help design the perfect silkie coop

[jeb251]

my wife has silikes in the bator, I have never had them, but have been reading and asking questions about them, here is what I found out, they dont roost, they dont fly and they dont like to loimb ladders to get into a coop, so with this info I started designing, she has lavender, bbs and white eggs, so I figured four breeding coops would work fine, one for lav one for white one for bbs and one for project/grow out.

so, I made them two foot high stiing on 2"x6" treated boards to hold the sand in and keep the untreated wood off the ground, I made them so short to save money on material and save on labor. Since they are so short, I made the main access on top with a smaller door on the back for cleaning or what ever is needed. There is a door in front of the run, however since they are so short, we could have a problem if a hen lays an egg in the run, it could be hard to get too and cleaning would be tough but with the sand you really dont have to clean them, the rain does it for you, so I put the top pannels of the run on hinges, I figure if I use it two or three times a year it will be wort it

anyway, here is what I came up with, any ideas would help

 

[CheekyChooks]

I personally don't think they'd have too much trouble getting up and down a sturdy, low incline ladder. I have 1 silkie and 4 x silkie crossess who seem to navigate up them fine. It is my top heavy chickens like my buff orp who seem to run/topple down the ladder at speed. I like having a coop that has a tall door to access as it is easier for cleaning especially in unfavourable weather when being on hands/knees isn't really desirable.

Can I ask what are the dimensions of the coop/runs? If your happy with the design I'm sure the chickens will love them as long as they have plenty of room. How many chicks are you hatching?

 

[Player Hater]

what computer program are you using?

 

[jeb251]

I am using google schetch up, and the coops are 3'x4' and the runs are 3'x9'and I dont really think there would be much time spent kneeling, the coop ca be cleaned from the top with a kitty littler scoop since there will be 5" of sand in there, thanks for the reply

 

[MarinMama]

sorry...answered question already.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Are you planning to put down anything in the runs before the sand? I would do a concrete slab and then put a couple inches of sand over it. The sand will need to be scooped out and replaced once a year. That's what I do with mine. I remove all the sand in the coop during the spring and put fresh sand down. Otherwise it gets really dirty. Im talking about my covered run, the other runs the rain washes the sand away and I have to add more 2x or so a year.

 

[alrickheadley123]

You are quite Right. Yes will change the sands. because it will be to much dirty within a year. I appreciate your method to change once in a year.

 

[jeb251]

we have hard clay here, I dont plan on putting anything under it, and to answer the question before, I am planning on one roo and maybe 3 or four hens in each one