Legacy Farms
Songster
So to get my darling husband in gear with the coop building, I decided to turn one of the 4 sided horse shelters into a coop. It is 16'x24', 9' tall fully enclosed, built with wood. It has a gap at the top of the walls, all the way around, I plan on putting in chicken wire or heavier duty rabbit wire all the way around the opening. It is not insulated because horses tend believe they are part beaver & don't need to be eating insulation. We have already installed center poles to mount the roosting poles.
Here is my first question:
I have been reading that coops need windows on all 4 sides for ventilation. I'm okay with it since this will be the permanent coop. My husband is dead set on no windows all the way around. Says it is a waste of materials and effort.
Windows, yay or nay? Pros/cons?
Next question, is about the run. I read several articles about making the coop their home for a few weeks before introducing them to a run. That seems counterproductive to me. Don't they need sunlight, fresh air? The run will be more like a yard. It will be the size of the old turn out, which was 24x70'.
Keep them in? Yay or nay? Pros/cons?
Third question, nesting boxes now or wait until they begin laying so they don't learn to sleep in the boxes?
Fourth and final question for this post: Do we need to build a wooden floor in the coop or is the hard packed dirt with shavings okay? Easier cleaning with shavings to stay dirt. At least in my mind cleaning barns my entire life.
Bear with me this whole starting with chicks and no adult flock is entirely new to me. Seems everything has changed from the way we raised our chickens & ducks. Thanks! Appreciate any input.
Here is my first question:
I have been reading that coops need windows on all 4 sides for ventilation. I'm okay with it since this will be the permanent coop. My husband is dead set on no windows all the way around. Says it is a waste of materials and effort.
Windows, yay or nay? Pros/cons?
Next question, is about the run. I read several articles about making the coop their home for a few weeks before introducing them to a run. That seems counterproductive to me. Don't they need sunlight, fresh air? The run will be more like a yard. It will be the size of the old turn out, which was 24x70'.
Keep them in? Yay or nay? Pros/cons?
Third question, nesting boxes now or wait until they begin laying so they don't learn to sleep in the boxes?
Fourth and final question for this post: Do we need to build a wooden floor in the coop or is the hard packed dirt with shavings okay? Easier cleaning with shavings to stay dirt. At least in my mind cleaning barns my entire life.
Bear with me this whole starting with chicks and no adult flock is entirely new to me. Seems everything has changed from the way we raised our chickens & ducks. Thanks! Appreciate any input.
