Interesting coop-spur of the moment

[neuchicontheblock]

I am adopting 12 cochins nest week and we are unemployed. I had this Rubbermaid covered trash can box that had been sitting out for a while. We used a tie down strap to prevent warping and drilled out a door and a window that will be covered in mesh. Up higher will be additional vent holes. We'll probably use a cookie sheet to cover the door at night and a ramp in the day with a lock on top. There will be roosts in there.

My question is...these hens are laying. Where can I put the nesting boxes? Can I scrub them down and put them in the screened enclosure? Will the leave the nesting boxes to go into the coop at night? Or should I forgo nesting boxes?

Ideas about insulation? I'm in CT.

 

[yellowflower]

Would really like to see some pictures if you can? Sounds very creative.

 

[jenjscott]

12 chickens should have 48 sq ft. of coop space. You can cheat on that if they won't have to spend extended time in there. Being in Connecticut, I would think you get pretty cold. How big is this rubbermaid thing? I'm thinking you need way more room.

 

[greyhorsewoman]

Good luck with your new hens. You didn't say how big the trash box is, but the recommended space per chicken is 4sqft. That would be 48sqft for 12 hens. You can probably get away with less than that with a yard, but I'm picturing them overcrowded in your current 'coop.' Overcrowding causes pecking, as well as potentially other bad habits, such as egg eating. It can also create an environment that allows mites & other problems to easily manifest.

You could have outside nestboxes ... but there is the weather ... wet/snow/wind ... that would probably discourage the hens from using them. They'll probably seek out a corner of the 'coop' and use that, so maybe you could create two community nests there instead.

As to insulation ... you'll definitely need something in CT. Perhaps some hay/straw bales lining it would help. Have you calculated how much feed is going to cost you? There really isn't anything much for them to 'range' on from now until spring.

Hope it all works out for you. I enjoy my cochins, though they aren't always my best layers ... as they've tended to go broody.

 

[yellowflower]

Seeing pictures of what you've done would really help with advice. I think anything recycled and creative is a great idea. Maybe you could add on to it to make it bigger. The possibilities are endless with a creative mind. Good luck!

 

[neuchicontheblock]

Thanks for the responses. The chickens will have a coverred enclosure and free range after a few weeks once they know where food is. They have been shot up in a large shed for a long time...their toenails are very long and I'll probably have to clip them.

I'll probably put a few of the boxes in the coop with them. The Rubbermaid thing is meant for 3 full size cans and is about 4 ft high and 4 feet wide. I will get straw bales to put around the edge. It is also protected by our house.

I hear what you all are saying about space, but when I see my 6 full size Americaunas choosing to squeeze into 3 nest boxes (and that includes roosters BTW) when they have lovely clean shavings and DE mixed in AND two roosts, I wonder WHAT ARE THEY THINKING???


After we are finished completely, I'll put up pics.