Here are the spaces we did:
Breeding Pen #'s 2 & 3
And this is what we worked out. Using cardboard sheets from the feed store (they are put onto the pallet before loading the stacks of feed bags to keep the bottom bags from shredding & breaking during transit. Every delivery day my feed lady has dozens of these to toss out)
I disassembled everything, and reused all the pieces to create this basic frame. Since only chicken wire seperates these two coops at this height, I thought it would be BETTER if I could get all the chickens into ONE box setup. Instead of having one box with 3 chickens, we now have one box extending between two coops with 6 chickens (even though they are still separate from eachother)
The frame for the poop board is one solid piece, I cut enough of the wire to pass the 2X4 through to the other side & mounted it on a vertical 2X4 on this side and the back side is where a 4X4 sits anyway for the coops structure.
Using staples & cardboard I closed it in on the top & sides
The view from the other side of the wall too
and a closed in front
It's stapled to the rafters, and we bent it across the bottom so that we can flip that all up and get in there to pull the paper & poop out. It is not attached across the bottom to allow that. Instead I just stapled a piece of scrap cardboard scrap along the front of the frame to create a "lip" to keep the cardboard front in place when the chickens bump against it from the inside of the box.
This style won't work in all our coops, so I'm working on a corner unit too for my main hen house which current holds 2 breeding pairs instead of a flock of layers. I have one more open breeding pen too, still to do as well. 3 more to go. Then I think we'll be ok for the winter. Unfortunately, most of the damage has already been done to my roo's combs since our first unexpected deep freeze, but it's going to be a LONG cold winter, so better late than never.
