Does anyone else loathe washing eggs

[Cecelia Roselind]

Hard to tell from those photos but I suspect ventilation is a problem. It is probably warm near the top. Also that doesn’t look like nearly enough roost for the amount of hens you have, especially if it’s warm.

Maybe it was a little warm in their I let them out at 4:00am

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Maybe it was a little warm in their I let them out at 4:00am

Even when it’s not warm poor ventilation causes ammonia to build up in the coop which they will try to avoid by sleeping where you don’t intend for them too. I had a whole flock sleeping on top of a poorly ventilated coop. And the roost was right by the window.

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

Oh. You also need to provide about 4 sq ft per bird in the coop, of floor space. I'm not sure how big your coop is, but it looks a bit crowded to me.

Theirs 12 chickens in there it’s 7ft long 3-1/2 feet wide and 5 feet tall we’ve been meaning to build a bigger coop for them when I first started owning chickens it was 2021 and that was the first coop we built and it’s EXTREMELY heavy!!! So we can’t move it but they have a 40ft long width is 15ft height is 17ft run so yeah

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

Even when it’s not warm poor ventilation causes ammonia to build up in the coop which they will try to avoid by sleeping where you don’t intend for them too. I had a whole flock sleeping on top of a poorly ventilated coop. And the roost was right by the window.

Ok I don’t have any windows or vents in this coop (all my other coops do) I will have to make some

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Theirs 12 chickens in there it’s 7ft long 3-1/2 feet wide

7x3= 21 sq ft coop. The size of the run doesn't matter, although it's nice they do have a lot of space during the day. The coop is only big enough for about 5 chckens. That's the main reason they are sleeping in the nests, they are just too crowded to all sleep in there.

and 5 feet tall we’ve been meaning to build a bigger coop for them when I first started owning chickens it was 2021 and that was the first coop we built and it’s EXTREMELY heavy!!! So we can’t move it but they have a 40ft long width is 15ft height is 17ft run so yeah

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Ok I don’t have any windows or vents in this coop (all my other coops do) I will have to make some

Yes! This will help a ton! My current coop is 6’x3’ with 10 birds but two walls of ventilation in addition to wide vents all along the top under the overhangs. They have a roost in the covered run they could sleep on but they don’t-they sleep on their roosts facing the windows. I put a big branch in addition to the roosts it came with. My coop is also too small lol.

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

Yes! This will help a ton! My current coop is 6’x3’ with 10 birds but two walls of ventilation in addition to wide vents all along the top under the overhangs. They have a roost in the covered run they could sleep on but they don’t-they sleep on their roosts facing the windows. I put a big branch in addition to the roosts it came with. My coop is also too small lol.

Ok thank you I will definitely add vents soon it’s really hard sometimes to get the right size coop it was the first coop I built so I’m not going to be to harsh on myself lol but I want what’s best for them

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

7x3= 21 sq ft coop. The size of the run doesn't matter, although it's nice they do have a lot of space during the day. The coop is only big enough for about 5 chckens. That's the main reason they are sleeping in the nests, they are just too crowded to all sleep in there.

Ohh ok I will try and see if I can move some hens around or build a bigger coop please don’t judge I’m only 13

 

[FrostRanger]

Ohh ok I will try and see if I can move some hens around or build a bigger coop please don’t judge I’m only 13

Nah, this isn't Facebook or reddit, we're just here to educate, not judge

You didn't know before but now you do and are going to fix the issue. All is well. No one started this hobby knowing everything, we're all still learning

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Ok thank you I will definitely add vents soon it’s really hard sometimes to get the right size coop it was the first coop I built so I’m not going to be to harsh on myself lol but I want what’s best for them

I know the struggle! A lot of people come on here, ask questions like this and feel judged by the answers but it’s not like that. We have all been there and learned the hard way and want to help! The fact that you are willing to ask for and take advice makes you the best kind of chicken keeper!