Layering to increase coop area

[Poultry4Health]

Can we beneficially increase coop area by adding shelves on one side if the coop for chicken to walk around. This will effectively increase coop area when the space is limited.

 

[rjohns39]

It can be done, but it can also cause problems. When chickens feel like they have too little space, the become aggressive.

 

[rjohns39]

Oh... And Hi and welcome to BYC We're so happy you've decided to join us

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are a couple of basic reasons more space is good. If there is conflict the weaker needs to be able to get away from the stronger or they may just need to avoid the stronger to start with. The other is that if they are packed in too tightly with each other they can get bored or aggressive. Think how aggravating it would be to have someone crowded up next to you all the time, you can’t turn around without bumping into them. When little kids get bored they may start picking on each other, especially if they are close by.

One of the normal recommendations when integrating chickens is to add vertical space so they can get away from each other or avoid each other. Adding that extra space up there might be beneficial if there is conflict or you have a chicken afraid of another. It’s probably not going to help much with the boredom issue. They might go up there to perch but they could probably use the roosts for that if they wanted to. They can also escape conflict by staying on the roost if it is high enough that the chickens can’t peck the chickens up there from the coop floor.

Possible downsides are that they may decide to roost up there or even make a nest up there. You may be scraping poop or dealing with a nest up there.

Adding a shelf may improve the quality of your space a little, but especially if you already have a roost that benefit will probably be fairly small. Sometimes you just have to do the best you can.

Good luck!

 

[Poultry4Health]

Great reply. Wouldn't that add to the required 4 sq ft floor place so that I can add more chickens ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I do not believe in that 4 square feet per chicken rule. If you follow the link in my signature you can see why. Instead of thinking how can I shoehorn another chicken in here think more about how many chickens you want and then think how to provide enough space for them. It's a different mindset.

I find the more I crowd them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues as they come up.

Can you keep chickens in less than 4 square feet per chicken in the coop? A lot of people do. There area lot of factors involved, I cover many of those in that article. Personality of individual chickens, flock make-up (both ages and sex), climate, is space available outside when they need it, management techniques, these all and more can affect the results.

You can try adding more chickens than the 4 square feet rule shows, it may work or it may not. You can have trouble with more than 5 square feet per chicken. You just don't know, that's the way it works with living animals.

 

[Poultry4Health]

I do not believe in that 4 square feet per chicken rule. If you follow the link in my signature you can see why. Instead of thinking how can I shoehorn another chicken in here think more about how many chickens you want and then think how to provide enough space for them. It's a different mindset.

I find the more I crowd them the more behavioral problems I have to deal with, the harder I have to work, and the less flexibility I have to deal with issues as they come up.

Can you keep chickens in less than 4 square feet per chicken in the coop? A lot of people do. There area lot of factors involved, I cover many of those in that article. Personality of individual chickens, flock make-up (both ages and sex), climate, is space available outside when they need it, management techniques, these all and more can affect the results.

You can try adding more chickens than the 4 square feet rule shows, it may work or it may not. You can have trouble with more than 5 square feet per chicken. You just don't know, that's the way it works with living animals.

I am so grateful for the amount of typing you did for me. I am a slow typist myself. I'll go through your article. actually the bird breeds here must be unknown to you.Many hybrids and then Faiyumis that I have to choose from. I think as you suggested a lot if experimentation based on the factors you mentioned needs to go in. Grateful again.

 

[sunflour]

Can we beneficially increase coop area by adding shelves on one side if the coop for chicken to walk around. This will effectively increase coop area when the space is limited.

It depends on how much space you have. Adding vertical dimensions can help - I have an all-in-one coop/run and the gals love the extra outdoor roosts. Had to add a small "temporary" coop in the protected run for new additions, and everyone seems to enjoy going on it's porch and in and out of there. As well as trying to jump on top of it.

Same ideas as integrating newbies - places to get to of interest and to hide.

 

[Poultry4Health]

Can I see the pics

 

[sunflour]

If you mean me? Here's pic of the all-in one coop/run. I don't have one with the little coop inside the run, but could get a pic Sunday if ya want.