Ok here is my coop. Advice on placement of roost and boxes

[farmerbly]

Ok here is the coop I'm building. The coop is 8x8x8. Major part is almost done. Now I'm thinking about placement of roosts and laying boxes. 12 hens and a rooster is the plan. Plan is to build a laying box 2 floors high. 4 boxes on top, 4 boxes on bottom. 18" off floor for the first level and about 36" for the second level. Boxes will be approx 15"x15". Boxes will have a slanted top like pictures i've seen on here. Can i put the roost above the pop door parallel to the right wall? Or do they need to be at an angle in the back right corner so they will not interfere with the pop door. Plan is to put laying boxes on back left wall. feeders and water right inside the man door on the left. Sorry for the long description. But just want to utilize all the space correctly. Any advice will be appreciated.
Billy P

 

[farmerbly]

Any ideas?

 

[RedStarLady1207]

If that was my coop I'd put the roosts on the right side, two of them, staggered so they don't poop on each other. That way they are across from the nest boxes, not near the pop door or the food and water. You don't want the poop to get into the water or feed, nor would I want it where they walk through it to get in and out of the coop.

If you put them off to the right you can easily get in there with some space to move about unless you wanted to build a storage area. If I wanted the right side for storage, then II would put them in the back right corner mounted to the walls, once again, staggered in both height and distance from each other. You could put a removable tray under the roost area which would be nice to be able to pick up and take outside the coop to dump it.

Nice looking coop BTW! Are those windows at the top? Make sure you use 1/2" hardware cloth over them so nobody can get in when you open them for ventilation.

I wish I could have a 'real' coop! I can't have chickens so I have to go really low key.

 

[farmerbly]

Yes they are 12x12 windows. There are tow on each wall except on front wall only one. Was thinking about putting roosts on right side but they will be above the pop door. I can put a cover above the entrance on the inside where the chickens will not have to walk through anything.???? How does that sound???

 

[farmerbly]

The right side as you walk in.

 

[RedStarLady1207]

Now that I look at it better - I had thought you said the pop door was on the left, but I see it is on the right. I'd put the roosts in the back right hand corner.

Or maybe have one roost that starts in the back right hand corner and then turns the corner and comes only part way to the front wall. That way they are all the same height and side by side and you won't have to worry about them pooping on each other. Really, any place they can jump up a bit off the floor and not poop on each other, the food, or water, will work.

 

[farmerbly]

thats a good idea! Thanks for the info! I can put the laying boxes on the left wall in the back. And have room for water and food right inside the door on the left too. That will allow 12-14 feet of roost all at the same level. No fighting for top spot. Is 5ft too high for the roost?

 

[Tody 65]

I have the vintage metal nest and they are just 12x12 and my hens love them they really like to feel a little hidden thought that would help free up some room and I have 7 hens and all are laying but they only use two of the nest I have five on bottom and don't five on top didn't fix the top for them couldn't seperate the 10 nest complex and I have plenty of room in my coop

 

[Tody 65]

I have a plyboard under my roost and I put that plastic runner with the little spikes on back side down on plyboard and in the morning I take a dust pan and small hoe and rack off the dropping from the night and a couple times a week I take the plastic out and spray it clean my coop stays clean and no Odor I free range most of the day so coop stays clean

 

[ailurophile23]

Nice looking coop. Any particular reason you want 8 nest boxes for 12 hens? Chances are they will use one or two of the nest boxes - mine seem to prefer the ones on the bottom row and only use two of the four - they have never used the top row boxes. You could always convert the top row of boxes into a storage area. Or build two rows of two nest boxes. It opens up some space for other items - feeders, waterers, storage, additional roosts.