I'd attach a 2x4 for roosting from side to side, gaining roost space. I'd use sand in poop board and scoop daily, so no poo would fall out. If sun is in girls faces when in nest boxes, you could add curtains or move boxes to opposite side. I'd add one big sheet metal roof over coop and run.

 

[CORedRocks]

What sort of budget and what are your chicken goals (getting more?) You could do many things that take advantage of what you've already done from using panels of treated wood siding to cover the whole exterior, to adding a shed where the existing coop become interior to the shed, can be used as a brooder. For improving what you have without adding square footage I'd add siding and I'd attach a 2x4 for roosting from side to side, gaining roost space. I'd use sand in poop board and scoop daily, so no poo would fall out. If sun is in girls faces when in nest boxes, you could add curtains or move boxes to opposite side. I'd add one big sheet metal roof over coop and run.

Thanks @SandyRiverChick! I bought two sheets of plywood to redo the exterior so that's on the list. I like the idea of adding a roosting from side to side with a poop board.

Any suggestions on preventing poop from falling out? Or do you think by using the poop board we might reduce that issue?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Thanks @SandyRiverChick! I bought two sheets of plywood to redo the exterior so that's on the list. I like the idea of adding a roosting from side to side with a poop board.

Any suggestions on preventing poop from falling out? Or do you think by using the poop board we might reduce that issue?

Good call on re-doing siding. If you have a lip on the poo board to hold sand in, and if you scoop it daily into a bucket, you will have no poo falling out issues (picture of my poo tray with sand, roost bar the full length of that room.) By the way... your post brought back memories of getting "cat called," in home depot when costs were off the charts. I tried to move the timeline out on a mini house build we had to do but I couldn't. As we pushed a cart of plywood up to the register, dudes were saying "whoaaaaa!" lol. You can bet ALL of the scraps went on my coop! Yikes. Glad you were able to get your coop built and now you can improve!! It's what I do pretty much constantly!