Nesting boxes too low

[Allie_pollman]

Nest boxes are just fine. I'd put them there too. I have 2 different heights and they use both. Floor level (about 3 inches off floor,) and next row up. It's a lovely coop, nice work. But how many chickens are going in there??

We only have 6 birds. Thanks for advice!

 

[ChickaChicka1]

Yep!! You're completely good. I have mine close to the floor too.

 

[Penpal]

You can have more windows if you cover them with hardware cloth.

Also, please put your location in.

 

[Allie_pollman]

You can have more windows if you cover them with hardware cloth.

Also, please put your location in.

We’re in western PA.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I can think of possible reasons nests can be too low. If you have a bad back you may not want to bend over to collect eggs or clean the nests. But yours is an elevated coop with access from the outside. This does not apply to yours.

Chickens scratch a lot when on the coop floor. If the coop floor is messy they can scratch poop or other trash in the nests. But you have a lip on your nests. You may need to raise the lip once you put bedding in there but let what you see determine that. They will probably be fine the way they are.

If you have a gap between the bottom of your nests and the floor it might make a good place for Mommy Mouse to raise a family. I can't tell if you have a gap or not. Mice can be attracted to the coop if you feed in there. If they can catch them your chickens will eat mice so I try to avoid creating hiding places.

 

[NatJ]

The picture isn’t very good. Our roosting bars at 12 in from the wall and over 18 in apart.

They are 18 inches apart horizontally and they are 8ft long each.

Horizontally is side-to-side.

If one roosting bar is 12 inches from the wall, and the other is 18 inches away horizontally, that would mean the second one is 30 inches from the wall (18 + 12 = 30)

In the photo, they look almost exactly the same distance from the side wall they are attached to. That would mean there is almost no horizontal distance between them. Poop from chickens on the top will land on chickens underneath.

Vertically is up-and-down distance. If one is 18 inches higher from the floor than the other, that would make them 18 inches apart vertically.

they are 8ft long each. We only have 6 birds.

If you only have 6 chickens, they will probably all sleep on the top bar, which will mean none get pooped on during the night. They will probably just ignore the bottom bar, so you could leave it in or take it out and either way would be fine. The bottom bar being underneath would only be a problem if you add more chickens, so they cannot all fit on the top bar.

 

[rosemarythyme]

The rafters are our ventilation. They are open on all four sides. We have hardware cloth stapled all along the rafters.

Excellent, that's the absolute best place you could have ventilation!

We live in a heavily wooded area. I would love windows but was advised with our area that it was not safe due to predators.

Windows shouldn't be a predator hazard as long as you cover any parts that open with hardware cloth or similar size welded wire. Or if you just want a bit of light then a fixed window just for light is fine. Unless you're dealing with bears, in which case hotwire would be your best deterrent as they can pretty much go through anything.

 

[Allie_pollman]

Excellent, that's the absolute best place you could have ventilation!

Windows shouldn't be a predator hazard as long as you cover any parts that open with hardware cloth or similar size welded wire. Or if you just want a bit of light then a fixed window just for light is fine. Unless you're dealing with bears, in which case hotwire would be your best deterrent as they can pretty much go through anything.

Yes, we have bear. On a regular basis! It’s our biggest concern.

 

[Vicker]

My current flock of goofballs rarely ever use their nice raised laying boxes. They choose to make a pile on the ground underneath. I had to go to great measures to stop them from laying in the poop under the roost.

 

[Miss Pigly]

My roosts have poop-catching shelves behind and slightly below. It looks as though you have room to add some.