- Mar 20, 2013
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My coop is 4 x 6. There is ventilation all around under the roof line and it will be closed with hardware cloth. I am trying to decide where to put the exterior nest boxes, the roost, the clean out and a poop board. My plan right now is, egg boxes on the left as you're looking at this picture. I would not have access to the back of the coop as it's setting right here. That fence is just about a 10 foot long sort of THING that stands there serving not much of a purpose but this was a good place for the coop as I can see it from my kitchen. The run will be 8 feet long and 4 wide and will start on the right side of coop and those shrubs will be moved except for one to give them something to do. They will also have access to under the coop for dust bathing. The entire run and under coop will be enclosed in hardware cloth and buried about a foot. The floor of the run will be sand except maybe under coop will stay dirt. So the pop door will be on the right. I was thinking of putting as big of a clean out door as I can on the front. Then when it's opened, I wanted to have the poop board there about halfway up, with the roost above that, and the feeder and waterer hanging below the poop board. The roost would be 2x4 layed flat so they can keep their feet warm in the winter? Then the poop board 24 inches wide, so 12 on each side of the roost, but maybe a little more on the wall side. Would be nothing on the floor of the coop as the egg boxes will be exterior mounted. I'm planning sand on the floor and sweet pdz on the poop board. The coop interior is 4 feet 5 inches high in the front and 3 feet five inches high in the back. So they would walk across the floor the entire length to get to nest boxes. Or they would jump up to roost over hanging food and water. I can also put food and water in the run, but we are in Colorado so winters are going to be cold.
So my questions are:
Do you see any problems with this scenario that I can address before it's too late?
Will it be too much of a hassle to clean with the poop board halfway up when I open my clean out door?
How much space do I need between the roof and the roost so the birds don't hit their heads (regular egg layer breeds)
How many chickens can I keep in this setup?
Would you add any windows?
If you have any better ideas, I am totally open and would love to hear them! First time with chickens. TONS of predators. THANK YOU
So my questions are:
Do you see any problems with this scenario that I can address before it's too late?
Will it be too much of a hassle to clean with the poop board halfway up when I open my clean out door?
How much space do I need between the roof and the roost so the birds don't hit their heads (regular egg layer breeds)
How many chickens can I keep in this setup?
Would you add any windows?
If you have any better ideas, I am totally open and would love to hear them! First time with chickens. TONS of predators. THANK YOU
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