Hey guys I have to say learning a lot here. I have starting building my choop for my 11 chicks. It is 8'x8' by 4' tall.I hope this is big enough. I plan on building 10 nest boxes on the outside wall. Which I am wondering if this is enough? My roosting area will be 72"x48" with two 6' branches 18" apart from each other. I am wondering guys what kind of paint I can use for the outside that you would recommend? Thanks
I'll leave the dimension questions to others - can't think in inches and feet! I would suggest that you need no more than 3 nest boxes. The recommended ratio is 1:4 and even then, you are likely to find that they all prefer one box! Depending on your location and weather, the general coop floor space recommendation is 4 sq ft per bird, and the roost space 1-2ft (depends on your breed, but the more space the better IMO). If you could make the coop tall enough to walk in, you may find it a lot easier. All the best CT
You absolutely do not need that many nest boxes for 11 birds. 4 would be plenty enough. The numbers CRKen gave you are perfect for a coop and roost. You might want to include a poo board under your roost. Makes cleaning the coop infinitely easier. I even made the wall opposite the door able to slide away like patio doors. This way I can hose out the floor of the coop when needed. It gets really hot here so I include a lot of ventilation. Make sure you haven't even the smallest gaps anywhere that critters can get in. Minks and weasels can squeeze through the most incredibly small spaces. And, you might be shocked to see how small of a space a coon or possum can squeeze through.
Thanks guys I plan on using sheet metal under the roost and using it for compost. I will have two windows that will be 2'x4'. They will be placed on the side walls of the coop. I wanted to make the coop big enough for future if I wanted a Rooster since I have pullets (I hope). They will have a fenced in run that will be 16'x16'. I read that the hens don't lay their eggs at the same time. I was wondering if this was true. So if I build three double stack nest giving me six I would be ok?
