Roosting/sleeping on roof of the coop

[aembry1]

I have a smaller coop inside of my run/pen. I went out tonight to get something from the storage building and 4 of my hens were sleeping on the roof of the coop. There are 2 roosts in the pen. Do I need to raise my roosts higher or not worry about it (they use the roosts as well)? Is this normal behavior?

 

[Percheron chick]

If the coop is too small and too hot, normal.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

If the coop is too small and too hot, normal.

X2. Four of your hens sleeping outside coop. How many hens do you have total, and what are the dimensions of the coop?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I will say your setup is very attractive, very pretty and nice! But must agree with @rosemarythyme that it is too small for your present flock's needs. This is a very common mistake made by beginners. Generally, more experienced chicken keepers recommend providing a coop with about 4 sq ft per bird of floor space, and a run with 10 sq ft per bird of floor space. This means your run needs to be at least 9' x 10' at a minimum, to provide 90 sq ft., and your coop should have a minimum of 36 sq ft. So it needs to measure 9'x4' at least, or even bigger to accommodate nesting boxes unless you attach them to the outside of the coop. Best wishes and enjoy your flock!

 

[rosemarythyme]

... It's not 8x3. The 8x3 is a coop and a run. The COOP is this part I circled in red, which I am guessing is maybe 3x3. Simply put, too small for number of birds. I can give suggestions on how to improve and expand it if you're willing to put in some work on it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

So to turn it from 2 small "boxes" (tiny coop above tiny run) into 1 bigger "box" you'll want to remove as much of the inside coop wall as possible, plus the floor. Take out the old roosts too.

Nests might be able to stay as is, or may need to be relocated elsewhere or replaced - depends on the structure of the coop and how things inside stack up once done.

Run a new roost lengthwise across the newly open space. With the number of birds you have that should be enough roost space.

Board up some of the external wire walls so that the roost area is protected from winds and rain. Do NOT fully cover up all the wire, you need ventilation and natural light, so at the very least a few inches under the roofline should remain open. If your climate allows for it, you can leave entire walls open with just the mesh, but I don't know how cold it gets in winter - though you also make it convertible for the season by covering up open walls for winter, and then uncovering for hot and humid summers.

Think that's all of it... if I missed something let me know.

 

[aembry1]

Sounds good! You're doing great! The only other thing I can think of to caution you about is a very serious disorder we chicken owners are subject to, called "Chicken Math." It is very contagious and I'm sorry to say you've already been exposed to it. There is no cure. .... basically it works like this: no matter how many chickens you have, or how many you decided to get, or how many you promised somebody (even yourself!) you would limit yourself to .... it won't be enough. You just have to have more. You think you'll only get one more, or maybe two, but then you find out there are minimums, and you come home with six. Or you order 12. Or you want to try another breed. Or you need a different color egg.... or you think you might like to try hatching. Or .... sigh. Don't say you weren't warned. Build bigger than you think you could possibly ever need. And start designing your next coop!

Tell me about it! My husband has started looking at other chickens. He is wanting to get some brahmas now. I told him I didn't have the room. He said, no problem. He is building a garage and is wanting to build another HUGE coop and run on the back of his garage.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of coop, inside and out, and run, would help us pinpoint possible issues.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Well your coop (both coops) are too small for number of birds, so crowding and possibly temperature, are driving some of the birds to choose a spot more suitable for the night.

The actual coop is the enclosed portion, so your "big" one is probably more like 3x3, not 8x3, which is enough room for 2 standard birds inside the coop. Can't tell how big the small one is nor quite how it's laid out.

You can make alterations to the big one at least to make the entire space more usable by increasing overall space and ventilation.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

@rosemarythyme is right. The "coop" is the enclosed part, what you are calling the box. The "run" is the part enclosed by a fence.

I don't know what kinds of predators you have in your area, but if you have any, it will be a very good idea to think about preventing them from digging under to gain access to your girls. This can be done by laying fencing on the ground all around the run in what's called an "apron," a foot or two out and covering it with dirt or gravel. Also, chicken wire is very flimsy and does not keep raccoons, rats, snakes and other predators out. Hardware cloth (hc) is sturdier and better although it's a bear to work with. It is worth the effort and will save you much heartache. Enjoy the journey!