Is 2nd floor crazy?

[ANGELCHICK]

My coup started out 8 x 8 for 8 hens and 1 roo. My husband quit on me so after beating up my hands with the hammer I went to Tractor Supply for help. They gave me 2 very nice lawnmower crates that are 6 x 4 to bolt together. In hindsight, I should have bolted them side by side instead of one on top of the other. Anyway, its done now but I'm thinking about adding a second floor kind of 1/2 way up somehow to give them more floor space. If I did this it would be over top of the nest box space and the roosts would be up in the top of the A roof. The walls are 5 ft tall and another 1 1/2 foot in the eave. I thought maybe it would work with chicken ladders. What do ya'll think. On second thought, the roosts don't need to be above the windows do they? I'm just stuck, don't know what to do.

I have 2 EE, 2 Cochins, 2 Silver Wyandottes, 2 Faveroles, 1 Fav. roo, all standard. Thanks for input.

 

[Omran]

I think you have no problem with the lader, chickens will get used to it and by thier nature they like to explore new areas, plus I really see no problem with the roost being highr than the windows, they are most likely going to use it when dark anyway.

Good luck,
BTW do you have any pictures for us to see.

Thank you

Omran

 

[patandchickens]

May as well do it, they quite likely won't use the second floor a *lot* but probably will a *little*, some individuals anyhow. Can't hurt.

Nothing wrong with having the roost higher than the windows, plenty of peoples' chickens like to roost in barn/shed rafters which are obviously higher than windows

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[ducks4you]

Didn't SOMEBODY post about how their chickens flap and hop from one landing to another Every Night so that they can roost up high in their really tall barn? Who WAS that, anyway? Did a search but couldn't find it.....

BYCer--Identify yourself!

 

[ANGELCHICK]

thanks, seems like I read somewhere that they shouldn't be in the draft, I guess I thought having the roost above the windows would put them in the draft. I wanted to ask also if anyone has ever used mixed wood shavings like Tractor Supply sells? I can't seem to find pine shavings in bulk bags, only small ones like for hamster cage.

 

[patandchickens]

Have you tried your local feed stores for baled shavings? They may or may not be labelled 'pine' (some are unnamed mixed spruce-pine-fir type softwoods) but if they're being sold as horse stall bedding they're fine for chicken coops.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[vermontgal]

My chicken coop is on the second floor of my barn (not really tall, but still 1.5 stories). The chickens do regularly during the day go from their run through the chicken tunnel and up two chicken ladders to the coop. They go up to eat, to lay eggs, and to see if I might ready to given them treats (anytime I go inside the barn). Within the coop there is a second floor. In the winter, when the girls are in the coop, they do sometimes hang out up on the second level even during the daytime.

Check out my video (link in sig).