Please make me feel better

[CritterHill]

DH is doing pretty much all the work except for painting, so I can't complain too much. I just want some sort of validation that my chickens will be cozy in their mostly completed coop.

1) The thing is 10 feet tall in the front! He put a set of roosts up at 6 feet high in the inside so that they can use that space. BUT the chicks are polish and I have heard that polish don't like to roost that high because of their limited visibility? Is this true? Am I doomed to keep their poof heads in pony tails so they can see to use the roost?

2) The roost/ladder going up will be on a 60 degree angle (instead of 45)

3) Roost/ladder going up will only be 18 inches wide (I had thought 24 would be better so if one was roosting the other could get by)

4) Next boxes are only 10 inches deep. Again they are polish so somewhat smaller, but that seemed sortof shallow to me...

Opinions? Not that it will change anything, because the work is already done.

 

[Moselle]

I understand your anxiety - Dh made our coop and I was so worried with some of the changes he made to my "perfect coop" plans. Ha!

I'd bet the items you've mentioned can all be modified if any adjustments need to be made once the chickens are in there.

1. Is your roost basically a ladder, with rungs going up? If so, they can always roost on lower rungs if they want. The'll work it out amongst themselves as to who has to get out of the way for the "queen hen"

2. If the ladder is too steep, raise the bottom end of it on a bucket or flower pot turned upside-down. But I've found that my chickens are pretty good at flying/hopping, so I bet they'll just hop to the next rung up without much trouble at all.

3. Chickens like to snuggle together when they sleep, but if there are enough rungs (estimate 8-10" per hen) everyone will have a place and you will probably have 2 chickens snuggling on each rung - 3 if they really like each other.

4. I guess you might say there is an "ideal" nestbox size, but really, they just want a nice, cozy, safe place. 10" will be fine.

Brian, from this board, posted something for me back when I was all stressed out about my coop. Here's what he said:

"As a teen, I had two New Hampshire Red hens that free-ranged in my backyard. They slept in the eucalyptus tree at night, and laid their eggs on the ground in a corner of the yard that was well protected and shady. Their food was scattered on the ground or put in a dish. Water came from our dog's water bowl. I knew no better. Did the hens mind? Nah! I lived in So. Cal, and the winters were not an issue, though it could get down to 32. All was fine, and they lived long lives. Stop stressing!!!"
Brian

They will love what you have for them because you are giving them shelter from rain, safety from predators, nutritious food, and clean water. What more can they want?!

 

[CritterHill]

Good point. My Mom is having conniptions every time I talk to her about the coop. "You insulated you chicken coop! They're just CHICKENS!"

I have not had the nerve to tell her we put down linoleum flooring...

 

[Vamp-A-Billy Princess]

Mine has linoleum too...dont worry. It will be fine. If they dont get on the perches make a lower one out of a tree limb. Easy and free. That's what our perches are. I dont have any polish yet...hopefully some of my eggs have a polish daddy. Won't know til they hatch. Just put them in the coop and if you need to modify you can...but I'm sure it's fine.