OK, Can't rebuild, what are my options (Realistic Please)

[Aunt Angus]

Have you researched deep litter? Or poop boards? I use a tray under my roosts filled with Sweet PDZ (stall refresher) and just scoop the poop like cat litter. (They're removable so I changed the orientation in these pics)
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Seems like water on the door would be very heavy, might be better with a bucket on the floor. Water also doesn't have to stay inside the coop. It can be outside on the ground. I use horizontal nipple waterers and they don't drip at all. And my diy PVC feeders don't waste any food either. My runs are fully secure so I keep all the food and water outside.
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Gotta say I love your coop!

 

[EggWalrus]

if you can build closer to the fence/property line without upsetting your neighbor, I would remove back wall and back roof sheathing and extended the coop 5-6 ft at the back putting new rafters on top of existing ones ad making the back roof slope less steep. Extending by 6ft would give you 13*9=117sq.ft. - enough for 29 birds.

You don't even have to remove back wall. Just add on to back of coop and cut in some doors between old coop and the new room. essentially double your floor space by adding on three walls to the back side of the coop. Plus a roof extention.

 

[CanadaEh]

You don't even have to remove back wall. Just add on to back of coop and cut in some doors between old coop and the new room. essentially double your floor space by adding on three walls to the back side of the coop. Plus a roof extention.

one big space is better than 2 small spaces (even connected), not to mention air exchange and cleaning, I would recommend to take off the OSB from that wall and reuse it on the new wall.

 

[CanadaEh]

I still need to put the egg retreival doors (6" circles behind each nesting box) clean out door on far wall under roosts and water/feed door (in the back).
Use the floor trapdoor as a clean out portal?

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on the subject of cleaning:
since it is not a walking coop and you will not have direct access to all floor surfaces for scabbing, I recommend deep litter. With deep litter you only add some bedding weekly or b-weekly, and remove everything only once or twice a year.

you probably have upto 6" or 8" to your windows to fill with bedding . You can put a box around floor hatch to prevent bedding falling down and move the front pop door up.

also get rid of those supports under the nesting boxes which will be in the way of raking out the used bedding once or twice and have those boxes attached to the wall. You may want to hang them slightly higher to allow chickens to walk under them (even with 6"-8" of bedding inside).

 

[Buckeye2002]

if you can build closer to the fence/property line without upsetting your neighbor, I would remove back wall and back roof sheathing and extended the coop 5-6 ft at the back putting new rafters on top of existing ones ad making the back roof slope less steep. Extending by 6ft would give you 13*9=117sq.ft. - enough for 29 birds.

Unfortunately, there are multiple utility lines that run underground right behind where I placed my coop. I was going to put it along the fence line until that discovery.

 

[CanadaEh]

Unfortunately, there are multiple utility lines that run underground right behind where I placed my coop. I was going to put it along the fence line until that discovery.

you can put the back of the addition on cinder blocks (no digging or spike driving needed)

 

[aart]

@Buckeye2002 the easiest thing to do right now would be to just remove the nests, get the lamps up, and get them out there.
You've got the winter to decide what to do next.

 

[PattyNH]

Thanks everyone...here is my plan:

I am going to take out the nesting boxes...cut holes in the back wall (which are about 4" thick), insert the nesting boxes into those newly cut square holes and fasten them with "L" brackets so that they are removable for cleaning (great suggestion @EggWalrus ), I am going to put a hinged door on the back of the boxes for egg retrieval. Then I am going to remove the lower fence completely, remove the lower ramp and put a trap door there and use is as my clean out hole. I am going to put another set of roosting boards at the end where my large door is now and also cut a hinged door just opposite of the front chicken door for access. Attached to this door on the inside will be my feeder/waterer. From both ends I will push the soiled straw to the middle and then use the back door to push it down the trap floor door into my wagon below. I am also going to get some sort of ventilation venting on both apexes of the walls at either end. In the spring I will pull out the section where my back door is (where the water and feed is attached) and create a separate space for them to eat and drink.

Am I getting close to getting it better? Thanks

Your coop looks great and, with the modifications your planning, will be a wonderful home for your flock! I just wanted to suggest that you will probably need to have more than one feeder and waterer. I am not sure what you will be using for either, but I found that with my flock of 14 I needed to add a second feeder for them. Also, are you sure they are all pullets? If some are boys you might have an easier time downsizing your flock lol. I ended up with 4 cockrels out of the 12 chicks I got in Aug. Still trying to find them homes before they hit puberty and start causing chaos
Oh, and one final thought - I took some advice from another thread and have one communal laying box. It is 32"wx18"dx14"h. One of my 2 older hens is the only player at the moment but she took to it right away.

Best of luck! Can't wait to watch your progress!!
Patty

 

[Buckeye2002]

Well I was started the "remodel" of the Chicken Condo. It is freezing here...LOL 20 degrees outside.

So, I have ran electricity out there and I have a lamp on with at temp gauge on the floor checking how the area warms up. I only have on at one end...when I move the girls I will move the second one out there for the winter.

I also changed the door at the end to open from the side rather than from the top...not sure what the heck I was thinking there.

The nesting boxes are out and the lower run ramp is gone. I did get the front ramp hinged and need to figure out the door. I am also working on the floor door that will be used as my clean out trap.

It's supposed to get up to 31 degrees tomorrow and I will see what I can get done.

Thanks for all the help and support....

 

[Buckeye2002]

I could use some clarification on ventilation. I am going to put some vents near the roof apex on each end. I have seen some suggestions on having ventilation near the floor. My concern is how windy it gets here in Nebraska. I could see all the heat escaping when the wind blows in from the lower vents.