For the MINIMALISTS - those who think less is more in chicken keeping - Please help

[GetFitWithKrista]

We originally built the nest boxes almost exactly to his plan. I used them for a couple of months and yes the hens slept in the top 2 boxes. And yes, they slept on TOP of the boxes (which I'd planned to use for storage). So no, you cannot use that area for storage unless you want all the stored stuff pooped on. So now I have the top blocked off AND the top 2 boxes blocked off. Complete waste of space because my hens were so stubborn about sleeping in/on them. I hauled the whole structure out and replaced with the cat litter boxes from Target and am much happier with it. I have 4 litter boxes (2 on each end, as I have 2 of these coops, mirror images next to each other) and 14 hens. Some of my pullets lay under the poop tray, but not a big deal.

I'll take some photos this afternoon and attach them.

I think we're going to attach hardware cloth to block off the area above the boxes. Storage would have been good though. We did take 12" of space from the coop for a storage closet.

We're going to use the bottom 2 boxes, hopefully this won't be a problem. Do you have any suggestions on what we should do with the top 2 boxes? Should we close them off or not even incorporate them? It might be good to have them in case we grow but you sound like yours were really a problem so maybe it's better to come up with another solution altogether if we need more than 2 nest boxes down the line. We only have 5 chickens right now.

Thanks so much for your input

It's awesome that you have 2 of these coops. The general design is a really nice looking structure, in my opinion. The designer did a nice job. Are your coops on his blog?

 

[AnnPann]

Do you have any suggestions on what we should do with the top 2 boxes? Should we close them off or not even incorporate them? It might be good to have them in case we grow but you sound like yours were really a problem so maybe it's better to come up with another solution altogether if we need more than 2 nest boxes down the line. We only have 5 chickens right now.

Thanks so much for your input

You could add a door and make a “cabinet” out of them for more storage- stuff you don’t use as often? Or close it off on the inside, and use it for stuff that you’d be OK accessing from the egg door, since you’ll have that access point. I don’t think that would be too hard to modify, if you’re going to close them off anyway. if you only build the bottom 2, you’ll have to block off even more vertical space with HWC.

I agree that with only 5 chickens you don’t need all 4 nest boxes.

 

[AnnPann]

It's a really nice looking structure, in my opinion. Are your coops on the designers blog?

Thanks! I haven’t sent in a review/photos for him to use on his blog yet (finished building in October), but plan to now that the weather is nicer!

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Quick question: does the roost bar need to be a certain distance from the ceiling and floor?

This photo is our situation less the metal nest nice thing.

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

Thanks! I haven’t sent in a review/photos for him to use on his blog yet (finished building in October), but plan to now that the weather is nicer!

I saw your photos and will reply as soon as I can give it my undivided attention. Thank you SO much! Really amazing

 

[AnnPann]

Quick question: does the roost bar need to be a certain distance from the ceiling and floor?

This photo is our situation less the metal next nice thing.

I think it’s a personal preference. I put might high enough that they hens could walk under the poop tray b/c I wanted them to have that as usable space. I think “rule” is appx 18” lower from ceiling, if I remember right? I eyeballed it, and then put a chicken on the roosting bar to see if i got it right!

 

[GetFitWithKrista]

You could add a door and make a “cabinet” out of them for more storage- stuff you don’t use as often? Or close it off on the inside, and use it for stuff that you’d be OK accessing from the egg door, since you’ll have that access point. I don’t think that would be too hard to modify, if you’re going to close them off anyway. if you only build the bottom 2, you’ll have to block off even more vertical space with HWC.

I agree that with only 5 chickens you don’t need all 4 nest boxes.

I like being able to access the next box storage space from the outside. Do you think closing the inside off with hardware cloth would be enough? Then it would be easily removable if we want to use them as nest boxes (possibly with modifications) in the future.

 

[AnnPann]

I like being able to access the next box storage space from the outside. Do you think closing the inside off with hardware cloth would be enough? Then it would be easily removable if we want to use them as nest boxes (possibly with modifications) in the future.

By “enough”, do you mean to keep the chickens out of that space? If so, definitely. I used some landscape fabric to block it off bc it’s what I had at the moment I decided I was fed up with them pooping on everything up there, and it worked fine until it warmed up and I was able to remove the boxes entirely.

 

[AmeliaBedelia]

I like being able to access the next box storage space from the outside. Do you think closing the inside off with hardware cloth would be enough? Then it would be easily removable if we want to use them as nest boxes (possibly with modifications) in the future.

Hardware cloth would block the chickens (even chicken wire or bird netting does that), but it will let alllll the dust through. So depends what you are storing there.

 

[RoyalChick]

Side question: do the shells draw rodents and bugs? Wondering if I can keep them out in a bowl rather than make another PVC feeder.

Sorry, have been traveling so not on for a while. This may have been answered.
Here is what I do with egg shells...
I have a metal bucket/bowl in the kitchen. I toss all eggs shells in there as I use eggs for cooking.
When I use the oven for dinner (which is not every day obviously) after I am done and turn the oven off I put in the bucket of egg shells.
As the oven cools down they cook. Cooked egg shells are much, much, much, easier to break into little pieces than uncooked ones. I use the bottom of a wine bottle to grind them up in the bucket when they have cooled down. Then I tip them into a container in the chicken run where they are available for whenever they want them.
And no, the rodents are not interested in them. My bowl is fixed to the wall and is open. Mostly the chickens stop by and have a few egg shells before they go to bed.
I also have a container of oyster shell out for them, but they seem way less interested in that.