Newbie With Some Questions About Coop

[chasmism]

So hello! I have finally read a bit from the learning center and I have formulated some questions. Now I didn't read everything but I have been putting in some time. For each question I will put down what I figured out and the question I have. I haven't gotten far enough to figure out if I'll have free range or not. (I would like to but I have to get everything worked out.)

1.) Coop is for the chickens to stay in at night and it has roost for them to perch on to sleep. You let the chickens out in the morning and put them back before night comes. How do you get the chickens back into the coop?

2.) The run is a fenced off space (usually covered) outside the coop door for the chickens to go into. Is it for non-free range chickens to have room to stretch and, well, run? Does it serve any other purpose?

3.) The roost is a horizontal perch for the chickens to sleep on at night in the coop. If they have a roost then what is a henbox (is that what it's called?) for?
4.) Is the poop door is used to clean out the Coop poop?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

So hello! I have finally read a bit from the learning center and I have formulated some questions. Now I didn't read everything but I have been putting in some time. For each question I will put down what I figured out and the question I have. I haven't gotten far enough to figure out if I'll have free range or not. (I would like to but I have to get everything worked out.)

1.) Coop is for the chickens to stay in at night and it has roost for them to perch on to sleep. You let the chickens out in the morning and put them back before night comes. How do you get the chickens back into the coop?

2.) The run is a fenced off space (usually covered) outside the coop door for the chickens to go into. Is it for non-free range chickens to have room to stretch and, well, run? Does it serve any other purpose?

3.) The roost is a horizontal perch for the chickens to sleep on at night in the coop. If they have a roost then what is a henbox (is that what it's called?) for?
4.) Is the poop door is used to clean out the Coop poop?

Welcome to BYC!!!!
1 - you teach/train the chickens to think of the coop as their "home" - the place they roost at night - so that each evening, as it comes time to roost that is where they are drawn to go. In essence, you teach them to put themselves back in the coop. This can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
2 - yes that is it's purpose and yes it does serve other purposes. As an example, if you have a free range flock but find yourself dealing with an active predator situation, the run can come in handy to keep the birds penned up for a few days while you sort out the predator issue (some, like birds of prey, will often move on to new hunting grounds after a few days if the birds are kept out of reach). It can also be handy to have for other times when you need to be able to safely confine your birds and don't want to lock them into the tight confines of the coop itself 24/7
3 - the nest box is for human convenience - it is a place where the hens go to lay their eggs so that it is easy for you to gather them. It doesn't really serve a purpose for the birds, as they would happily lay elsewhere, but for you it makes life simpler vs. having to go on daily egg hunts. You wouldn't want the birds to sleep in the nest box because they poop (a lot) while they sleep and you don't want your eggs being layed into a box full of poop.
4 - I think you may be thinking of "pop" door - this is another name for chicken door, it's the little door that is cut into the coop to allow the chickens to enter/leave the coop.

 

[chasmism]

I think you may be thinking of "pop" door - this is another name for chicken door, it's the little door that is cut into the coop to allow the chickens to enter/leave the coop.

You're right. I added an extra O.

You can buy automatic pop doors right?

 

[KelliR]

I consider my girls "free range". They have a coop and run and get to roam the yard when i am outside gardening or just hanging out with them. I like to keep an eye on them while they are out. My ladies are let out into their run as soon as i hear the rooster next door crow! My coop is an old playhouse made of metal, so no pop door but windows. I have to go open the screen on their window to let them out. No way to automate that!! They spend the day outside in their run scratching for bugs and dust bathing....just doing chicken stuff. And wait for me to come home from work..when they get their daily treats! Frozen treats now as it's 100 + out. Funny thing about chickens....when dusk comes they inherently look for shelter as this is predator time. My ladies put themselves especially to bed. Around 7:30 or so I can count on them to be roosting and then i close their window screen to keep the bad guys out. I would suggest a poop board or tray under the roosting area for easy clean up. They poop a ton overnight. Mine is a tray filled with Sweet PDZ granuals and sand. Scoop with a kitty litter scoop in the morning and you'll keep a clean, fly free coop. I don't have built in nesting boxes. I use old laundry baskets and crates. They don't care as long as they have a place to go. I am only 3 weeks in with my 18 week old birds but i have realized that the things they need most are simple. A coop for sleeping without fear....a run with food and fresh water. A daily romp in the yard and a good sandy area in their run for dust bathing. They need sunlight and shade and attention. They really don't ask for much. Hope I helped.

 

[chasmism]

Yes your post was very helpful! Sorry I didn't reply sooner. It's good to know chickens are intelligent and kind birds. This page is making me excited about starting up with chickens. I'm also scared but I'm learning.

The litter box tray is a great idea.

The run seems to be very important. Is the type of sand they have important?

 

[KelliR]

Playground sand is fine or just construction grade sand. I am having a blast with our new family members!