Is my coop all wrong?!

[aart]

Vaseline covering them before the real cold sets in will keep him from getting frostbite.

the smaller coops stay warmer with the heat from the chickens bodies.

Sorry, but both of these are inaccurate 'wives tales'.

 

[CarlaCo]

I’d add a vent or two under the tips of the roof ridges, you will want to close those windows in the winter. Also you can move those roosting bars to create more room for them. the top bar will be “fought” over so I like to have my bars all at the same height. Allow them enough space, 12 inches each on the bar, to sit/snuggle together if cold and hopefully other options for the hot summer or to allow those who don’t like to sit next to each other other options. The nest hatch is very large and easy to get into. I’d add TWO latches so one end can’t be opened up by a raccoon or other predator. Pretty coop though.

Latches on the outside of the pop hole door? There is another on the bigger door too. Those aren’t working very well. They are supposed to automatically slide down over the bar, but half the time you have to push them down.
Trouble of course is the space I’d like them to roost in on the left is only 24” wide so two parallel bars won’t work. (I’m more determined than ever to have a poop catcher sand box, after seeing where it all goes as the babies roost now.)
I’m going to try the shorter T thing I posted earlier, since it could easily be removed if it’s not being used. Then Only as a last resort, I’ll add a bar going from window side over to the other wall.

 

[CarlaCo]

It’s done! One more problem solved. DH was able to execute my idea perfectly. We now have proper roosting bars that will fit 6 full grown chickens with the proper (albeit minimum) space required. Here it is.

 

[CarlaCo]

The girls and two Roos were kind of traumatized by all the sawing and hammering during which they all hid under the coop. Afterward, 8 of them crashed on the outside roosting bars and four of them cuddled in the pen exhausted. We are separating the flocks tonight. My son gets a roo and 5 hens and so do we. I have been trying to marks which hens hang out with which roo and marked a couple favorites for moi. So the six left tonight will feel mighty roomy in there as every night all 12 were cramming themselves on the top bar. The rest are moving into an eglu.

 

[CarlaCo]

So we separated the flock last night. 1 roo and 5 hens went to my son who lives an hour from us and settled into his eglu for the night. When I got home I checked on our resized flock of one roo and 5 hens. They still cozied together at one end. But the new roosting bars are working great.

 

[3KillerBs]

The pecking order will probably shake up over the next few days.

 

[CarlaCo]

The pecking order will probably shake up over the next few days.

Yes, already seeing a bit of it. One hen def thinks she is the top dog and another one has. Decided she is fine being a loner. The roo is so chill, I’m not sure he can handle these girls but he is the smartest at eating and drinking. We just made a nipple feeder and he is starting to get it and even though he is not a big fan of me, he got in my lap to eat weeds I was offering.
This is going to be a fun ride.