Progress into coop

[LaceNewb]

Here is the coop I’m finishing up today. So the whole floor plan is open and I was thinking of putting roosts in front of both sets of needing boxes and not sure where to put others. Ideas? Under each roof to the next roof will be open for ventilation and I was thinking of doing a net window or something and not upper top and Piece. The big lower end is where the whole will be for them to come out

 

[aart]

How big are those nests?
They should minimum 12x12x12".

You only need 1 nest for every 3-4 birds.
With a 4x8' foot print in your coop = about 6 birds = about 3 nests.

 

[LaceNewb]

How big are those nests?
They should minimum 12x12x12".

You only need 1 nest for every 3-4 birds.
With a 4x8' foot print in your coop = about 6 birds = about 3 nests.

The nests are 12x12.5 each

 

[LaceNewb]

The nests are 12x12.5 each

For the roosts, are 1x2's ok if I put them flat ways for more of a grip?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So here's one issue as far as roosts... birds want to roost higher, and with the height of the nests, it's going to be tough to put bars any higher than the nests (as you need headroom and room for draft to go over their heads. So you may be fighting to keep birds out of the nests at night, hopefully not, but it's a possibility.

Conversely I almost want to advise you to scrap the entire set of lower nests (take out dividers) just to provide more floor space, but that certainly doesn't help with roost placement.
Gosh it's just amazing looking at that wall of nests...

You will need at least 2 roosts spanning the length to accommodate the birds. Just as far as headspace, might need to attach them about a foot up, where the floor of the higher set of nests is heightwise. And then be prepared to chuck chickens out of the nests at night if it comes to it.

 

[Windrider]

It sounds like you are planning to have ALL 18 chickens living in this 4 x 8 foot coop, right? That's going to be mighty crowded! I think aart is right (6-8 chickens) unless they are going to have a big, secure and weather protected run attached. You get at least some snowy days, right?

Those are beautifully made nest boxes, but I agree that the chickens will need the floor space rather than all the boxes. I think I'd keep the set of six that you have on the small wall and take all the ones on the long wall out.

That will give you room for two roosts running the length of the coop, one on either side. Maybe you can get them a bit higher than the top set of nest boxes, but not much, to help alleviate roosting in the nest boxes (to avoid poopy eggs in the future). Most people use a 2x4 roost, either side up, depending on preference.

Now, I have bantams, and they would absolutely try to roost on those beams you have supporting the monitor. Not a lot of headroom there for full sized girls, but mine would cram themselves up there.

 

[aart]

I think I'd keep the set of six that you have on the small wall and take all the ones on the long wall out.

OhGeez, I didn't even notice those!
Good Eye...and good suggestion.

 

[rosemarythyme]

OhGeez, I didn't even notice those!
Good Eye...and good suggestion.

Hmm, I thought it was just cross beams marking where the pop door went. But they look nest sized... Might need OP to confirm if that's what we're looking at?

 

[Windrider]

12 nests (2 stories) on the main back wall and 6 (2 stories) on one small side wall.

In the original post, they said there were six on the small wall.

 

[LaceNewb]

Thank you all for everything that is being talked about. Ok so I have removed all the nesting boxes along the long wall as you can see, and I left the 6 on the small wall. I am putting this whole thing on a tabletop like stand to give them a nice shady area with dirt for dirt bathing and then I am going to have a huge enclosed run with grass surrounding this all. I feel I need more nesting boxes bc in feel like they are going to start laying eggs in the yard or something bc not all will have a spot to lay off all the boxes are being used. I guess I don't understand how the laying process goes but as you can see I will be putting roosts thought the entire thing now.