Help on maximizing space

[chdmom]

Coop is started! It sits 2’ off the ground. It measures 4’ x 6’ x 6’ (WxLxH). Their run will be 4x6 under the coop and 14x6 attached. They will have 108 sq ft of run and 24 sq ft in the coop.

We are planning a 6’ long 2x4 roost bar with a tray for sand and sweet PDZ underneath. How far below the roost should that tray be and how wide should it be?

Is there any reason we couldn’t put the nesting boxes underneath the poop tray? I’m thinking it would give us maximum floor space vs having the nesting boxes on the opposite side and then having them poop on them or on the top of them if we covered them.

Trying to think about the easiest clean up. We are going to do 3 nesting boxes and would have room to store their feed in a small metal trash can underneath also. Again, trying to maximize space.

 

[CraftyHen]

Hi! Your question describes my coop exactly. The "poop deck" is about 6" below
roost and it is roughly 15" Wide. I added 1x1 trim around to keep the sweet pdz (mostly) on the deck. Below that are 4 nest boxes. I stapled fabric strips to the edge of poop deck to fall in front of nest openings.

 

[chdmom]

I stapled fabric strips to the edge of poop deck to fall in front of nest openings.

Great idea! We might switch it up and have two 4’ staggered bars instead of one long one but still poop box with nesting boxes underneath.

 

[CraftyHen]

Great idea! We might switch it up and have two 4’ staggered bars instead of one long one but still poop box with nesting boxes underneath.

It's an efficient use of space!

 

[Riv-6]

Hi! Your question describes my coop exactly. The "poop deck" is about 6" below
roost and it is roughly 15" Wide. I added 1x1 trim around to keep the sweet pdz (mostly) on the deck. Below that are 4 nest boxes. I stapled fabric strips to the edge of poop deck to fall in front of nest openings.

Do you have a picture of your nesting boxes underneath the poop board? I'm thinking of doing this approach as well to maximize space and not have to cut a hole in the coop for bump out boxes.

 

[CraftyHen]

This pic was before I added fabric. I used 2 short "over the stove" cabinets that I got for free (1 of them) and the other at a thrift store for $3. I added a price of wood to separate into 2 areas and a price of wood across front to keep the hay in.