My boxes are about 3 feet off the ground and accessible from the outside. While I like that feature, alot, they are too high and the chickens want to roost in them and on the lip of them. They have roosts that are higher, but probably not enough linear feet of roost space. My flock has grown
Chicken math...
I am very spoiled living in CA. We don't get snow, not many nights below 30, and my chickens live in a wire run at night. I have tarps around it in the winter, but no heat or lights. They free range all day. I have been kicking them out of the boxes at night for the last few months hoping they would get the idea, but they don't. Tonight I let them have the boxes as they are saying it might actually snow here tonight or tomorrow morning.
The new coop will not really be for them unless they are broody or chicks, or maybe breeding pairs. I want to use it for storage and I may have the nests boxes accesible from in there and not from the outside. Haven't decided yet. They will still roost in the attached run at night. Much easier to keep clean than an indoor coop. My run is also inside the goat's pasture, with an electric fence around the pasture and another around the chicken run. I also have added 2 LGDs to the pasture, they are learning not to be chicken obsessed.
They are only puppies but I already see the guardian instincts in them. They are pretty awesome, even at 6 months of age.
I am hoping that lower boxes will discourage them from sleeping in them. But I bet the silkies won't stay out. They like it down low. I would love to see pictures once you get things done.
I am very spoiled living in CA. We don't get snow, not many nights below 30, and my chickens live in a wire run at night. I have tarps around it in the winter, but no heat or lights. They free range all day. I have been kicking them out of the boxes at night for the last few months hoping they would get the idea, but they don't. Tonight I let them have the boxes as they are saying it might actually snow here tonight or tomorrow morning.
The new coop will not really be for them unless they are broody or chicks, or maybe breeding pairs. I want to use it for storage and I may have the nests boxes accesible from in there and not from the outside. Haven't decided yet. They will still roost in the attached run at night. Much easier to keep clean than an indoor coop. My run is also inside the goat's pasture, with an electric fence around the pasture and another around the chicken run. I also have added 2 LGDs to the pasture, they are learning not to be chicken obsessed.
I am hoping that lower boxes will discourage them from sleeping in them. But I bet the silkies won't stay out. They like it down low. I would love to see pictures once you get things done.
