Ideas on how to make this thing a functioning coop

[Alaskan]

I can bend it's just like I'd be crawling under the shelf, hitting my head on it, just seems awkward. I like the idea of having access outside but I don't want to cut into the wood any more than necessary. Should I put linoleum down on the wood floor?

I have nestboxes underneath several of my poop shelves... I never whack my head, even under the lower poop shelf, because the nestbox is more than a foot deep, and the eggs are laid in the middle... so I don't reach forward all that far... but for the lower poop shelf I do have to squat down.

Maybe do a mock-up... see what it would feel like

As to linoleum... some people use it... I don't. my oldest coop has a wood floor, I did paint it, it is still holding up.

My tractor with a wood floor is fine too (well, the wood floor in the elevated coop is fine, the roof, I stupidly made it flat... rotted and just had to be replaced)

 

[LaFemmeKatia]

DH came home with this (for free, thank goodness!) but it's in bad shape. The walls are ok but we'll have to build a new floor and Ineed to add roosting bars and nesting boxes. It is conveniently right next to the fire pit

I see a lot of potential!

 

[ehoneybee]

I have an old litter box and I'm thinking of getting a few more to put under the roosting bars on that shelf (or another shelf haven't decided yet but I like the idea of it). Right now the chickens are in 2 prefab coops with the trays that come out so I would like something that comes out to clean and then just have to clean the floor as needed, especially since the floor is plywood and seems like it would absorb the smell. I am not sure the nesting boxes would be high enough up off the ground to put under the shelf and also I'm worried about head clearance for them. I think I will put the boxes on the other side under the windows, which I am going to shutter halfway across because they're bigger than I need.

 

[Alaskan]

Nestboxes can also be right on the floor... or placed on the bedding..

I know I have seen a coop photo where the poop shelf was a line of plastic bins, so all could be easily taken outside to be cleaned or dumped or whatever.

You could put the trays that you already have on the poop shelves...

 

[ehoneybee]

Do I need to have another source of ventilation opposite or on another wall? Right now it's just the side with the big windows.

 

[NatJ]

Do I need to have another source of ventilation opposite or on another wall? Right now it's just the side with the big windows.

Depends on the season and the climate. For summer, maybe install a "screen door" (really, hardware cloth); then you can leave the entire main door open. Depending on how hot it gets, you might want a good stiff breeze blowing through there all summer!

For winter, that much window space might be enough ventilation (assuming the windows are covered with hardware cloth and not glass or plastic.) It will depend on how the air moves inside the coop, and I'm not good at predicting that.

I'm sure you recognize that you always want moisture, ammonia, and other smells to go out, and in summer you want to be sure the heat to goes out too. But in winter you do not want a draft where the chickens sleep, while a "draft" is quite welcome in hot weather

 

[aart]

Do I need to have another source of ventilation opposite or on another wall? Right now it's just the side with the big windows.

Are the soffits open?

 

[ehoneybee]

Are the soffits open?

Just on the side with the big windows, unfortunately. The windows are too big, so I'm planning to board them halfway up then add hardware cloth to the top. It is not air tight so it might be enough to leave the wood with gaps in between the boards up high and add hw cloth for protection.

 

[NatJ]

The windows are too big, so I'm planning to board them halfway up then add hardware cloth to the top.

Why do you say they are too big?

 

[ehoneybee]

Why do you say they are too big?

They're low and air coming in will blow over the birds when they're on their perches. I could have them on hinges so they swing down in the summer I guess but might be more work than it's worth.