questions about coop

[Bryant Redhawk]

That should work nicely for a nest box. In my experience, chooks prefer to nest as elevated as possible. If they only have on the floor boxes, those are what they will use.

Spray foam will work nicely, I use it to seal seams and corners both in out buildings like coops and in building houses.

 

[gringold]

If I get my nest boxes off the floor, they need to be lower than the roost right?

 

[Bryant Redhawk]

Yes, you would want the roosts to be higher than the nest boxes.

Our nest boxes start at 14" from the ground and are 14" deep by 12" by 12" high and wide There are two rows one stacked on top of the other.

Our roosts are ladder type and 14" apart on a 48 degree angle, the bottom rung is 24" from the floor. The coop is deep litter so we don't need to use a "poop board."

 

[gringold]

Thanks. I'm sitting here thinking how I am going to redo what is already built to make this work.

 

[gringold]

Ok, I've been doing some thinking and exploring.

I have thought about doing a poop board where my roost is right now and a roost on top of it. I'm just afraid that will put the girls too close to the vent windows in the winter. My roost runs right down the middle and is high enough so that the girls can walk under it. I have room to raise the nest boxes maybe 4 inches off the floor. I don't know if that is even worth it. I have also read about people just putting trays under the roost, but once school starts back, I don't see me doing much in the morning so that might leave a mess for the chickens to be in during the day. Right now I am using deep pine shavings. I am stirring them up and adding more on occasion. It doesn't help that I have so many chickens. I am only keeping 5 and maybe even 4. I want them to have plenty of room. I think they are fine right now since they are still smaller, but I know as they get bigger they will need more room. I'm still in the what are these stage. From what others have said, I think they are all hens.

The floor of my coop is 5'x4'. The height in the front is 6' and the back is a little more than 5'. I plan on hanging my food and water from 2 of the rafters in the next few days, probably near the front. Any thoughts on any of this?