Coop ventilation, drafts and roost height question

[Devorah]

Thank you so much for all your help! I just put the chickies to bed for their first night in the coop.

I ended up going with a free standing roost that I can just pull out of the coop for cleaning.
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It’s got about 7.5 feet of roost space and is exactly 23 inches high. That places the roosts above the nest boxes and 18 inches below the ventilation. (The nest boxes are covered now since the chickies won’t be laying for a bit yet.)

I added ventilation on the north side, which opens onto the covered run and is therefore protected from rain, and some on the east side. I’d planned to add a lot of ventilation on the east side, but my husband pointed out it wasn’t sufficiently protected from the rain. So, the east side has a combo window/ventilation opening where the bottom 12 inches are covered by plexiglass and the top by hardware cloth.

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The chickens seemed into it!

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What a great coop!

 

[NorthwoodsChick]

Agree with others to lower the roosts. I have bielefelders, too. They tend to like lower roosts and being close to each other (mine do at least). I have 1 linear ft of roost per bird which is plenty, and height is 42 in from true floor; 36 in up with deep bedding, poop boards 8 in below roosts and a plank for them to access all the above.

 

[Kidwantschickens]

Thank you so much for all your help! I just put the chickies to bed for their first night in the coop.

I ended up going with a free standing roost that I can just pull out of the coop for cleaning.
View attachment 3082432

It’s got about 7.5 feet of roost space and is exactly 23 inches high. That places the roosts above the nest boxes and 18 inches below the ventilation. (The nest boxes are covered now since the chickies won’t be laying for a bit yet.)

I added ventilation on the north side, which opens onto the covered run and is therefore protected from rain, and some on the east side. I’d planned to add a lot of ventilation on the east side, but my husband pointed out it wasn’t sufficiently protected from the rain. So, the east side has a combo window/ventilation opening where the bottom 12 inches are covered by plexiglass and the top by hardware cloth.

View attachment 3082435

View attachment 3082436

The chickens seemed into it!

View attachment 3082447

This is an awesome roost and has inspired me!! Thanks!

 

[Rise722]

I just watched an article that said roosts should be at the same height to stop the pecking order....no one is higher than anyone else. And that an ideal height is about 30" - no more, so chickens don't hurt themselves trying to get down.

 

[Hei-hei]

Thank you so much for all your help! I just put the chickies to bed for their first night in the coop.

I ended up going with a free standing roost that I can just pull out of the coop for cleaning.
View attachment 3082432

It’s got about 7.5 feet of roost space and is exactly 23 inches high. That places the roosts above the nest boxes and 18 inches below the ventilation. (The nest boxes are covered now since the chickies won’t be laying for a bit yet.)

I added ventilation on the north side, which opens onto the covered run and is therefore protected from rain, and some on the east side. I’d planned to add a lot of ventilation on the east side, but my husband pointed out it wasn’t sufficiently protected from the rain. So, the east side has a combo window/ventilation opening where the bottom 12 inches are covered by plexiglass and the top by hardware cloth.

View attachment 3082435

View attachment 3082436

The chickens seemed into it!

View attachment 3082447

I really like this roost! Might work better for my coop! Gonna go measure it this afternoon.