Does the perch area need to have a solid bottom?

[nminusyplusm]

Curious - why do you say I don't want the small stuff falling through? What I had in mind is that the bottom is essentially a 10" high compost pile which is just protected from predators tunneling in, by a wire mesh of some sort. Earthworms and other bugs going in an out, and chickens digging in as deep as they can through the mesh, and mixing it all up. Are there major flaws with that line of thinking?
Thanks!

Are you planning a walk in coop or a raised coop? Maybe I misunderstood and it's a walk in? My above advice was for a coop raised a few feet over the run like the Wichita style.

If you’re building a walk in with a dirt floor (ideal, IMO) then just use hardware cloth as an apron on the outside of the coop and run to stop predators from digging and have DL directly on the dirt inside. Personally I wouldn't want hardware cloth over a dirt floor because it would be harder to scoop out composted litter without hitting the HC with a shovel or fork and damaging it and I'd want the dirt to mix into the litter easily.

 

[gpeled]

I guess it's a small walk-in. I wanted it full height with a full size door for full access to inside. The inside is about 2/3 taken by nest box and perch area, which are raised, and one third is more open. Bottom half is all mesh, while top half is all plywood (except roof which is mesh, and corrugated roofing on top.

I realize it's hard to imaging based on the description. I'm pretty close to having enough of it ready to put up (just need to get plywood and mesh cut up and mounted) so could then send a picture of the partially built coop, before finishing it up...

 

[nminusyplusm]

How many chickens and what are the dimensions of your coop minus nest boxes and run?

 

[gpeled]

OK, things went reasonably well this afternoon, so I can now show the structure. The front left full height opening will become a door for when I want to walk in. The front right will be plywood (likely also as a door).
Floor level after adding mulch for DL, will be where the second from bottom 2x4 bars are along the rims.
The bottom 3 feet will be free to roam, and likely put water and feeder there.
(or maybe I should leave them outside to increase landing space).
I'll add ventilation windows on both sides.
And roof I have not yet decided on the design just yet.

The chicken door would be on the left wall. Probable 1-2' off the ground

Now I'm thinking there's enough room on the right side so I might just extend the nesting box out, to leave more room inside. It does feel more crowded than I imagined inside.

 

[gpeled]

How many chickens and what are the dimensions of your coop minus nest boxes and run?

Starting with 4 chickens but wanted to build for possibly future 6.
It's 5x3 but open to a large fenced run area where they would spend their day.

 

[nminusyplusm]

Starting with 4 chickens but wanted to build for possibly future 6.
It's 5x3 but open to a large fenced run area where they would spend their day.

Even if nest boxes are bumped out sidecar style or raised 18" from the coop floor that coop should really only house 4̶ (ETA: 3!!! not 4) chickens maximum.

Each bird should have 4 sq ft of coop minimum and 10 sq ft of run minimum. You are still at a point where enlarging it isn't hard. If you want more than 3, make it bigger now rather than later on.

 

[nminusyplusm]

OK, things went reasonably well this afternoon, so I can now show the structure. The front left full height opening will become a door for when I want to walk in. The front right will be plywood (likely also as a door).
Floor level after adding mulch for DL, will be where the second from bottom 2x4 bars are along the rims.
The bottom 3 feet will be free to roam, and likely put water and feeder there.
(or maybe I should leave them outside to increase landing space).
I'll add ventilation windows on both sides.
And roof I have not yet decided on the design just yet.

The chicken door would be on the left wall. Probable 1-2' off the ground

Now I'm thinking there's enough room on the right side so I might just extend the nesting box out, to leave more room inside. It does feel more crowded than I imagined inside.

What material are the walls made of?

 

[lazy gardener]

Even if nest boxes are bumped out sidecar style or raised 18" from the coop floor that coop should really only house 4 chickens maximum.

Each bird should have 4 sq ft of coop minimum and 10 sq ft of run minimum. You are still at a point where enlarging it isn't hard. If you want more than 4, make it bigger now rather than later on.

While you are asking for advice, you are not listening to the advice that is being provided by folks with the experience. Putting your birds in a coop that is too small is eventually going to result in disease and most assuredly blood shed issues. Also, such a small coop is most likely not going to give you satisfactory results with DLM. Your coop is only big enough for 3 birds, and you would be truly amazed at how much room three full grown chickens require, and even more amazed at how much they poop.

 

[nminusyplusm]

While you are asking for advice, you are not listening to the advice that is being provided by folks with the experience. Putting your birds in a coop that is too small is eventually going to result in disease and most assuredly blood shed issues. Also, such a small coop is most likely not going to give you satisfactory results with DLM. Your coop is only big enough for 3 birds, and you would be truly amazed at how much room three full grown chickens require, and even more amazed at how much they poop.

Oops, yes, that coop only has room for 3 not 4, thank you for correcting my math, LG!

 

[gpeled]

What material are the walls made of?

The walls are 0.5" plywood