How significant is interior coop height to chickens' welfare

[theabee]

I think that if you have a big coop (bigger than 4x4), then you really need to be able to walk in. But for a 4x4 coop or less, that isn't really necessary and 2-3 ft. high is better if you live in a cold climate.

 

[aart]

I've been thinking about this....was an engineering tech for 20 years and there's something called tolerance stack..and it applies to chicken coops in a way.

You want good coop height for the stack up of ventilation over roosts over nests.

Bottom of pop door should be 8-12" above floor for bedding accumulation...same goes for bottom of nest.
Roosts should be a foot higher than top of nests so they don't roost, and poop, in nests.
They need some head room over roosts for flying up and getting settled, probably 18".
You want the roof of coop, where the major ventilation should be, at least a couple feet over the heads of chooks on roosts to avoid strong drafts on roosting chooks.
That adds up to about 5-6 feet...chooks will be happier, keeper will be happier too being able to walk upright to chore.

'Holding heat' in a small (short) coop is a fallacy, because of the need for ventilation.

So a bigger (taller) coop is easier to properly ventilate without having strong drafts on the roost area.

You want good square footage for wandering room if confinement is needed, -3F and 20mph winds will keep my flock in the coop today, and you want good coop height for the stack up of ventilation over roosts over nests.

 

[crazyhen]

Ditto aart! I find I am always glad of the height of my coops. I have hardware cloth at the top on three sides that give air circulation. About 6 inchs on three sides. My coop is higher in the front.

 

[bwr719]

I like to stagger 3 or 4 poles creating kinda like an activity set for my birds. Gives them more room to move around while arguing over spots.

 

[OScarlet]

although our travel coop is less than 3 ft tall I think and our chickens are fine in that -- well unless they see the taller coop, they like to be up high. We don't have to clean it though as it is a tractor.

 

[brickabracker]

I am resurrecting this older thread - apologies - because I am in a similiar dilemma. For various reasons, at the moment, my coop is 2'2" tall, 2'2" wide, and 6' long. We are hearing conficting reports about how high the roost can be (6 in would give them plenty of overhead) and where the pop door should be. Here's our quick diagram:






This will be raised 3' off ground and surrounded by hardware cloth for a permanent run. We will free range when we are around (we have hawks and need to be aware). What can people offer, given - I understand - the issues with a shorter coop like this? We anticipate 3 hens. Also, ventilation should just be an open (hardware cloth) strip at both ends of the coop at the very top, right? Thanks so much!

 

[TalkALittle]

I am resurrecting this older thread - apologies - because I am in a similiar dilemma. For various reasons, at the moment, my coop is 2'2" tall, 2'2" wide, and 6' long. We are hearing conficting reports about how high the roost can be (6 in would give them plenty of overhead) and where the pop door should be. Here's our quick diagram: This will be raised 3' off ground and surrounded by hardware cloth for a permanent run. We will free range when we are around (we have hawks and need to be aware). What can people offer, given - I understand - the issues with a shorter coop like this? We anticipate 3 hens. Also, ventilation should just be an open (hardware cloth) strip at both ends of the coop at the very top, right? Thanks so much!

With your pop door located where it is your ramp will be really steep. I'd put the hole as far from the roosting area as possible. I'd also plan on keeping food and water in the run instead of the coop. It cuts down on moisture and mess in the coop.

 

[brickabracker]

With your pop door located where it is your ramp will be really steep. I'd put the hole as far from the roosting area as possible. I'd also plan on keeping food and water in the run instead of the coop. It cuts down on moisture and mess in the coop.

But you think a 2' height is 'doable'? I have even thought to make my roost an upturned 2x4, as I have seen on this forum that even that will do for chookens. That way they have a good 16" of headroom! Thanks!

 

[aart]

But you think a 2' height is 'doable'? I have even thought to make my roost an upturned 2x4, as I have seen on this forum that even that will do for chookens. That way they have a good 16" of headroom! Thanks!

The main problem with only 2' of height is that you want your roosts above your nests by a foot......
.........or they'll sleep in the nests and poop them up.

Depending on your climate,
(putting your location in your profile helps folks give better answers)
you are either going to have to clean out the nests every day(or clean poopy eggs),
or you're going to have draft/frostbite issues with no head room.

 

[KCAmelia]

If anyone is still reading this thread, I have a coop height question I don't see addressed here. We have pullets who are not laying yet. So we haven't put in our nest boxes yet, but it is almost time, and as I am trying to figure out exactly how to do it, I realize that I'm not sure our original plan is the right one. We knew roosts had to be the highest so they won't sleep in the nest boxes, so we put roosts at 2' and wanted to put nest boxes at 18". That is only 6" difference (not the 12' mentioned above, but it was what i read in the Storey's Raising Chickens book). That leaves 18' head room for the chickens to walk around under the nest boxes, and 18" head room under the poop board (also at 18", 6" below the roosts). BUT, I did not realize that the 8-10 inches of deep litter affect the available height under the roosts, nest boxes, etc. So, is that still enough room for them to get under there? It's July now, but I want to be sure I really am offering them the usable square footage I think I am when they are more "cooped up" over winter. Also, I see lots of people don't offer food and water in the coop. Obviously that would add to my square footage, but how does that work in the cold months? Will they really get out to eat and drink? I keep it in there now because I don't always get out super early to let them out. Maybe once my run is predator proof, I should keep food and water in the run and leave the pop door open all night, except for the coldest times? I live in Kansas City, MO, so we may get down to -5 F for a bit, but that is the coldest, and it usually isn't long. Thanks so much for the help!