Need help with my coop...

[PhatChicks]

There are small gaps in between the siding but you are right, no windows or anything. I do have a window I can try to put in. The hole that they can go in and out doesn't have a door so they can get a little light from there. Or I can open the door during the day to have the roosts open.

I'm just not sure which is best.

 

[kvtolbert]

Agreed with adding a window! Preferably more than one so they get a nice cross breeze. They give off a lot of moisture, especially in winter, and good ventilation can prevent illness. You might try adding horizontal foot holds to the plank, they might be having trouble walking up or down it without sliding?
We kept our guys (2 nankin hens and 4 mottled java chicks) in the coop for the first couple of days/nights until they got comfortable. Gave them toys and cabbage heads and fancy seeds to keep them occupied and learn to like their house. After their 4 day lock in, they started trooping in to the coop on their own at sunset.
I like your chain link set up, I wish we had gone that route when we designed our run! Looks like your girls have a cozy little home

 

[ShockValue]

The ramp looks very steep and no bumps or anything for their feet to grab hold of.

They don't like slipping and sliding, so they might just give up.

 

[PhatChicks]

I did add footholds to the ramp so they can walk up it. They get to the top and then jump down without actually going into the coop.

Last night I had to catch them all again and stuff them in there. So today I'm going to get some lettuce and other things (food, water, cracked corn, etc) to keep them busy and just leave the door closed for a few days. I also need to add a bit more light. We put in a plexi-glass window for right now to give some light but it only shines on the top of the roost, not the bottom of the coop. There are cracks in the sides so they will get fresh air plus a little bit of extra sunlight.

Anything else I am missing? I just want them to be content and know to go inside at night. I know it takes patience and as a new chicken owner, I'm learning as I go.

As for the fence, it's worked really well. I need to add one more panel to give a bit more space for them (and for me to clean) but overall, I like that it's moveable if I ever need to relocate my coop and run.

Raising chickens is hard!

 

[4 the Birds]

My girlies are almost 4 weeks old and almost fully feathered so I would like to get them in the coop this week... We have converted a shed into a coop... I have 3-4" of pine shavings in there, hoping to do the deep litter method... I also picked up some DE at Tractor Supply to sprinkle around... I am hanging my food and water containers from the ceiling per other people's recommendations... We have six pullets so we built 2 nesting boxes for them to share... My question is about the roosts... How high should they be? Where should I put them? Near the front of the coop or the back? I have been reading conflicting reports about the height... Some say to put them staggered so there can be a hierarchy, and some say to put them parallel so there is no hierarchy... I have also heard to put them higher than the nesting boxes... Our nesting boxes are about 2 feet off the ground... If our roosts are higher, should we put a little ramp there for them to get up to the roosts? Do I need to add poop boards and what exactly does that mean? Is it a piece of wood under the roosts to catch the poop? Any help is greatly appreciated!!

A ramp up to the roost bars will be best. Flying up to the bar only creates ALOT of dust and drama for those already on the bar. The bar will need to be higher than the nest boxes and ideally a board (to collect poop) below about 2 feet wide. This poop board will have piles of poop that you can easily scape clean daily and remove; Otherwise, you will have a row of poop on the floor bedding below the roost bar. The great thing about poop boards or benches is that you can utilize the space below them for feeders, water containers, or nest boxes.

 

[PhatChicks]

Okay! I think I finally have it all figured out. After everyone's advice and talking to the asst mgr at TSC, who has 50 chickens, this is what I have done:

1. Added a window for sunlight.
2. Make sure there is enough ventilation for fresh air.
3. Added footholds on the ramp up to the coop.
4. Added a ramp with footholds for the roosts in the coop.
5. I'm keeping them in the coop for a week or two (per the TSC guy) until they understand that the coop is their home.
6. Added treats like kale, cilantro, worms and grit to the coop to keep them busy. Of course, I'll keep clean water and food in the coop as well.

Since they aren't laying yet, I'll added the nesting boxes in the next few weeks. along with the a few more coop modifications. Because of time and money, I have to do everything staggered over a couple of weekends.

Thank you again to everyone who gave me advice!!

 

[cafarmgirl]

I did add footholds to the ramp so they can walk up it. They get to the top and then jump down without actually going into the coop.

Last night I had to catch them all again and stuff them in there. So today I'm going to get some lettuce and other things (food, water, cracked corn, etc) to keep them busy and just leave the door closed for a few days. I also need to add a bit more light. We put in a plexi-glass window for right now to give some light but it only shines on the top of the roost, not the bottom of the coop. There are cracks in the sides so they will get fresh air plus a little bit of extra sunlight.

Anything else I am missing? I just want them to be content and know to go inside at night. I know it takes patience and as a new chicken owner, I'm learning as I go.

As for the fence, it's worked really well. I need to add one more panel to give a bit more space for them (and for me to clean) but overall, I like that it's moveable if I ever need to relocate my coop and run.

Raising chickens is hard!

The cracks between the siding are not sufficient for ventilation. You need a window you can actually open or a window open all the time that is covered in hardware cloth. Openings are two sides will allow cross ventilation. In the summer you may want to put a box fan in one window to move the air, chickens just do not handle heat well. In the winter lack of ventilation results in humidity/condensation and frostbite.

 

[PhatChicks]

Yep, I am adding regular vents this weekend. We are in MI and have 60-70 degree weather this week with lots of rain so I figure this week without regular vents will be fine. Next week we will be in the 80's and sunny so I will definitely put in vents before then. As for the plexi-glass, it was just a quick solution to a dark coop. I do have a window I can add but need to make the coop a little better before I can do that.

The nice thing about the coop is that is sits about 16" off the ground so they can hang out under the coop in the shade and in the cool dirt.

I'll try to get better ventilation in there asap! Thank you!

 

[jetdog]

I see you got the roost in but as they grow their feet will be to big for the small edge of the board, I recommend that you turn them with the flat wide side facing up it will be much more comfortable and stable for their feet.

 

[PhatChicks]

okay, the wide flat side up? I can change that in the next few weeks. My Dad has been helping me since he's a builder so it's an easy fix.

Right now, I'm trying to think of things for them to do to keep from getting bored while they are in the coop for the next week. Today I gave them cilantro, kale, mealworms, grit, cracked corn. Not sure what else I should do to let keep them occupied so they don't start pecking at one another. They had this problem in the brooder box too so I don't want it to keep happening. I'm trying to figure out which chick is being too bossy so I can separate it for a bit but unless I sit out there all day watching them, it's hard to tell.