Need help with inside design of coop

[brubend]

Okay, so we're in the process of building our coop. We followed Ana White's design for her Chicken Coop Shed. So we have a basic 4x8 coop (approximately) with a window on each short end and a people size door on the tall side (changed form the short side as the plans called for, but not installed yet). We put linoleum on the floor inside and hardware cloth on the inside of the windows, but that's it so far! We haven't put on the nesting boxes yet either, considering putting them inside or out.

So right now, we have a blank slate to work with. We have 5 chicks that are 6-7 weeks old (2 EE, 1 RIR, 1 black australorp and 1 BR). How would you design the inside of this coop? Open to ideas for a poop hammock or poop board, plus roost in front of the south side window, nesting boxes inside or attached to the outside. Experts, I need your input!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If the nests are elevated to allow room to roam underneath they can go inside. I like them outside even though they're harder to build and make weatherproof so they don't take up floor space.
Place the chicken door, roosts and nests in such a way that the chickens don't have to walk under the roost on the way to the nest during the day. If you use a well designed poop board - that's a moot point.
Ventilate, ventilate, ventilate. 5 chickens need 5 sq. ft. of opening 24/7, 12 months out of the year.
The way the window is hinged in the link would flow water right into the coop during rain.
Linoleum is a good idea.
That's a good sized coop for 5 birds.
2 nests will be sufficient.

 

[aart]

Roosts higher than nest boxes or they'll roost and poop in them.

Can design roost over nest boxes with poop board on top of interior nests.

Just looked at the pictures....but I'd suggest hinging that window at the top so you can have it open even if it's raining.

My Two Sense.

 

[teach1rusl]

I would run your roosts across one of your 4 ft spans, because this will give them more room to hop up/down to/from the roosts. Plus they can look out the window...lol. My first coop was 6x8, but because of where we put our human door, I couldn't run my roosts that way, so space to get up/down is an issue for me (and mine is 6 ft. - yours is only 4 ft). I would highly suggest dropping boards (in the pic), and wall mounted nest boxes (unless yours are attached from the outside), because both help conserve floor space. PM me if you have questions.