My chickens hate their coop!

[Chzikken]

 

[CalliBee]

Note to add, I measured my coop. I’m not good at eyeing measurements lol. Its 8 ft by 7 ft

 

[Chinachik]

So sorry you lost your babies. If you have a window on the other side you could put hardware cloth on it to add a cross ventilation a door on your coop entrance would help also. To secure the hardware cloth use screws and 1" washers about every 6 inches around the window to make it more secure. I have seen people drill holes towards the top of their coop and put hardware cloth over them to add a little more ventilation. As for your run if you have any access to pallets you could tie them together with 1 x 2's and wrap your chicken wire around it then stretch it across the top of the run. A predator skirt of hardware cloth 18 to 24 inches around the run and coop would help to keep anything from digging under. Love the swing set.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is there any links of ideas of how to add ventilation to my coop? Will just a fan do and the one window? Technically there’s another window on the other side but I keep it closed because there’s nothing keeping anything out when it’s opened.

Here's my article on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

Soffit and gable vents are probably the easiest to retrofit into an existing structure.

 

[McChooky]

I’ll get an exact measurement here in a little bit, I’m afraid it is too small. And it’s just the one window. I’m not sure how to incorporate more ventilation? Would I have to cut holes in the walls? Wouldn’t that make it more accessible to predators? (Sorry if that’s a silly question, I’m not the most handy person in the world).Is it dark inside the coop at dusk? If birds can't see, they won't want to go in.There’s a light I turn on right before dusk to encourage them, but never works. They rather the trees and on top of the run



Maybe around 80’s or more with all that body heat. I can test it tonight


And yes, I do force them inside at dusk. Once I get them down from the trees and off the run they march right into the coop without me having to do much more than that. I don’t let them stay outside all night. I’ve tried everything to teach the original 3 that liked to roost on top of the run(by locking them in the coop for a week, using lights, etc) but now more and more girls are joining them. I’m starting over again now, but it leads me to believe something about it they don’t like. Most of them have went right in perfectly up until a few days ago(after the rooster was taken) which might be a factor for them, however the roo was in the run the night he was snatched, while everyone else(besides ducks) were in the coop. Not sure if they saw what happened or not.

And thanks I’ll definitely look into those, never heard of them. I’m not the most handy person, and improvised on the coop I currently have which the flock I had prior to this was never this complicated and stubborn! Granted it was only 6, and not 16…

As I stated, a few of them have been sleeping on top of the run prior to the attack. Yes the attack might have had an affect on the rest of them, however my question is, is what kind of coop redesign would you suggest.

If you would kindly post pictures of the inside of your coop maybe a solution to your problem can be found (if it was only after the others heard the roosters screams they started roosting on higher ground).Sounds to me like this is more of a security issue than ventilation but it could be both. You'll have to force them to roost in the coop.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Hardware cloth nailed over any windows is a good and easy option for ventilation to start with, you may need more as per previous suggestions but it's a good place to start.
I had a coop that my chickens refused to use for sleeping ever again after they got a visit from a hedgehog. Hedgehogs are not a threat to adult chickens but boy do they hate them with a passion. Tree sleeping is a pain in the butt to change, you have my sympathy! I don't actually mind mine sleeping in trees, but I haven't got any night-time tree predator threats here.
I think if it were me I would focus on making a larger and secure run firmly attached to the coop, get them in there and keep them in there till they have retrained to the coop. Once a chicken has a new habit they are hell bent on sticking with it.
Sorry I can't help with the duck situation.

 

[McChooky]

Hardware cloth nailed over any windows is a good and easy option for ventilation to start with, you may need more as per previous suggestions but it's a good place to start.
I had a coop that my chickens refused to use for sleeping ever again after they got a visit from a hedgehog. Hedgehogs are not a threat to adult chickens but boy do they hate them with a passion. Tree sleeping is a pain in the butt to change, you have my sympathy! I don't actually mind mine sleeping in trees, but I haven't got any night-time tree predator threats here.
I think if it were me I would focus on making a larger and secure run firmly attached to the coop, get them in there and keep them in there till they have retrained to the coop. Once a chicken has a new habit they are hell bent on sticking with it.
Sorry I can't help with the duck situation.

x2

 

[aart]

Note to add, I measured my coop. I’m not good at eyeing measurements lol. Its 8 ft by 7 ft

Always best to actually measure
Now we need some pics of the coop, all around outside and inside.

Would also help a lot to know.....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here's an article on ventilation that might help explain things a bit: https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop.47774/ At the most simplistic, cutting openings and covering them securely with hardware cloth would be adding ventilation. Where it gets more complicated is placement (higher up is preferable, gotta think about wind/weather protection as well) but if you can get photos inside and out of the coop maybe we can spot some optimal places to add vents.

Also, I have another question. What’s the math for roosting? I’m spending my day trying to add more places for them to roost inside

Roughly 1 linear foot per bird, and at least 12" away from the wall and 14-16" away from other roosts.

Note to add, I measured my coop. I’m not good at eyeing measurements lol. Its 8 ft by 7 ft

Glad it's larger than you thought. Good to have the measurements.

 

[MrA123]

Im aware I need to find something better than chicken wire, possibly hardware cloth,

Hardware cloth is THE only way to go.