Roosts above the nesting boxes?

[MoonShadows]

From the coops I have seen, and even the design I plan to use, the nesting boxes are always seperated from the roosts. However, I want to put my roosts over my nesting boxes.

I plan on building a row of nesting boxes low and putting a poop shelf on top of the row of nesting boxes or just above them that will hold pans of Sweet PDZ. Then I want to put the roosts higher up over the poop pans. My coop will have a bump out for the nesting boxes so I can access them from outside. I figure if I have the poop pans just over the nexting boxes, I can build the access door to open a little higher. That will allow me to access the nesting boxes and also remove the pans for cleaning with only one exterior hatch opening rather then a nesting box oopening AND a poop pan clean out opening. The nesting boxes will be protected from poop from the roosts by the poop pan between them.

Does this make sense? Is there any reason why I shouldn't do this?

 

[Ridgerunner]

No reason not to I can think of. I have my brooder permanently built in under the roosts. The top is a droppings board. The only possible issue I can think of is if you gather the eggs inside the coop, you might bump your head against the poopy tray. I have outside access to mine but much prefer to gather them inside the coop so I can see what is going in in there.

I also installed a separate roost over my nest boxes, a little lower than the main roosts. I integrate a lot of chicks, both with broodies and from my incubator/brooder. I find the older hens often are quite brutal to the younger chickens when the broody weans them and the younger ones want a safer place to roost. With that extra roost over my nests, they have somewhere to go that is not in my nest boxes.

 

[MoonShadows]

Thanks Ridgerunner. How far do you have to seperate roosts of varying heights so the poop goes past each level and falls in the pan...not the chickens on the lower level(s)?

 

[Ridgerunner]

All my roost are on one level except the one over the nest boxes and those are out of the line of fire.

 

[Marqubre]

I'm planning on building a coop to get started raising chickens. I had the same thought as you, I thought I would design the width of the coop to match a large poop tray that would completely cover the nesting boxes. How did this work out for you?

 

[tcstoehr]

Having a roosting bar over a poop-board, both over the nesting boxes... sounds like a pretty good use of space to me.

 

[PapaChaz]

are you going to fix your nest boxes so you can gather eggs from outside? really makes it much easier if you do so. I like for the nest boxes to hang outside, with a hinged lid or front for easy egg access. Just seems better to me to NOT have to go in the coop any more than I have to

 

[rides2far]

My coop will be exactly like yours. The nesting boxes, poop trays, then roosts. I decided not to put nesting boxes outside because of heat issues. One member posted outside boxes can be nesting ovens in a high heat climate. I plan on having nesting boxes just high enough to put food & water under them. My coop is a 10' x 8'. Your plan will be great.

 

[Alaskan]

I love having my nesting boxes hanging right under my poop tray, it is a great use of space.

poop trays ROCK!