- Apr 28, 2013
- 4
- 18
- 72
I designed a coop and habitat area for my hens (4 years in use, 7 hens at the moment)
it has an enclosed roost area for extreme cold and an open air sides with roof- roost area(chickens choose to use this roost +90% of the time)
I have a plastic (roofing) slope under the roosting sticks with a gutter at the lower end, and a down spout that goes down into a bucket.
all i do about once a week is tap on the plastic with my bamboo stick and push poops to ward the down spout (less than 5 min) and i get a bucket of poop to take to the compost bin (black soldier fly food)
for the enclosed area and nest boxes, i lined the floor with a sheet of laminate (IVC US) this laminate has NO PAPER backing, it is all PVC. The advantages are , better insulation and better cleaning results and then I add straw on top of flooring. (because birds use this area only a few days a year i only need to clean the inside once a year, i also use the inside area when i get new chicks)
PS: for nest boxes , i use straw, Lavender, cat nip, sage bush , thyme , Rosemary.(there are other herbs that are also recommended, but thats all i got growing)
it has an enclosed roost area for extreme cold and an open air sides with roof- roost area(chickens choose to use this roost +90% of the time)
I have a plastic (roofing) slope under the roosting sticks with a gutter at the lower end, and a down spout that goes down into a bucket.
all i do about once a week is tap on the plastic with my bamboo stick and push poops to ward the down spout (less than 5 min) and i get a bucket of poop to take to the compost bin (black soldier fly food)
for the enclosed area and nest boxes, i lined the floor with a sheet of laminate (IVC US) this laminate has NO PAPER backing, it is all PVC. The advantages are , better insulation and better cleaning results and then I add straw on top of flooring. (because birds use this area only a few days a year i only need to clean the inside once a year, i also use the inside area when i get new chicks)
PS: for nest boxes , i use straw, Lavender, cat nip, sage bush , thyme , Rosemary.(there are other herbs that are also recommended, but thats all i got growing)
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