Interior Coop Pics

[jreardon1918]

One more picture. This shows a close up of one of the poop boards. You can see the PDZ. The 2x4 roosts are vertical. At some point I might, rotate them. You can also see the closed nest boxes. Where we have only 7 layers, we only opened half the nest boxes. We use the closed ones for storage.

 

[ToniTalley]

The pdz under the roosts definitely keep the coop litter cleaner, dryer, less smelly. I only clean out the coop litter once a year, in spring when I'm ready to clean up from winter. Then I don't put that much wood shavings in, since it will be warm, and then in the fall I add a bunch more shavings and new straw into the nests so they can snuggle down in winter. I add a whole bag of pdz onto the poop boards in February, right before we go on our weeks vacation, that way the neighbor doesn't need to scoop when he chicken-sits. That bag lasts about a year, and I rarely have to add more until the next february when I add a new bag. I also toss a bit of pdz into the nests, coop floor, and run, just to help with moisture and odor. I love the stuff!

 

[Zoomum]

Quote:

I have to wonder about your chickens' poop? Our chickens had runny sticky poop when we had a bag of Nutrena feed. Once we switched back to Purina Layena or Purina flock raiser, their poops became firmer and lovely. (I'm sorry but I'm a nurse and sometimes the truth is that some poops are lovely, compared to the unlovely ones

) (True, I guess I'm wallowing in poop from sun up til sun down, and then some!) (

)

Purina Layena and Flock Starter works for us. I'm not saying it would work for everybody, but I am saying that your environment and your feed will seem to have a combination that works, vs one that doesn't. Keep trying to tweak that nutrition until you get lovely poops. I'm sure you can get what you want.

Our chickens' poops are more like everybody elses' turds, that is, you could pick them up with your hands or a tongs if you wanted to, they're easy to pick up with a pooper scooper, they're not wet or sticky.... the only time I have to scrub is after they've had bananas or certain fruits like grapes. this week, DS made a cornstarch science project which the birds accidentally ate, BOY oh BOY was that sticky on the driveway!

 

[fisher101]

I had a old clubhouse my chickens roosted in the rafters of it most the time even though they had lower roost poles i put in

 

[Lane Rae]

Hi, Here is my roost, poop tray, nest box set up in our 10' x 12' hen house.

I am very new to this and so must ask.... do the chickens always face the center of the coop with their backs against the wall so pooing in the tray always happens or is the tray a bit larger just in case of "turn around" chickens??

Also.. how do you stop them from laying in the poo tray or doesn't that happen?

 

[aart]

I am very new to this and so must ask.... do the chickens always face the center of the coop with their backs against the wall so pooing in the tray always happens or is the tray a bit larger just in case of "turn around" chickens??

Also.. how do you stop them from laying in the poo tray or doesn't that happen?

Usually, but not always.

Make the nest more 'attractive'.....yes, new layers can lay anywhere...same goes for softshell eggs.

 

[Buckeyed Beauties]

Posting to rejuvenate this thread! I have an 8x16 lean-to that my girls live in right now. I am going to partially wall up a portion of it to make a weather protective coop. Even though the lean-to is protected on three sides by the house and a fence they still need a place to hide sometimes from the wind and other weather that makes its way in. But all they have is a little pre-fab coop big enough for nothing but sleeping and I want to give them a real indoor space to hang out in and not feel cooped up. After looking at the pictures here I think I have a few ideas of what I might want to do with the the 4x8 coop I plan to create but won't be sure until the walls are up. Trying to decide which wall for the roosts and if I want the nest boxes in or outside, etc. I would love to see more inside pictures of your coops!

 

[ToniTalley]

Since we live where winters are harsh, we put the nest boxes inside.

 

[flygirl1973]

Ok, so here is my snazzy store bought coop. I know, sterile right? I’m new, just work with me. It’s currently in the garage because I’m putting a coating on it so the cheap wood it’s made out of will last a little longer? I will be getting hopefully 10 australorps. They will be free range mostly but I’m a bit...surprised by the nesting boxes? I’ve seen curtains over some and narrow openings on others...these just don’t seem to be right. Any suggestions on what to do with them to make them a bit more homey, and snuggly? Should I just wait and see what they’ll do? Never had chickens before, all a new experiment to me. I imagine I don’t even need to worry for a couple months now, but I’m open to easy suggestions. Yes easy, it’s store bought remember? This is our test to see what works and hopefully I don’t lose them all! My husbands help was...you guessed it, putting up the coop!
Maybe a little roof/shelf over the boxes? Also it’s supposed to hold 12 -15 hens!

 

[aart]

Any suggestions on what to do with them to make them a bit more homey, and snuggly? Should I just wait and see what they’ll do?

I'd not even put 10 in there.
Forget cute and cuddly...this needs functional improvement.
This might help:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535