How to set up my new coop? (Beginners)

[mamahennorth]

Hi BYC

I’m new to chicken, have incubated and raised my own. They’re 10 week old bantams, and currently living in a little run until the coop was ready.

I want to move them into their new home this weekend, but unsure how to set it up. Please look at photos and any advice would be appreciated.

Do I just need some wood shavings in the nest boxes? What about elsewhere?
Any advice would be appreciated!

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Was this coop bought used? I would clean/disinfect it before moving them to prevent the spread of sicknesses. Other than that, just put shavings (make sure they’re not cedar) on all floor spaces/ nest boxes. Are you putting the feeder/waterer in the run?

 

[drinkoj]

Close off the nesting boxes until they start acting like their ready to lay eggs. Don't want them to learn a bad habit of pooping where they'll lay eggs. That is what I have read on the forum, as I'm a newbie also.

 

[3KillerBs]

That looks like a nice home for your chickens. Where are you located (you can put it into your profile)? That will help people give better advice.

I'm a fan of feed and water in the run to keep the coop cleaner but whatever suits your style will work.

Do you have a hardware cloth apron outside the run on the ground to prevent digging predators from getting in? I see a bit of daylight in the bottom corner to the left of the feeder that should be protected because it would be easy for something to dig in there -- or for the chickens to dig out.

You'll want bedding in the coop and, once they chickens have destroyed the grass, you'll want some kind of litter in the run to absorb the poop. I like the Deep Litter Method myself -- it's a form of cold composting that turns wood chips, wood shavings, pine straw, straw, fall leaves, whathaveyou and chicken poop into garden gold and only needs to be cleaned out when you either want compost or the pile has gotten inconveniently deep.

Even with one more chicken than I ought to have had in the space, my in-town chickens never had an odor problem that 4" of pine straw couldn't solve.

 

[Three Little Bunnies]

It looks like your roost is over your nest boxes. You may want to adjust that in some way, as the chickens will poop into the boxes at night.

 

[drinkoj]

It looks like your roost is over your nest boxes. You may want to adjust that in some way, as the chickens will poop into the boxes at night.

Poop boards save lives, marriages, and time.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It looks like your roost is over your nest boxes. You may want to adjust that in some way, as the chickens will poop into the boxes at night.

x2. Coop also needs some form of litter to help catch and absorb poop, protect floors, and provide a little padding - https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ype-of-coop-bedding-do-you-like-best.1384788/

Also start thinking about a litter plan for the run. I'd also suggest adding some clutter, maybe 1 or 2 pieces, mostly to provide the chickens something to interact with, so they don't get bored - https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[jreardon1918]

Welcome.
First a few questions.
Where are you located? That will help with Advice.

Dimensions of the coop?
Number of chicks.

I use pine shavings on the floor and nest boxes. Poop boards with PDZ. Scoop regularly. That albertos me to leave the shavings for a year before a cleaning. And that is a simple remove sweep replace.

The run gets yard waste, grass clippings (un treated), leaves sticks woodchips and annual coop cleanout. Turns into compost to add to the gardens.

Good luck.