Our coop rebuild, need a rework on the interior

[ThunderHillChick]

We completely gutted and rebuilt an 8x10 shed on the property and put a decent sized fence around it. I think I put my nest boxes too high, the chickens roost in the rafters. But some sleep in the nest boxes and there’s poo everywhere. If I lower the nests, and put in more roosts will this alleviate the poop boxes?? I have the cats in a 3’deep by 3’high box under the nest boxes. Any ideas on how to change up this floorplan to be more useful would be greatly appreciated.

 

[aart]

Am confused, what is this 'box'(that the chicken is standing on)
That's for cats?
and the framing below/next to it?

Wish you had posted at this stage:

So I could have suggested this:

Because I see no ventilation in your coop.

 

[grayjay11o]

I would definitely do hardware cloth, I've been raising chickens for ten years and never had a raccoon or a weasel until both moved in last spring and ate all but one of my pullets.

 

[ThunderHillChick]

I’d keep all the animals in the house but he won’t let me

I‘m almost as happy as the kittens are about the rework of the inside lol ... now my hens can’t sit over the door and poop on me when I come in. But everyone has room to roost, and there is a LOT more
Floor space and less human tripping over stuff.
Next, another coop (which will be built from the ground up) and a barn for the horse...

I was thinking when the horse gets his own house the cats can move there. Giving me that open space under the roost to brood my chicks, and introduce them to the others safely through chicken wire rather than the board wall that is there.

it’s all just a work in progress

 

[rosemarythyme]

We are planning a walled covered area next to the current building, at which point that panel on the side can be replaced with chicken wire which would grant a lot more ventilation without elements getting inside I think.

Chicken wire is not predator proof. Unless you're planning to run hot wire I'd definitely go with at least hardware cloth or welded wire, or layer the two. No openings larger than 1/2".

 

[HenOnAJuneBug]

I'd get rid of the top level of nests. You don't need that many nests unless you have 50 chickens.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Does anyone have “chicken swings” just thinking it might be fun to do with the short pieces of roost left overs... since I have rafters to hang them from.

Some chickens might use them, but most won't. Doesn't hurt to try, never know what results you'll get.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ok my helpers and I were very busy this morning.

Can't help but smile at the kittens playing in the boxes!

But I’ll send DH to store for hardwarecloth better safe than sorry. I’ve never seen a weasel or raccoon here (yet)...

I never saw a weasel around here until one ran past me on the driveway... it was heading off the lot so away it went. Never saw a bobcat either before until I looked out my window while having dinner and one was standing next to the chicken run, eyeing them. It's amazing the stuff that shows up when you have a bunch of chickens outside.

 

[ThunderHillChick]

WOOHOOOOOOO!!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Nest boxes look good in relation to roosts, however you may have birds that are struggling to get that high, roost bullying issues where lower ranked birds are being forced off or not allowed on, or birds that have developed the bad habit of preferring the boxes. Or some combo of multiple items going on.

A lower bar somewhere might help. For the time being I'd also cover the nest boxes in the evening to discourage them from sleeping in there (you can either uncover in the morning, if you're up pretty early, or go back late in the same evening and uncover).