One chicken won't go in the coop... any design change suggestions?

[sarahsunshine]

Background: My husband built a run/coop for our 7 laying hens. He insisted on chicken wire, though I wanted hardware cloth. It is built as a 5’x10’ A-frame (50sqft = about 7’/chicken). The coop is the upper half of half the run, with dimensions of 3’8”x5’x24” tall (18.75sqft) with two nest boxes. The set-up was built so that we could move the chickens to fresh grass every 2 day1-2. I would love to have them free range, but so would our dogs (if you get my drift)! I have put two roosting poles across in the coop, and a couple in the run, just so they have a change of scenery.
We bought five 23mo white leghorns, and two ISA Browns (8mo) last Friday. We are newbies!

Now, my question (LOL):
One of the white leghorns has decided that roosting outside at night is a GREAT idea and refuses to go in the coop at night, even in the torrential downpour that we’ve had every night this week. I do not want her to stay outside because I’m worried the coyotes will get her. The other night I took the roosts out when I realized she was still outside, soaking wet. She still stayed outside, but hid under the coop instead (at least she was dry).

I suspect it is a design issue. Does anyone have any design changes/suggestions for getting her inside the coop? I would like to be able to secure the coop at night so that the chickens are safe from coyotes (we do not have raccoons here).


Why am I so paranoid about predation? I can hardly sleep at night, and we are supposed to go away this weekend and the neighbour will look after them! AHHH!

 

[appps]

Mine were a little younger but when they wanted to sleep outside instead of their coop I put one of our garden solar lights in there and they all cuddled up round it. Only had to do it for two or three days till they got the idea.

Is she too high to pick up? You could also just pick her up and put her in the coop at night for a few days. They normally get the idea after a few times and are quite easy to catch once they have settled for the night.

 

[sarahsunshine]

I will have to put a door in to do that! Right now I can't get into that part of the run without picking the whole thing up! LOL! But I would do that if I could!

Design changes for the next iteration!

 

[appps]

Well just try putting the garden solar light in their house then. Good luck!

 

[sarahsunshine]

Thank you, I will!

 

[aart]

7 chickens might not have enough roost space in the coop.
They need about 10-12" of roost length per chicken.
Can you post pics of inside of coop?

 

[sarahsunshine]

Aart! You are probably right! Will need to change that. I didn't know about the 10-12"! Shoot.

I have 2 roost bars in the coop that make a total of about 4', but they may not be able to get to 1 of them... And it's the ISA Browns that are always roosting on them. Perhaps if I put one slightly lower and length-wise instead of cross-wise it would make more space for the ladies. Here is the set-up when I first put it together. The upside-down rubber maids are the nest-boxes.




We did fix the issue of the door on the run, though, last night. We now have a door! It sure makes feeding and watering easier!





I also think that we have nice roosting bars outside, so that may be the issue too - not enough inside, plenty outside.

Now, how can I arrange the inside and have space for everything... the A-frame makes sense for many things, but not much vertical space. I will re-think this next time we build a coop!

Maybe I'll have to make the nest-boxes outside (hang on side)... Hmmm.... I planned to build two propper nest boxes last night, but we built a door instead. Propper nest boxes would take less space, and be more cosy.


I also need to make the coop predator proof, so I will work with this and have a solution by next week. Any more design suggestions would be great!


THANK YOU!

 

[Chicken2628]

I have a guinea hen that couldn't go inside at night, so I built a little door; so I could enter the run. The door doesn't have to be big. Just enough for you to fit into it.

 

[sarahsunshine]

House has been redesigned.. lifted the gables. Now there is lots of room to roost. I also decreased the size of the nesting boxes (they were rubbermaids, now they are appropriate 14"x14" demensions). Makes for much more space/ there are 2 - 4' long roosting bars at different heights. The last two nights there were 3 chickens roosting on one bar and none on the other. I haven't put the roosting bars paermanently yet, so I'm moving the other around until it gets used. It's higher up so I think the dominant hens will like it more than the one that they are currently roosting on. In the meantime, it's a lot roomier than the A-frame design, and I swear the chickens have an extra jump in their step, and cockiness in their attitude. Plus, now, everyone is in there at night, the nest boxes are clean, and their wet/dirty bums are drying up! If it all happens at the same time, some of it must be correlated!

 

[sarahsunshine]

And this is what the insied looks like now. Definitely more spacious!