Couple of questions from a newbie

[Sisters Farms]

i converted a home built wood shed into a coop. On the back wall behind the purch I put in is a shelf and my hens & rooster love laying on it. Should I add some hay to the shelf and since they lay there so much should I clean the poop everyday? I'm also planning to knock out one of the two windows and cover it with chickenwirefor extra ventilation. I live in Cordova alabama so our winters are not too bad cold, so should I have a way to put something over the window. I really don't know what is too cold for a chicken. Thanks for ya'll advise

 

[thomasboyle]

If the chickens like the shelf, let em have it! Is the shelf higher than the perch? If so, that's why they like it, chickens generally want to be on the highest perch possible. I have a shelf underneath my perch, and every day I scrape the poop from the shelf and put it into a plastic bucket. When the bucket is full, I spread it on my garden. Free fertilizer!

If your windows don't open, then removing one so it allows ventilation is probably a good idea. I would recommend you not cover it with chicken wire though. Chicken wire is not predator proof, and raccoons, dogs and other critters can rip through it. I would recommend 1/2" hardware wire instead. It is stronger and the smaller openings don't give as much opportunity for a predator to destroy it.

Living in Alabama, you probably don't have to worry about the cold. Chickens are completely fine in temps well below freezing. The only reason to close the window would be to keep rain out or if the window blows on the chickens as they sleep. A working window would be the best, so you can open it all the way when you want, and close it when you need to.

 

[Sisters Farms]

Actually the shelf is below the purch which now makes me think that my purch is too high. Hmmm oh well I'll just let them be then. Thank u so much for the great info you gave me. I really appreciate it

 

[missbecky]

I put cupboard door hinges on my windows, and an eyelet with a latch on the inside so I can open and close them. There is chicken wire inside the window. I only open them when I'm home, and my yard is fenced, so I think they're safe. Hardware cloth is always better though.

 

[thomasboyle]

How high is the perch? I have mine 30" off the floor, and the chickens have no problem flying up there.

 

[aart]

You want your roost(perch) higher than the nests where they lay...or they will roost in the nests and fill them with night poops.

 

[Sisters Farms]

Thanks y'all. Didn't know about them perching in the nest. Out of my two beating boxes only one is above the perch. I will bring it down