questions on Coop design specifications. Thought of Another Question!

[Cocotte]

My husband is in the middle of making up plans for a very awesome coop (thank you to every one to posts pictures and great ideas!!), but he has a few questions and needs a bit more info:

1. How high should the roost be? The coop is a 4'x4' box shape, and then will have the roof going up higher than that, but slanted on two sides. The straight walls of the coop are 2.5' high. (I hope that makes sense, it looks like a little house) I was thinking of having it a foot, foot and a half off the floor?

2. Poop board? Worth it or no? It seems like a lot of people here have them and like them. How wide is the poop board, do you centre it under the roost, how far down underneath the roost does it go? If they have a poop board under the roost, will they sit on the roost or the poop board? (if they just sit on the poop board it kind of defeats the whole purpose, doesn't it?)

3. How big should the next boxes be? Right now our guess is either two boxes that are 12"L x 12"H x 15" deep, or one long communal box that is 12"H x 24" L x 15" deep. We will have 3 or 4 birds. How high off of the floor should the be. Our guess right now is to have them 6" off of the floor.

4. How big should the chicken's door to their coop be? We plan to have it 4" or so off of the floor to keep shavings, etc. from being kicked out.


Any tips or suggestions are welcome! Thanks so much!

*edited to add this question: I've seen several pictures of coops with windows that are open and covered in hardware cloth -- do you leave them open to air year round, or block them off closed in the winter? Maybe I shouldn't, but I worry that if I have open wire windows like that my chickens will get cold!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Chickens instinctively roost on the highest thing they can. Your roost needs to be higher than anything you do not want them to roost on or in. Think especially, higher than the opening to the nesting box. You do not want them sleeping in the nests. They poop a lot when they sleep.

Poop board? Depends on how often you want to change out your bedding, your schedule and your management techniques. No one answer is right for everyone. If you do use one, it needs to be low enough you can scrape it off without the roost getting in your way. They will sleep on the roost if it is just a little higher.

For four hens, one 12" x 12" nesting box should be plenty, but if one goes broody and you want her to hatch in the coop, a second would be necessary. Height in your coop becomes a bit of a problem. If the nesting box is so low that they cannot get under it (consider the height of your litter) it takes away from available coop space. If it gets too high, you have trouble keeping your roosts higher than your nesting box. Of course you can use the top of your nesting box as your droppings board. Just have enough of an overhang so they cannot poop in the nests while roosting. Another option is to hang the nesting boxes outside your coop with an opening in the wall. This would probably require a door so you could get the eggs from outside the coop.

I made my pop door 12" x 12" and it is plenty big enough. You can see which breeds I have in my signature for a size comparison to yours. I'd suggest a little higher than 4" off the floor to keep the shavings in. They do love to scratch. Mine are about 6" above the top of the litter and they still kick a few shavings outside.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I don't think it will really matter how high the roost bar is off the floor, just as long as it is higher than the nest box. If you look at my BYC page you'll see how my roost bars run from one side of the house to the opposite side and are just higher the roof of the nest box.

 

[Cocotte]

Quote:
In their sleep?? Ha! I was wondering why a lot of poop ended up on the board, I just figured the liked to go while up high or something.


Quote:
We do plan to have external next boxes, complete with a hinged door for egg collection.

Quote:
I've got a couple of EE chicks, and will get an Ameraucana or two as well.

Thanks so much!

 

[Cocotte]

Quote:
Thank you! It's really helpful to have pictures, your coop is fantastic!

 

[Cocotte]

I've seen several pictures of coops with windows that are open and covered in hardware cloth -- do you leave them open to air year round, or block them off closed in the winter? Maybe I shouldn't, but I worry that if I have open wire windows like that my chickens will get cold!

 

[Cocotte]

bump!