Here is my set up - tell me what I need to change/add pls

[Chic22]

Ok, I need suggestions on what I should change/add for the chicken coop and area around it. I have 3 adult hens (bantams) and then 3 bantam silkies that are about 3-4 mos old. I will try to describe our set up...I live in a housing addition to where the neighbors house are pretty close. We have wood fences around our back yards. At the back corner of my house we used the fence as two walls, the house (brick) for another and then added another wooden fence panel and made a door,it makes a square ...probaby about a 8x8 area at least. We used wire on top so that predators cannot get in. We use a wooden rabbit hutch about 5 foot long as their coop and nesting area, it stands about 3 ft off ground. So they have free range to get in the hutch or roam around the openness of the coop. In the evenings, the kids let them out and they roam the backyard, then back up at night. I have wire in the hutch as the floor and then just regular dirt ground for the confined area. Also, I used part of a wood pallet and propped in to the coop this is their ramp to get in hutch. I need to clean area and hutch and have no idea how or what to do. I cannot remove the hutch, since we fenced it all in. Do I need some sort of poop tray under the hutch for when they roost a night? Is the dirt ground ok or do I need sand or something else? Also, what types of feeders and water deals do you use? They are pooping in their food. I sit the food and water inside the hutch, maybe thats not a good idea. I guess I need some chicken 101 (haha) without spending a ton of money too. My kids LOVE the chickens and me too....
Thanks if you read all this....I appreciate any ideas and sugestions....

 

[Acefit411]

Hi Chic22,,

I'm NEW to this as well ~ Welcome to the Chicken world
I have 1 Rooster and 6 Hens. My boyfriend built me a 6 x 8 foot coop and a 15 foot run. We made sure that NO animals (skunk, fox, coons, coyote, fisher, snakes) would be able to get into the run (that would be a death trap for your flock) ... so we dug down 12 inches in most spots where we could...and put wire cloth and 2 x 6 inch boards. We could have done it different (if we were thinking), by adding the wire to the bottom of the run and covered it with pea gravel. Our run is lined with hay, and next year intend to get pea gravel and sand for the chickens to dust themselves in. For the roosts in the coop, they have 16 feet (we will be adding more chicks in the spring), the roosts are two different heights and the floor is linoleum with pine shavings under the roosts. It makes it for a easy clean up! Feeding and drinking must be off the ground so that the don't poop in their food and drinking water (they can get sick). Our feeders and waters are hanging in and outside the coop. Plastic for the water and galvanized for the feed. If you can't hang the feeder and water, you can place them on a cinder block. Make sure there is plenty of ventilation (but NO drafts) ... Chickens omit a lot of moisture and the ammonia from the droppings can give them respiratory issues that could take them one by one. I'm not sure where you live... but if you nights go below freezing, you will need a warmer for the water and some heat for the cold days and or nights. A nesting box or two would also be very helpful (not smaller then 12 inches if you have the room).
You could always get your questions answered here on this wonderful forum. I know that I do

Lots of luck and enjoy your girls
~a

 

[chfite]

Paragraphs are nice.

If your hutch has a wire mesh floor, waste should fall through or can be scraped through.

Sand on top of the soil will aid drainage and allow everything to be turned under to decompose. 3 or 4 inches of sand would do.

A box of pine shavings under the roost would allow you to turn that on its own. Using deep litter would allow you to change it rarely.

Wire fencing on the ground around the outside of the run would help prevent predators digging under the fence.

Chris