Help my sis pick a spot for her coop!

[Jane Greenburg]

The atrium doesn't sound like a good idea to me. I'm thinking a raised coop out back. If it floods, they will still have the coop hi and dry.

I totally agree with your suggestion.

 

[mopalia]

I can say that the walls reach to the roof, so, they're at least one story up.

Hahahaha. I have Wyandottes, big heavy birds that are not known to be fliers. After we put them out in their lovely new coop with 6' fence enclosure, I came out the next day to find Bessie sitting in the house gutters. Up over th e 6' fence and over 10' . Most of my life is figuring out ways to keep her where I want her, not where she wants to be. Get a nice coop and a big roofed dog pen and put it outside in the yard.
.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have Wyandottes, big heavy birds that are not known to be fliers.

The roost the rest of the flock is on is just below my shoulders. Note the Wyandottes up on the diagonal brace. And yes, they are old enough to lay in this photo.

 

[Soonermagic254]

What about the atrium sounds the worst?

Also, you don't think the hens would be more vulnerable to predators in the back yard? Not even coyotes? It's fenced in with a 6 foot fence, but there's a tree at one corner just beyond the property that can be climbed.

Atrium is going to be covered in chicken poop which will be tracked into the house. Chickens should be outside and enjoy watching them from the atrium.

 

[Ryebi]

As a Floridian, I can absolutely guarantee this is a decision they would regret as soon as their birds are old enough to lay. Chickens attract flies, Palmetto bugs, rats, mice, snakes, and don't think crows and hawks wont take advantage of the sky being open. You'd be amazed how frequently raccoons and opossums get into atriums too without any tasty morsels to lure them in there (they can get in, but can't get out!).

That's also a pretty dang small space with zero room to grow (you mentioned they might want more birds in the future - they can absolutely forget that). The reason for all these issues is a space like that doesn't breathe. At all. Ventilation is a #1 priority with chickens. Any space you put them in needs to be able to completely air out and receive fresh air constantly, especially in humid Florida. You'll have mold and mildew and very sick birds (AND PEOPLE, the stench will be atrocious and will permeate the walls!). The only animals that I'd ever recommend for an atrium setting are reptiles and amphibians specifically because the high humidity is beneficial to them.

I hate to sound so harsh and negative, but they need a reality check. If not for their own safety and health, then at least for the animals depending on them.

Edited to add: See attachment for the typical kind of atrium I'm used to seeing down here and what your description seems to confirm for me. If it's way inaccurate, feel free to correct me. But this should give other commenters an idea of what the plan may look like (bearing in mind this is completely open to the sky, there is no roof over it) and why it's a terrible idea. I can already imagine the nasty condensation dripping from the walls.

 

[rosemarythyme]

As a Floridian, I can absolutely guarantee this is a decision they would regret as soon as their birds are old enough to lay. Chickens attract flies, Palmetto bugs, rats, mice, snakes, and don't think crows and hawks wont take advantage of the sky being open. You'd be amazed how frequently raccoons and opossums get into atriums too without any tasty morsels to lure them in there (they can get in, but can't get out!).

That's also a pretty dang small space with zero room to grow (you mentioned they might want more birds in the future - they can absolutely forget that). The reason for all these issues is a space like that doesn't breathe. At all. Ventilation is a #1 priority with chickens. Any space you put them in needs to be able to completely air out and receive fresh air constantly, especially in humid Florida. You'll have mold and mildew and very sick birds (AND PEOPLE, the stench will be atrocious and will permeate the walls!). The only animals that I'd ever recommend for an atrium setting are reptiles and amphibians specifically because the high humidity is beneficial to them.

I hate to sound so harsh and negative, but they need a reality check. If not for their own safety and health, then at least for the animals depending on them.

Edited to add: See attachment for the typical kind of atrium I'm used to seeing down here and what your description seems to confirm for me. If it's way inaccurate, feel free to correct me. But this should give other commenters an idea of what the plan may look like (bearing in mind this is completely open to the sky, there is no roof over it) and why it's a terrible idea. I can already imagine the nasty condensation dripping from the walls.

Very good points, and it helps that you're weighing in from FL.

Yes that's what I had pictured as well. I don't know why builders think atriums are a good idea at all. Even in a dry climate, it just seems like a strange waste of space with extra maintenance issues.

 

[Ryebi]

Very good points, and it helps that you're weighing in from FL.

Yes that's what I had pictured as well. I don't know why builders think atriums are a good idea at all. Even in a dry climate, it just seems like a strange waste of space with extra maintenance issues.

I don't either. Most of the ones I've come across were just incidental though. Like a C-shaped house where they decided to later add on a rectangular wing and just left the resulting doughnut hole open to the sky (possibly due to the re-roofing they'd have to do otherwise). They're certainly fancy though. I'm sure lots of people with the money and options would pick the house with the atrium versus the ones without due to rarity and a very well maintained one being pretty attractive.

6x11 is pretty small for one though. It's pretty awkward even just to have a patio set in that. It's smaller than the example I gave, even.