Roost and poop board design

[Tervish]

My coop is in the final stages of construction (yay!) and I want to see if anyone has input on my roost plans.

The coop is 4' wide and 6' long. Full size door on one short wall, I can easily walk in. 4 external nest boxes at floor level on left side. Pop door on right side near the front. Currently 7 chickens.

I was thinking of putting a poop board across all 4 feet of width in the "back" opposite the walk in door. 21" tall would be over nest box openings. I'd like 2 parallel roosts across the 4' width, same height, maybe 8" above the poop board? The back roost is planned 12" from the back wall, and the second roost 12" from that. Then making a 30" deep poop board would leave 6" of board in front of the front roost. There would be just over 3' of clear space in front of the board for takeoff and landing lol.

The poop board plan is 3/8" plywood with linoleum on top, and a lip for a PDZ scooping system. It would not be impossible to pull a board that size out for extra cleaning but it would not be very easy either.

Is 12" between roosts okay, or will that lead to harassment across the aisle? Any input on height of roost above the board? I have seen 4"-8" mentioned mostly I think.

Anything I have failed to consider?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Hubby says I can't visualize ... I can't

Poop board is a really big PLUS in a coop, I know that for a fact, mine was installed after the fact. So the height was an issue for me. If you notice in the picture, the highest roos is above the "nest box" and the poop board was added after. So the height & spacing (roost vs poop board) became an issue for me. Think it's about 6" between the roost & PD.

Wondering if I didn't put a roost above the NB, installed the PB under the roost to the left, it may have worked out better? Still I've adjusted to what I have and will tell you this, it really saves alot of time cleaning

It should be under the "highest" roost, as that's were they'll roost at night. If you talking against that wall, I say perfect. You need to figure, you'll need to be able to reach over/under the roost to scoop through the PDZ, something that I never thought about. Still like the idea of the NB under the PB & roost, gives them more "leg" room in the coop. Sorry not much help. The last pic is when we had a storm, flooding one side

 

[Tervish]

I know I really want a poop board! I was thinking 8" high roost above the board would give enough room to scoop under. The roosts will be removable but I don't want to have to lift them out every day to clean!

Also, I was thinking there would be more conflict for roosting if one roost was higher than the other, so I was planning 2 parallel roosts. But I do see others with different height roosts (like ladders) and if there is a benefit for that I could do it. That is why I am asking for input.

 

[RojoMarz]

How many birds are you planning for? Do you need 8' of roost?

Our poop board and roost is about 6' long and 24" deep. I can't remember how high the roost is from the board, but 8" seems good.

I dont think your 6" in the front is enough. Need 12", to match the other spaces. You may think the birds will sit facing the same direction, but they won't. Some one will be the odd man out. The 6" won't catch poop well.

 

[RojoMarz]

I currently have a LB that is roosting on the frame, not the roost. Of course she sits so that her back end is not over the poop board. I store my poop bucket under where she roosts...I have high hopes that she will poop in the bucket and not the floor.

 

[Tervish]

I currently have 7 birds, am trying not to go over 8 but chicken math is already tempting me. I meant to start with 4-5 but already have 7! And they are only 11 weeks...

I agree that 6 inches in the "front" of the board may be short if they face the back, but 30" total depth already seems so large. 36" is half the coop! But they can go under the board, and there would still be 3' of clear space in front.

If anyone roosts on the board edge, well, there will be floor bedding I'll just have to clean! If I left a bucket there I know it would get perched on and knocked over, that already happens with any buckets.

 

[Alaskan]

Then making a 30" deep poop board would leave 6" of board in front of the front roost.

I have poop boards with one perch centered over the board (2 feet deep) and the second perch is the front edge of the poop board...

I haven't ever had an issue, every time I go in there, all of them are facing "forward" into the coop.

I dont think your 6" in the front is enough. Need 12", to match the other spaces. You may think the birds will sit facing the same direction, but they won't. Some one will be the odd man out. The 6" won't catch poop well.

Do your chickens not all face forward? Is there maybe a window behind them?

 

[Ted Brown]

I started with 30" drop board at 18" off the floor; two 10' roosts 12" above the DB at the same height, 12" from back wall/each other; 6 inches of DB left on front. I have a lip, use PDZ and clean every morning.

DB was WAY too low, very hard on the back for cleaning.

I moved everything up: DB now at 30" off floor, roosts 8 inches above that. More recently I added a third roost at the same height as the others and 12" of DB for a total of 42" width, 3rd roost leaves the same 6" of DB in front.

I started with 7 birds, then added 5, now have 30.

You seem to have lots of headroom in the coop. Move your drop board up, the difference it makes on your back is HUGE and one cleans the DB every day!!! 8" between roost and DB is fine, one adjusts their approach for pickup, 6" is too short and would be awkward.

I rarely have droppings that hit the lip and almost never hit the floor; 6" in front works just fine.

 

[RojoMarz]

Do your chickens not all face forward? Is there maybe a window behind them?

No window behind them and no they don't all face the same way.

 

[RojoMarz]

The other consideration for the board width is the size of the birds. My LB's prefer to hope off, not use the ramp. They need some landing space. My board is also around 30" tall...good height for me.