First newbie posting

[Dutchy]

Hi all....

1st real post, first silly question....

I am buildng a coop (my first), I have 2x dog kennels they are 74cm long and 84 cm wide and have apex roof's...

My intention is to have 2 x light sussex and possibly a ISA Brown...

The plot of land that I have....now remember I live in the most populated country on the planet...Holland...

The plot is 8ft x 6ft so 48sq foot..The idea is to fence the area off 6ft high fencing....and have both of the dog kennels in the plot but on raised frames set at 2ft off the ground, thus allowing the birds free ground space to do what they do, allow space for me to clean out the kennels ...now the question I pose is this....it is a good idea to have one of the kennels for roosting and one for nest boxes....

Oh before I forget, as this will be a closed plot 6ft high fencing, roof with a combination of roof panel and wire mesh..(half and half) do the chickens need to be locked in at night....or can they just be left to the own devices to get into their roosting area?

Being a newb I really am at your mercy here..

Many thanks
Dave.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Public service note for the non metric converting people on this list: <vbg> that would be like 2'6" long by about 2'9" wide

The plot is 8ft x 6ft so 48sq foot..The idea is to fence the area off 6ft high fencing....and have both of the dog kennels in the plot but on raised frames set at 2ft off the ground, thus allowing the birds free ground space to do what they do, allow space for me to clean out the kennels ...now the question I pose is this....it is a good idea to have one of the kennels for roosting and one for nest boxes....

You could certainly try that and see what the birds want to do. However in their perverse way I would suspect they would decide to roost in the one you'd bedded out for nesting, or if you bed them both then Murphy's Law suggests they will roost in both. Wherever they roost will get pooey and if they lay their eggs there you'll get pooey eggs.

As I say, you can try and see what happens.

If it were me I'd be thinking about building them a little coop, you can use scrap wood or 'repurpose' a small shed or larger doghouse or something like that, it doesn't have to be expensive. If you built something you might want it to be more like 3x4' or 4x4' (that's 91 cm x 122 cm, or 122 cm x 122 cm) and it could contain a roost for them and also a nest box.

6ft high fencing, roof with a combination of roof panel and wire mesh..(half and half) do the chickens need to be locked in at night....or can they just be left to the own devices to get into their roosting area?

They don't need to be put to bed (probably... watch them the first night or two to make sure they figure out where their roost is, and if not, put them there by hand -- after that they will go to roost themselves). However it depends what predators you have. Are you absolutely sure that NO predator in your area can POSSIBLY get thru your run? If so, leaving them loose is okay.

Have fun,

Pat​

 

[Chirpy]

Welcome Dutchy!

Sounds like you have some good ideas going there and your fencing does sound good.

I agree that you can 'try' to make one house a roost and the other a nest box for eggs.... you'll have to read the manual to the chickens though or they may do their own thing.

It's probably going to be a "give it a try and see" type thing as already suggested.

I have some chook friends in Europe who have serious issues with fox, weasel and stoats. I don't know if they are that big of a concern where you are but, if so, you certainly will want to lock up your chickens in a secure, predator proof hen house at night. I know that weasels can get through 1" wire with no difficulty.