poop board in coop design and a vent question too!

[darbywpd]

I am in the middle of building a 4X8 coop, which is raised 2' off the ground. I have heard of people talking about poop boards, but thought it was just extra work (I had planned on the deep litter method). While on the forum last nite, I saw one persons poop board, oh my god that was alot of poop. So I was thinking of putting a roost 2' high in coop, with a poop board 20"high (coop will be 5' high in front 4' in back). To me this would allow the chickens the full use of the floor space, without getting pooped on. Though with the poop board being 4 feet up, it will be harder to clean. Any thoughts?

Also, I plan on having vents in the roof area at the front of the coop. How big should they be? They will run the full length of the front of the coop (8'). I will also have windows in the front of the coop. Should the vents on top be 12"???? 6"???? 8"???? high??? The vents will be open in the winter and the windows closed. Thanks everyone!!!!!!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
FWIW, deep litter and droppings boards really have little or nothing to do with each other in most cases, IMHO -- it takes only seconds (literally) to clean a well designed poo board, so time is not an issue, and the less poo goes into the bedding the longer hte bedding can go before needing a cleanout. Also if you care about composting for the garden, you can get much faster composting by controlling the ratio of poo to 'dry brown stuff', as you can when you have a droppings board providing you a source of pure poo.

putting a roost 2' high in coop, with a poop board 20"high (coop will be 5' high in front 4' in back). To me this would allow the chickens the full use of the floor space, without getting pooped on. Though with the poop board being 4 feet up, it will be harder to clean. Any thoughts?

First, let me admit your math confuses me -- do you mean the droppings board will be 2' above the coop floor and the roost 2' above *that*, so that the roost is 4' above the floor? Or is the issue not about height so much as it is about having to reach across to the other side of the coop to get at the board?

In a 4x8 presumably-reach-in coop you would either a) want the droppings board to be reasonably accessible, perhaps right along the access-doors wall of the coop instead of along the far wall, or b) use a long-handled tool and expect to do a certain amount of leaning in. A hoe is a fairly traditional board-cleaning implement, but something with a larger 'blade' would be more efficient.

Also, I plan on having vents in the roof area at the front of the coop. How big should they be? They will run the full length of the front of the coop (8'). I will also have windows in the front of the coop. Should the vents on top be 12"???? 6"???? 8"???? high??? The vents will be open in the winter and the windows closed. Thanks everyone!!!!!!

As you might guess if you've read my ventilation page I am going to vote for "can't go wrong by making 'em as big as you can", on the grounds that it is extremely easy to shut off unwanted amounts of ventilation but really annoying to discover you haven't after all got enough

What climate are you in (summer and winter weather). That makes a difference. Also coop pics might help?

If you get cold winters then I would suggest if at all possible you arrange things so that you can have all your winter-use openings at the usually-downwind end of the coop with the roost at the opposite end (or enough roost space per chicken that they can squish down to the opposite end)

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[darbywpd]

To clear up my post some, the poo board would be 20" off the floor and the roost will be approximately 4" above the board (2' above floor). To me, this would allow the chickens to use the area under the poo board. For cleaning, the poo board would be approximately 4 1/2' from ground level (elevated coop)

As for the vents, I reside in Maryland near Baltimore. We get snow, but melts within a few days normally. Still it's cold during the winter. As for wind, well I live in a depression and wind can be a tricky thing....seems to swirl or come from a different direction every day.

Thanks for the help.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Aha. K, not clear to me that should be any problem, apart from however far you'd have to reach *into* the coop to get at it.

As for the vents, I reside in Maryland near Baltimore. We get snow, but melts within a few days normally. Still it's cold during the winter. As for wind, well I live in a depression and wind can be a tricky thing....seems to swirl or come from a different direction every day.

If your wind direction is unpredictable, you're (barely, barely) far enough north that it'd be worth having some vents atop all or most walls, so you can compensate for whatever the weather's doing that day. Also for sure you get hot enough to bother chickens sometimes and the more vent area you have the better. I can't see any obvious reason not to make the vents as big as seems sensible for the structure, e.g. your 12" height or whatever you think you can get away with. Have flaps or whatever to partly or fully close them, and there ya go.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[goldtopper]

The only trouble with the poop board being just a few inches below the roost is that sometimes they will roost on the poop board. Don't ask me how I know this!