Pecking your brain

[SeanBlack]

So im hoping to go from four hen to eight the house i have at the moment wont be big enough for that much so im just picking your brain on the essential you have in your coop. And what you want in yours.

 

[Judy]

As big as you can make it. Mine easily holds two metal garbage cans, a lawn chair and a 5'x5' pen for a broody on the nest or whatever. They can't be too big.

 

[mpruett]

I try to give 4 square feet per bird. I make my coops to hold about 10 hens comfortably. I do that so they will have enough room on days that they don't want to go outside. Today would be an example-we received 8 inches of snow and even though I opened their pen door, shoveled several paths down to the grass and cut open a pumpkin for them to eat, they pretty much stayed inside and didn't want to walk in the snow.

 

[Judy]

Here is a very good article about space. It gives the "standard," but remember that the idea of the standard is that it is the minimum needed to prevent severe pecking / cannibalism issues from developing.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need

 

[Hokum Coco]

In Canada I am subject to -40º cold snaps. I do NOT heat my coop. Murphy's law says my birds will find out what -40 is all about when my hydro goes out. Regardless what you decide feed extra Corn over the winter you will not be sorry.

Bedding
I have used all types of litter for coops.

I have not tried sand (sand gets good reviews on this site).

Of all the things I tried to date wood pellets have been the best. (I tried wood pellets as a last resort when pine shavings were not available.) They are super absorbent and swell up and eventually turn to saw dust. The droppings just seem to vanish and turn to dust when it comes in contact with wood pellets .

Replace my litter and clean my coop every October after I harvest my garden.


Works for me in my deep litter method.

I do add to pellets from time to time.

I have anywhere from 10 to 15 birds housed in my 4x8 coop.

Through the winter months the pellets froze harder than concrete with -40º temperatures. The poop froze before it could be absorbed by the pellets and there was like a crusty layer of poop in certain areas where they collectively took aim (no smell, messy feet or flies @ -40º). Come April things started to look after themselves.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new.

POOP BOARDS are the "BEST" addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in.

Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE!

Easy peasy!.