I have another question. Thanks for being so patient with a newbie chicken mommy. Well, I guess I’m not even a newbie yet as I don’t have chicks yet! I am converting a playset into a coop. The set we have is similar to this one
We are converting the fort part into a coop. My fort is a good bit taller than this one. My question is this....I was looking for a way to save room in the coop and had the idea of making a lower level under the coop, but sill allowing some space under that (as the fort is 4 feet off of the ground) for the chickens to get under it for shade. I was thinking of putting nest boxes in the lower level, with a separate ramp to get into the run. Is this idea doable? I guess I was wondering is it okay to have the roost and the nests in two different spots like that? I'm trying to avoid taking up room inside the coop with the nest boxes, and don't want to make external boxes as mine and my husband's woodworking skills are minimal. If I could make the two level design, would I enclose the bottom level just as I would the coop, with a small door to the outside? Should it also have ventilation? Sand, shavings, etc on the floor?
Thanks!
We are converting the fort part into a coop. My fort is a good bit taller than this one. My question is this....I was looking for a way to save room in the coop and had the idea of making a lower level under the coop, but sill allowing some space under that (as the fort is 4 feet off of the ground) for the chickens to get under it for shade. I was thinking of putting nest boxes in the lower level, with a separate ramp to get into the run. Is this idea doable? I guess I was wondering is it okay to have the roost and the nests in two different spots like that? I'm trying to avoid taking up room inside the coop with the nest boxes, and don't want to make external boxes as mine and my husband's woodworking skills are minimal. If I could make the two level design, would I enclose the bottom level just as I would the coop, with a small door to the outside? Should it also have ventilation? Sand, shavings, etc on the floor?
Thanks!
