Getting a coop and chickens today! Help!!!

[amijab]

O.k. so I have been wanting chickens my whole life. Finally my husband said I could get chickens and we started looking into coops so we could start building it hoping to have it done by May! Then we stumbled on a man down the street that is selling his coop, 6 mo. old chickens and everything with it for less than it would cost for our materials to build the coop! So we are getting it in a few hours.
First thing I need help with is I do not know where to place it in my yard. Some forums say dirt, some say cement. I am confused.
Also, we are getting 16 hens and one rooster. It seems there are two many for the 4 X 8 hen house. Although, he does have a 6 X8 run and an additional 4 X 8 under the hen house, and a 8 foot roost inside. I also am going to fence an area for more room. But still there seems to be more droppings than I want. Any suggestions?
Last question for now. He has the nesting boxes not hooked to the hen house. Isn't that weird?
Thanks so much,
I will post more pics when it is here.

 

[amijab]

Then nesting boxes are hooked to the run. I forgot to mention that. Here is the picture of the coop and run. The other pic is of the two places I am considering placing it in our yard. Dirt or cement? What is best?

 

[claudicles]

If you put them on dirt you will still have to do something for predator protection. If I had a cement base available I would use that and use some sort of litter over it. there is lots written here on sand verses other litters. A good litter also makes poop clean up much easier.

 

[ChickInDelight]

 

[swamy]

I would be hesitant to keep more than a couple chickens in that set up.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

My run has dirt in it, but I do not see the harm in having a cement platform. Although, with a dirt run it allows the chickens to scratch around and look for bugs and other critters. Good luck!

 

[aoxa]

Dirt is more fun for the chickens, cement is easier for you to clean come spring.

I would choose the dirt. Happy chickens = happy owners

 

[Johnn]

personally i would put it on dirt, but if i had to use cement i would put leaves and grass and plants for them to have scratch in

 

[dbarbre]

Welcome to the wonderful world of chickens. First, I agree with the person who said put your coop on cement. Critters can dig under overnight if it's dirt floor. Next, get rid of the rooster. Hens will lay just as well without a rooster and unless you want chicks, dispense with the old boy for good. Look on the USDA site for culling chickens and cull before you get attached. Sometimes zoos will take extra chickens for petting areas. When you get down to a reasonable flock, get them settled and start enjoying!

 

[nurse_turtle]

Putting 17 chickens in that coop and run would be considered animal abuse. Your birds will not be happy nor healthy. Over crowded housing causes feather plucking, fighting and disease. No way, no how, can you put 17 standard size chickens, or even bantams chickens, in 32 sq ft of coop space and only 80 sq ft of run space. That setup can hold an absolute maximum of 8 chickens. You shouldn't have any problems selling the hens, if they are laying. Do you know how old the chickens are. If they are over 3 years old, you may not get any eggs and end up with lots of chicken mouths to feed.