New to chickens - already built coop - tell me what's wrong (or right) - Florida

[hkeibard]

I find it better to have 2 roost bars. Sometimes they have 'issues' with each other and giving one a separate bar to get on can be helpful to prevent quarrels. Also there's the late comer to the roosting party who tries to hop up in the dark, and ends up knocking 2 others off the roost in the quickly setting dark. Drama WILL ensue!! If it's warm out, they like a little room between each other, but when it's cold out I find they like to get in closer quarters to each other. A second bar wont hurt and can absolutely help in some situations. If they want to be close, they'll get close, if they want some distance for whatever reason, it's available.

Aaron

That makes sense. These birds are soooo dramatic. I think I will live with the 6' for now (cutting off the "walk the plank" overhang and see what they do when I open up the nesting boxes and of course remove the tarp for better weather. They haven't quite yet discovered that they can look out over there too, though the view isn't as good. I think I'm catching that chicken math fever and can see plans for more chicks already. Hope the hubby doesn't mind a redesign.

 

[hkeibard]

That looks like a great chicken coop/pen for your area.

Thanks. It was mostly already built, but I've learned from this forum and my experiences so far that it's always a work in progress.

 

[DouglasB]

As far as where they roost, plans are good,plans sometime work as planned, but I find chickens have their own plans, about everything!.