Please evaluate our coop situation

[mamamarye]

We picked up our coop and run on clearance at Tractor Supply this past winter for a grand total of $169. The plan was to get us started this year, figure things out, and then build a bigger, more customized coop later this year for next season.

I am worried about egg laying time. I kept the nesting box sides down to encourage the girls to roost at night but just set them back up and put left over clean pine shavings in there but they have kicked them all over into the roost area and tray. I plan to try straw next in the boxes. (we have 6 barred rocks and 3 nesting boxes)

I've tried to find this answer - but the tray is a lot easier to keep clean without substrate. I can just scrape and dump the poo. But should there be substrate under the roosting bars on the tray? I started out using pine shavings all in the box but that got old really quick. Not enough space to do deep litter and as it warmed up it was...unpleasant.

They free range only when we are at home or outside but I'm worried they are going to lay where they please and I'm going to have spoilt eggs.

It has been amazing how they do seem to do things like clockwork without much coaxing or training so not sure why I'm not trusting them on this.

I have learned this coop drives me crazy and it will not be around after this winter. I've enclosed a photo...thanks for your help!

 

[barred2rock]

The nesting boxes should have about a 3" lip on the front to prevent the birds from scratching out the bedding and/or eggs. Chickens likely won't use nesting boxes without the bedding.

 

[mamamarye]

The nesting boxes should have about a 3" lip on the front to prevent the birds from scratching out the bedding and/or eggs. Chickens likely won't use nesting boxes without the bedding.

The prefab roost with boxes is missing a lip. We will try and add that on. Yes, they effectively emptied the boxes of pine shavings and moved it all to the roost tray Hopefully adding a lip will help that. Thanks!

 

[junebuggena]

For 6 Barred Rocks, that set up is much too small. 3 nest boxes should be plenty. But that coop and run are too small. Barred Rocks are a breed that NEED their space, and need to be kept occupied. Keep them too crowded and they become bullies. You'll need at least 4 sq ft per bird in the coop, not counting nest boxes, and at least 12 sq ft of run space per bird. You're going to need a larger coop much sooner than you planned for.

 

[mamamarye]

For 6 Barred Rocks, that set up is much too small. 3 nest boxes should be plenty. But that coop and run are too small. Barred Rocks are a breed that NEED their space, and need to be kept occupied. Keep them too crowded and they become bullies. You'll need at least 4 sq ft per bird in the coop, not counting nest boxes, and at least 12 sq ft of run space per bird. You're going to need a larger coop much sooner than you planned for.

My husband was just saying this today that he thinks it's not enough space. Crazy they advertise it's enough for six chickens. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[junebuggena]

They use commercial egg farm standards for the capacity. Needless to say, that's not the sort of conditions most people want to keep their birds in.

 

[Cinnamon/Buff Chic]

I have a similar coop but it's in an enclosed 10x10ft run. So they have free roam and I don't have to worry about shutting the coop door every night. I have 3 Buffs and 2 cinnamon queens-originally had 4 Buffs but one turned out to be a rooster so traded him for the 2 queens. They are also scratching all the straw out into the pan from the brooder boxes but there's not much of a lip in between so I will now fix that problem upon reading this. I also added two buckets on there sides and put them below for extra brooders with wood across the bottom to keep the straw in. They are 18 weeks this week and just switched to the layer feed-organic of course. Do they need a bigger coop? Totally bummed if so cause we've spent good money on the one we've got!

 

[barred2rock]

I have a similar coop but it's in an enclosed 10x10ft run. So they have free roam and I don't have to worry about shutting the coop door every night. I have 3 Buffs and 2 cinnamon queens-originally had 4 Buffs but one turned out to be a rooster so traded him for the 2 queens. They are also scratching all the straw out into the pan from the brooder boxes but there's not much of a lip in between so I will now fix that problem upon reading this. I also added two buckets on there sides and put them below for extra brooders with wood across the bottom to keep the straw in. They are 18 weeks this week and just switched to the layer feed-organic of course. Do they need a bigger coop? Totally bummed if so cause we've spent good money on the one we've got!

Well, at the very minimum they need 4 square feet in the coop and 10 sqft in the run per bird. My coop is 8x8' and the run 8x18' for five birds. That's 12.8 sqft in the coop and 28.8 sqft in the run per bird.

 

[cridjynx]

Put some Sweet PDZ or Stall Dry under the roost bar. It dries the poop out and doesn't get smelly right away like pine shavings/flakes. You can scoop the poop out with a kitty litter scooper.

 

[cridjynx]

We have almost the same coop for quarantine and isolation.