my cheap design. any ideas?

[elmo]

I noticed you're planning on a wire floor for the coop, and poop falling through the wire? You may want to look at this thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=459533

 

[mendozer]

Quote:
I will be cutting the cabinet smaller though so it's maybe 10" high? and 20" long? I want them to be comfortable and i would think wood would keep warmth in more than plastic. I'm still figuring the size of the total frame based on the materials i get (remember, they're recycled scrap wood pieces) so my A frame may be more like an L frame with a wider angle up top. Or if worst comes to worst, i could use extra wood for a (catawbug?) whatever it's called lol. The A frame with a wider angled top.

 

[mendozer]

ok you've scared me out of wire mesh. haha. i'll go with a bin of some sort and do a deep litter in the bin under the roost. do they only poop during sleep? i thought birds just go whenever. I'll prepare for expanding the DLM for next winter and build up the area around the door so i can keep more shavings in there.

I'll also use DE since everyone seems to like that stuff.

although, will they dust bathe in the bin with shavings? I don't want them to dust bathe in the shavings with poop in it!

 

[elmo]

I want them to be comfortable and i would think wood would keep warmth in more than plastic.

Am I understanding your idea correctly? This is just for the nestboxes themselves, right?

The chickens will only use those to lay, not sleep in (hopefully...you don't want them sleeping in the nestboxes because they'll get them all poo-ey). Wood nesboxes will be heavier than plastic ones, and you want to keep the tractor as light as you reasonably can. I assure you, plastic nestboxes are perfectly comfortable for chickens. See? So comfortable even a rooster likes to sit in 'em.

And, don't forget that every chicken already comes with its own down jacket. Generally speaking, chickens handle cold far better than they can handle heat.​

 

[elmo]

Quote:
I'm not really sure if you can do a "deep litter method" in a tiny little A frame tractor. I don't use that method myself (I use sand in my coop), so you probably better ask that question specifically in another thread to find out if you can do it in a tractor on such a small scale. I doubt it. The whole method relies on you being able to add layer after layer of shavings on top of the soiled shavings, but in an A frame tractor you'll run out of headroom after only a few inches. I think a poop board/tray might work better for you in this set up.

Yes, birds do poop all night (and all day, too, but during they day they're always moving around). They go to bed with food in their crops and their digestive systems continue to operate while they sleep. That's why a poop board or tray under the roost is such a great invention. All those droppings collect in one place and a board or tray makes removal quick and easy. You can do this daily and keep the inside of your coop nice and clean.

You don't want to confuse the nestbox with the poop tray/board, and you don't want your chickens to get confused, either. Make sure the nestbox is lower than the level of the roost and your chickens probably won't start sleeping in the nestbox. As mentioned before, you don't want them to sleep in the nestbox because of the poo.

Chickens prefer to dust bathe in actual dirt or sand. I imagine if they're deprived of a proper dustbath, they might try to use the shavings, but shavings wouldn't really do the job properly. Provide them a separate tray or bin with sand in it. They love it.

 

[mendozer]

ok i think i got it.

they'll dust bathe in the free run over grass/dirt.

i'll use plastic bins or buckets for the nesting boxes, and I'll put a narrow tray under the roost for poop. Do they need lots of space to roost? or can 4 chickens bunch up on a 2 foot piece?



also: we got a chick feeder and water tray. I can always keep that for the coop right?

http://www.strombergschickens.com/product/chick-feeder-yellow/chick-feeders for food

http://www.mypetchicken.com/catalog/Feed-and-Water-Supplies/Chick-Waterer-Plastic-1-quart-p299.aspx for water

i can fix something to it to hang from the ceiling, but i don't know if it's necessary

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Figure 1 foot of width per chicken, so for 4 chickens you should try to allow 4 feet of roost width. You can put two parallel roosts in to get to that number (at the same height, preferably, because if one is higher than the other, the chickens will squabble over who gets the higher roost). For the typical standard size chicken, you'll want about 18 inches to 2 feet of headroom over the level of the roost, if possible. Tricky in a A frame, but do the best you can.

The problem with those chick feeders and waterers is that they're top heavy and easy to knock over by adult chickens, and they don't hold very much food or water compared to what adult chickens consume. They're perfect for chicks, though.

I use these waterers like these for my adult flock:

http://www.randallburkey.com/1-Gallon-Chick-Fountain/productinfo/13080/

and for feeders, like these:

http://www.randallburkey.com/Economy-Plastic-Hanging-Feeders-3Lb/productinfo/10830/

I don't bother with hanging them, but as mentioned before, I set them in a plastic plant saucer on the floor or ground. People hang feeders and waterers to elevate them and keep chickens from kicking bedding into them. I elevate my waterers on bricks or patio blocks instead.

 

[mendozer]

ok good i'll look into that when they're older.

as for right now, it's more detailed planning and today I'm picking up more building materials. I'll post as things progress

 

[bekisar]

Hi ; You asked for "ideas". I hope that you are not offended,and I hope you like my drawings. I had a lot of fun doing this and as far as I am concerned anyone can use these. I attempted to use your ideas as much as possible. Let me know if you like it or not. Thanks for your drawings.Wayne B. "Bekisar"[email protected]

NOT DRAWN TO ANY SCALE. Covered nest boxs are cleaner.Feed and water placed UNDER the nests also helps keep it clean.

 

[elmo]

Quote:
If you dust off your high school geometry and calculate the square inches of ventilation those little holes provide, I think you'll realize quickly that they don't give you nearly enough, less than a single square foot. A good rule of thumb is to build 1 square foot of ventilation per chicken. And those hole vents are right next to the roost in this design, which means you really can't leave them open in cold weather. It's a real headache to figure out how to ventilate an A frame to get around this problem.

Here's an excellent page on the subject of ventilation that thoroughly discusses all the factors and options:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1642-VENTILATION

If you put wire mesh on the floor of a tractor, you'll accomplish two undesireable things. It will interfere with the chickens scratching on the ground, and some droppings will catch on the wire which will then follow when you move your tractor. Much better, in my opinion, is to add a hinged wire apron to the baseboard, extending outward flat on the ground for 2 feet or so. You can weigh the corners of the apron down with bricks, etc., when the tractor is parked. The apron serves to deter digging predators.