Roost(s) location..

[Auntiejessi3]

Hi.. it's been quite the project! Thanks! I've done a lot of reading and watching videos about all of this chicken coop stuff.. however, I don't understand the poop board. I plan to do the deep litter method. Why not just let them poop into the litter?

I do deep bedding, and clean my coop out twice a year (spring and fall) but I have poop boards, which minimizes the poop accumulation a lot. Every time I do a clean out every thing goes into the run to compost, then into this garden the next season.

 

[tsgarvey]

Deep litter is for ground contact. It requires the microbes, worms and bugs to decompose.
In a coop with a floor it's called deep bedding and does little to no decomposing. It accumulates and every time they walk through it more poop particles are airborne.

Poop boards catch the majority of droppings that happen in the coop allowing the keeper to keep things cleaner

Deep litter is for ground contact. It requires the microbes, worms and bugs to decompose.
In a coop with a floor it's called deep bedding and does little to no decomposing. It accumulates and every time they walk through it more poop particles are airborne.

Poop boards catch the majority of droppings that happen in the coop allowing the keeper to keep things cleaner.

Alright... It seems to be most commonly called deep litter.. and this is the method I'm going to try..without the boards. I think I'd rather turn the litter/bedding than remove and clean the boards. If I find that it's not working so well.. I can always add them. Thank you...

 

[speedy2020]

Deep litter is for ground contact. It requires the microbes, worms and bugs to decompose.
In a coop with a floor it's called deep bedding and does little to no decomposing. It accumulates and every time they walk through it more poop particles are airborne.

Poop boards catch the majority of droppings that happen in the coop allowing the keeper to keep things cleaner.

My box coop on the cement blocks and above ground. I did use linoleum sheet for the floor. I am using sand as base, add grass, wood chips, mulch, and dried leaves when available. I only clean once or twice a year. The last clean up around August/September for winter. I do add few shovel old wood chips from the garden and some worm at the beginning when first started. My guess I use the hybrid between the 2 methods then.

 

[rosemarythyme]

2x3s should work ok, roost layout would depend on how many birds you plan on having in there, max. So maybe 2 short will work, or 1 long, or L shaped... I would not do diagonal though as the ends aren't really usable space being too close to walls and such.

 

[tsgarvey]

2x3s should work ok, roost layout would depend on how many birds you plan on having in there, max. So maybe 2 short will work, or 1 long, or L shaped... I would not do diagonal though as the ends aren't really usable space being too close to walls and such.

Thank you.. I plan to have 6.. maybe 8. I think I'll go L shaped close to clean out door.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Thank you.. I plan to have 6.. maybe 8. I think I'll go L shaped close to clean out door.

Aim for at least 8' of roost space then. The chickens will likely compact to just a portion of it but always best for flock peace to give them the option of more.

A+ on the coop too, the ventilation looks great!

 

[tsgarvey]

A+ on the coop too, the ventilation looks great!

Thank you!

 

[tsgarvey]

Good evening folks! Hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving! Can anyone tell me if I'll need a ladder in here for the chickens to get up on the roost... 28 inches up? Thanks!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Good evening folks! Hope everyone has a wonderful thanksgiving! Can anyone tell me if I'll need a ladder in here for the chickens to get up on the roost... 28 inches up? Thanks!

What breeds are you getting? Some of the heavier breeds ( brahma, orpington, cochin) may need a little assistance. I have quite a few English Orpingtons and 1 light brahma that I provide a ramp for. What is the distance from your roost bar to the opposite wall?

 

[tsgarvey]

What breeds are you getting? Some of the heavier breeds ( brahma, orpington, cochin) may need a little assistance. I have quite a few English Orpingtons and 1 light brahma that I provide a ramp for. What is the distance from your roost bar to the opposite wall?

Thanks.. I'm not sure of breeds yet... So, I will just put in a ladder to get up there. It's probably 2.5' to opposing wall.