Roosts and windows

[Groovy Chick]

We are new chickens parents and are just finishing up building our first coop. The space we were going to put the roosts in the coop would put one of the roosts right in front of a window. Is this ok or would it be too much wind on the birds? We live in central Florida. We will get a couple nights in the winter that drop down in the 30s/40s but that's it. Summers are very hot and humid with heat indexes over 100 about 4 months of the year.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Ventilation is most important, so a roost at window height will be wonderful most of the year, just not in mid-winter. One of my roosts is right near a window, and in winter I cover that window with plastic to stop the draft next to the birds.
Try posting pictures and dimensions of your coop and run, and how many chickens you have, so we can comment.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

It may or may not work out. I have my top roost sandwiched between two windows and they've been open all this year down into the 20s. But I don't get drafts through them as my prevailing winds come from a different direction, so the chickens can sleep right up against them without issue.

If you aren't sure about wind direction, you can also opt for windows that can be closed if needed during windy or stormy days, or use some sort of buffer to help slow winds from blowing through there.

 

[Groovy Chick]

We have 6 hens that are 16 weeks old. The coop we build is 8' x 4' and the attached run is 11' x 12'. Any suggestions of things to add or change are welcome as we are new chicken parents. This is also our first carpentry project so we know it is far from perfect.

 

[Groovy Chick]

 

[Folly's place]

Hello again!
Your coop is very well built, as far as I can see, but underventilated. It will be too hot for them, and basically needs more and bigger windows, especially on the leeward side.
Also, add more and better latches, because raccoons can probably open yours as they are. I have locks on my coop doors, with keys on a post nearby.
Your birds are pullets until they are one year old, then they are hens. It's semantics, yes, but makes things clearer.
I like it, and nice color too!
Your run will be usable all year. You can add sheet vinyl to the windward sides for winter, and never close them in, if it's predator proof.
Consider adding more attachments to your hardware cloth also.
Mary

 

[aart]

Also noticed the lack of ventilation in the coop.
Big roof overhang for soffit vents and to protect and windows for rainfall.

Roosts look to be too close together and to wall.
12" from wall and 12-18" apart.
You'll want some perches in front(~8") of the nests.

Looks like you are still working on the anti-dig aprons?
Don't forget to cover the corners and under the door.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree with both Folly and aart.

Your birds may also appreciate having the wide sides of the roosts to sit on. I would recommend moving the one closest to the wall so it is at least 12" from the wall and turning both so the flat wider side is up.

Definitely need lots more ventilation especially in your hot climate.

Nice looking set up, just minor tweeking needed.

 

[Folly's place]

I use small trees or saplings as roosts, 2" to 4" diameter, bark on. Natural, comfortable, and free!
If you are ever going to paint or stain the interior, do it soon! Chickens do make an awful mess, and it will never be cleaner!
Mary

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think you did a great job. Some thoughts and suggestions.

In your climate the only time I'd worry about wind hitting them would be when a hurricane passes by. Your weather just doesn't get that cold. In my coop, the area in front of the window is a preferred space on the roosts. I'm not sure if that is because of the starlight and moonlight or because of the breezes in hot weather. It's possible rain could blow in and get your coop too wet. My coop tends to dry out really fast when rain blows in but it might be a problem for yours, experience will tell you. Mine has a dirt floor, yours looks like linoleum. You may find putting a shutter up to keep rain out is beneficial, but you can add that later.

Ventilation could be an issue. I don't see a lot of useful roof overhang for soffit vents. You do have a window under the run roof, which is good, it can stay open full time. You might try installing a roof vent but I would not on that metal roof. For more ventilation I think I'd add two gable vents on that side away from the human door, put them up pretty high. Hot air rises as long as it has cooler air to replace it and the higher the better. It looks like you plan to leave the pop door open 24/7. I don't know the orientation relative to the sun but as long as that is a shady area it should work to let in cooler air. Another option would be to cut a hole on your north side down low and cover that with hardware cloth to have a permanent vent on the cool side.

Oh, the eternal roost shape discussion. There are some people on here that are convinced the best roosts are flat and wide. One argument for that is that when they squat down at night their feathers cover their feet to protect against freezing. When mine squat down and fluff up their feathers in cold weather on my tree branches and 2x4's on edge, their feet disappear in their feathers, but I don't have temperatures that much below zero Fahrenheit. I'm sure their is a point where that could come into play but not for you with your weather. But that's only part of the discussion.

Many people have strong opinions on how the shape and size of the roosts affects their feet. Some are absolutely convinced that they are more comfortable and healthy if they are roosting on something perfectly flat. A few of these will even argue that they can't bend their toes or use their toes to grip. I think most people know better, especially if they have had a chick perch on their finger or a chicken perch on their wrist. Still, the basic argument is that they are more comfortable and it's more healthy for their feet if they sleep on something flat.

Others equally strongly feel that they are more comfortable and it's healthier for their feet if they sleep on something round. They evolved to sleep in trees and tree branches are round. They will argue that when they squat down their toes lock in place around that tree branch. I've tried bending their legs to see what happens. Sometimes the toes do curl but not always. And they don't lock just from bending.

Others are quite happy with 2x4's on edge like yours. There is some discussion on what the minimum size of a tree branch or lumber roost need to be, I personally would not go much below the 1-1/2" width of a 2x4 on edge, but my full sized hens and rooster are quite happy with my tree branches or 2x4's on edge.

I went through all this just to say that I think your roosts are fine. They look far enough apart and from the wall and your droppings board should work no matter which way they face on the roost. In my opinion people care a lot more about the roost shape than the chickens do. If you want to rotate the roosts you can, I don't think it will hurt a thing. I also consider it unnecessary. For 6 hens you have 8' of roost space, that's plenty. My only suggestion is to sand off the sharp edge of those corners if you haven't. That's not just to make them more comfortable when they grip but mainly to remove splinters. You don't want their feet to get infected from a splinter.

It looks like the roof on your external nests lift up. Is rain going to run down that wall and into your nests? You might want to put some flashing at that joint to keep the rain out but enable you to lift that lid. You might get something at a hardware store or building materials store or maybe use rubber like from an inner tube (assuming you can find that anymore). You may need to caulk above that. Water in the nests can be a pain.

It's too late for you but maybe for others reading this. You may regret having that roof slope the way it does above your human door. You might get a lot of water down the back of your shirt when it's raining. I don't now if it will be worth it to you to consider a gutter over that door. Time will tell.

I'm not being critical, I think you did a great job. Your hens should do well n there. Practically all of us see things wee could have done better. I've gone back and changed several things. It's just the nature of building a coop. Good luck!