seeking coop design roost/dropping board feedback!

[cityeggs]

Yes, that should be enough space for 4 hens that are used to being together.

You may find this thread worth reading... https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ventilation-on-amish-style-coop.1449221/

Phew - thanks!

I took a peek at the ventilation thread you suggested. The top of the coop is open (covered in hardware cloth), with a solid roof at an angle above that. Would the space between the solid roof and the header on the coop be how I'd calculate our ventilation sf? Initially, I was just thinking that it would be 3x5', which seems more than adequate for 4, but I guess not all of that translates to air flow if it can't go directly out.

For our area, winter temps range from 40-60F night/day, with a few nights close/at 32 F, and summer, 60-75, with a few days around 80 and a few 90-105. This is in a relatively shady part of our yard, though there's more shade in winter than in summer.

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

I took a peek at the ventilation thread you suggested. The top of the coop is open (covered in hardware cloth), with a solid roof at an angle above that. Would the space between the solid roof and the header on the coop be how I'd calculate our ventilation sf? Initially, I was just thinking that it would be 3x5', which seems more than adequate for 4, but I guess not all of that translates to air flow if it can't go directly out.
.

Yeah, you want to use the soffit space as the calculation. If you follow the Garden Coop plans, the rafters are 2x8s, so with 3 feet of opening by 8 inches that's 2.25" feet- minus the actual rafters, I'd figure about 2 feet. I'd definitely put in some windows up high backed by hardware cloth. I'm in the bay too, and given our super mild weather I chose to put huge windows in mine (salvaged from Urban Ore in Berkeley) backed with hardware cloth so that one side can be almost completely open.

 

[cityeggs]

I think 12 inches from the back wall is enough space. BUT, if the back wall is soiled or not is highly determined by the space between the perch and the poop shelf. If the perch is way above the poop tray then the poop travels further.

My perches are close to the poop tray but removable. So I lift out the middle perch to clean. My poop shelves have a perch on the front edge, that one doesn't move.

That's helpful - that making the board closer to the perch lessens the wall soiling issue.

I was planning to have removable perches - I've heard it makes cleaning them much easier. And that makes sense that doing that, you can get away with having the two closer together. How high off the poop tray is your perch? And where in relation to everything is your second front perch - is it the front lip of the poop tray, or a few inches in front of it? When it gets used, wouldn't the poop completely miss the board? Does it defeat the purpose of the tray?

 

[Alaskan]

That's helpful - that making the board closer to the perch lessens the wall soiling issue.

I was planning to have removable perches - I've heard it makes cleaning them much easier. And that makes sense that doing that, you can get away with having the two closer together. How high off the poop tray is your perch? And where in relation to everything is your second front perch - is it the front lip of the poop tray, or a few inches in front of it? When it gets used, wouldn't the poop completely miss the board? Does it defeat the purpose of the tray?

My girls all face outwards, so their rear ends are over the poop shelf... I will try to remember to get a photo tonight while they are roosting.

Here is the setup in the bantam coop.

I think the middle perch is 4 inches above the tray.

The front lip of the tray is rimmed with a 2x4. On the top thin edge of that 2x4 I screwed on a 2x4 with the flat side up as the perch. So the flat 2x4 is cantilevered out into the coop.

Let me take measurements and better photos tonight

 

[Alaskan]

Still a difficult angle to SEE.

But measurements are 6 inches above for middle one, about 3.5 for front edge perch.

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

I figured since I had tons of scrap wood and vinyl I'd give the poop board (table) a shot, but I think I'm going to just take it the table and maybe lower the roost a bit.OP, I realized the lack of parallel studs not in corners is kinda a pain with the plans (hence the weird diagonal roost). I think I'll put in horizontal 2x4s midway up the short walls so I can have a roost all the way across, tbd, but if I was rebuilding I'd mirror the two studs that are used to hang the cleanout door on the other side, instead of just one stud halfway, to make it easier to mount perches and maybe boards across the coop.

 

[cityeggs]

@RuthBaderGinsbird - thanks for the heads up about the stud placement.

Thank you all for your input! After thinking over the feedback, we've decided to hold off on the poop tray/dropping board for the moment to see if we need it with such a small coop, but we're going to drop the floor a foot so the house will be 4' tall just in case we want to try it down the road.

We've also decided to bump out one side of the house 1', so it will be 4x5 instead of 3x5, though we're still figuring out how we'll frame that. We're going to cantilever it out on the short size - this direction seemed slightly easier since we just extend the same roof 1' and don't have to deal with making a new roof on the front. 4x5 also seemed more useful dimensions than 3x6. If the foundation hadn't already been dug and leveled, materials bought and cut, and it wouldn't require 12' pieces, (or I'd thought to ask for advice earlier in the process!) I might have had a better chance at simply making the whole frame 1-2' larger in both directions, but my building partner was not interested in re-doing any of that, and space is unfortunately tight anyway, so I'm not sure it really would've worked. I think we'll still have to figure out a ramp up to the roost, since we only have a 2' landing distance to hop up/down for something that will be 18-24" above the floor, but that seems way better than just 1'.

From my calculations, we'd then have 6 sf of ventilation out through the sides of the roof. We may still take off 6" off the back wall of the coop (to cover with hardware cloth), which would give us an extra 2sf.

 

[RuthBaderGinsbird]

@RuthBaderGinsbird - thanks for the heads up about the stud placement.

Thank you all for your input! After thinking over the feedback, we've decided to hold off on the poop tray/dropping board for the moment to see if we need it with such a small coop, but we're going to drop the floor a foot so the house will be 4' tall just in case we want to try it down the road.

We've also decided to bump out one side of the house 1', so it will be 4x5 instead of 3x5, though we're still figuring out how we'll frame that. We're going to cantilever it out on the short size - this direction seemed slightly easier since we just extend the same roof 1' and don't have to deal with making a new roof on the front. 4x5 also seemed more useful dimensions than 3x6. If the foundation hadn't already been dug and leveled, materials bought and cut, and it wouldn't require 12' pieces, (or I'd thought to ask for advice earlier in the process!) I might have had a better chance at simply making the whole frame 1-2' larger in both directions, but my building partner was not interested in re-doing any of that, and space is unfortunately tight anyway, so I'm not sure it really would've worked. I think we'll still have to figure out a ramp up to the roost, since we only have a 2' landing distance to hop up/down for something that will be 18-24" above the floor, but that seems way better than just 1'.

From my calculations, we'd then have 6 sf of ventilation out through the sides of the roof. We may still take off 6" off the back wall of the coop (to cover with hardware cloth), which would give us an extra 2sf.

We did manage to fit a poop tray in by adding a stud, it's about 12" off the ground and then the roost is around 6-8" above that, ramp directly to roost- this seems to work well so far. I will say, I've realized the advantage of the 3' height is easier cleaning without having to stoop. Still would probably trade more space/versatility for the girls though.