hi..question on nest boxes and clear roofs.....

[redhen]

hi..we're in the process of building our first chicken coop....it will be 8 long x 6 wide((- 10 inches for the with of the nest boxes)) x 5 high...for 2 rir's, 1 white rock, 2 black sex links.(they are 5 days old now)..is that a big enough coop for them?..also..for nesting boxes i have a old bed headboard with boxes already built in that i really want to use....the with and height of them are about 12 inches..but the depth is only about 9-10 inches in..are they deep enough for my size chickens to lay in?? ..also..for our roof i wanted to put this clear plastic panel stuff usually used for like patio roofs etc... but now i have been reading that chickens wont lay if it is to bright in the coop..?..but then again..i heard..they need the light in winter months to keep them laying?..so i'm confused..;o)...any help will be appreciated..thanks

 

[Linda in San Diego]

Ohh, good questions. I have a coop for my delightful dozen that is not quite done. Good enough for now, but needs some things finished. We plan on using the same kind of panels, but the ones we have are a dark brick color. Because the roof is screened, the panels are just laid over the top - but I realized tonight that the coop stays pretty dark all day and the chicks didin't climb the ramp to go in. So ours is still a work in progress. Let's see what others say.

 

[dacjohns]

I have clear panels in my roof for light.

My nest boxes are like little caves but still get plenty of light. The hens lay in them all the time.

 

[redhen]

thanks for responding!..appreciate it...another question please,... when my husband brought home the panels tonight(from home depot), i was suprised at how thin they are(like 1/16 inch)...and flexiable also..i live in New England..so now i'm very worried about them being to thin for the winter weather...but...we were thinking of adding 1/8 inch plexi-glass under the panels...is it necessary?...our coop will not have heat...so...i just want to make sure the girls coop is safe for them..any help will be appreciated..as we are building now... again,thanks so much.

 

[dacjohns]

I have a corrugated metal roof that is like the clear panels. I live in Southern Illinois so the cold is not that big a problem although we occasionally get subzero. In the winter the main part of the coop gets a heat lamp for light and to keep the water from freezing. I don't plan on having any young birds during the winter and the adult birds are supposed to be able to handle the cold. Unless you are insulating the roof and walls I probably wouldn't worry about the plexiglass. You will just need to be careful when you clean snow off the roof.

My coop is what was left of an old smoke house or storage shed. It is pretty ramshackle and has been repaired with a mix of salvaged and new materials.

I was just rereading your post about your nest boxes. I think they are a little small for your heavies. My boxes are the depth of a 1 X 12 with an open back. There are others with much more experience with nest boxes than me that might say yours are fine.

 

[redhen]

hello...thanks for the help!..my husband and i appreciate it very much....we're in a drama right now because we want to get it done..but we want it to be done correctly for them(so they dont freeze in the winter,because we wont have heat for them)..so thanks again!..wendy;o)