Grooming laying habits

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You could just leave that roost there and try to add another one.

 

[furrybollocks]

I'll definitely consider that when I go look at it tomorrow. I'm just not sure how a higher roost would fit in a coop so shallow. This is why it's hard to keep chickens in the city!

 

[Pork Pie]

Would it be possible to put angled roofing over the nest boxes? That way, the chickens can't perch or stand on them, keeping them clean? Just a thought.

Good luck!
CT

 

[LowerBamaMama]

This is soooo cool! I'm sorry for you that it didn't all come out as you planned. I'm sure that's frustrating when you spend money on something BUT I think it's awesome!!! I'm jealous in fact =] It shouldn't be too difficult to add a second roost higher up although it may take up some headroom when you walk in. LOVE the built in hutch.

 

[furrybollocks]

I'm not entirely sure. There's a sizable ledge in front of the nest boxes themselves that the chickens take full advantage of, so I'm not sure how I could add a slowed roof without hindering my own ability to access the boxes and the chickens. I'll mull it over.

Haha, thank you Bama! I designed the hutch to utilize the third nest box as an added level that my rabbit could climb up to and hang out in in case it rained and to add a level of enrichment, but the man that built it decided to forgo my idea and add a little house. It works nonetheless, but there are certainly multiple things I would have done differently! But I'm happy with it overall A lot of people don't realize that it's a coop when they first come over, so it accomplishes that at least!

The issue with moving/adding a roost higher is that the headroom is very limited. I am by no means a tall person, but the ceiling is just a few inches taller than me and the shortened length cost me a good two feet of run space where I could have put the roost. The last thing I want is to have chicken eggs showing up in random places, but I'm afraid that if i can't find a better way to alter it then I'll end up picking eggs off of the ground.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Two things I'd do and would not be hard for you to accomplish on your own. I'd add a 1x3 batten board coop side of door so you can have some litter material in there instead of bare floor. Some small board that you can cut with a hand saw and nail in place- easy. Then the more involved thing is to move nests to that screened area beside the door. There is no need for three nests so really all you'd be doing is putting a board to keep nesting material in and moving a two dividers down, one for end piece by door and one for divider. Then you'd cut the nest access door to fit. Not too bad. Of course you'd hardware cloth the now open area where nesting boxes were.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Two things I'd do and would not be hard for you to accomplish on your own. I'd add a 1x3 batten board coop side of door so you can have some litter material in there instead of bare floor. Some small board that you can cut with a hand saw and nail in place- easy. Then the more involved thing is to move nests to that screened area beside the door. There is no need for three nests so really all you'd be doing is putting a board to keep nesting material in and moving a two dividers down, one for end piece by door and one for divider. Then you'd cut the nest access door to fit. Not too bad. Of course you'd hardware cloth the now open area where nesting boxes were.

Following along for curiosity's sake and I'm trying to understand the second part of your suggestion. I understand the batten board to contain bedding. For the second part though I'm not sure that I am following. You're saying to remove the dividers and make it one big nest box and what else?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I was saying to remove and move down to side of door. Make it two nesting boxes there and get rid of them above, have hardware cloth. Basically an easy move of the nests to ground level and there is certainly no need for three nests in that size coop.

 

[LowerBamaMama]

Ahhhhhh gotcha.

 

[bigt447]

Cover the nest boxes at night and open again each morning as a temporary solution.