Setting up coop, help a newbie out!

[Mallori]

Well, maybe not "newbie", but close. I'm taking over my son's flock as he heads to college. I've really enjoyed having BYC, so want to continue.

Our setup is a very large 16' x 18' coop that was given to us. It was Amish made, mostly plywood with a tin roof and re-used windows. We installed old kitchen cabinets that we turned on their side and made into nesting boxes. Then we created a 3'x4' small pen inside for new chicks, and feed storage when not in use by babies. We also added three large branches at different heights for roosting. We're moving the coop in the next few weeks, so instead of their small outdoor pen, they'll have a large reinforced fence area to roam.

My question about the coop, is what is the best bedding for such a large space? It has a plywood floor, so is off the ground, about a foot, but there is a very large window up high, and it can rain in if it's a hard rain. (We cover it with plexiglass in winter)

So far, we've used straw on the floor and in the nesting boxes. Is that the best bet for cleanliness? I'd need a ton of pine shavings if I went that route, and seems that would make a huge mess.

So far, there are 8 hens in the space, but I have 16 chicks in the garage under heat that will join them when they're a bit bigger.

Anyway, mainly looking for the easiest ways to keep the coop/pen area clean. Looking forward to learning!

 

[Ridgerunner]

A 16 x 18 coop, that is fabulous.

You might need to protect that floor from moisture to keep it from rotting. Some people use linoleum or something similar though make sure it seals. Some people use a protective paint like Blackjack.

You might work on that window to stop the rain form blowing in. You might try shutters though that can make it darker. Maybe some type of baffle, offset outward to allow some ventilation but block the worst of the rain. Maybe something hinged at the top. For extra light, maybe install a piece of plexiglas or glass permanently in a wall.

In your case with a wooden floor I'd avoid dirt or sand for bedding. Those might hold moisture. You can use hay, straw, wood shavings, wood chips, those pellets they use for horse stalls, shredded paper (avoid newsprint, it stains), Spanish moss, dried leaves, just about anything. What I'd look for is something readily available and cheap.

You are wanting to keep that very dry so it does not rot the floor. But think of the bedding as a diaper, soaking up moisture to keep important things dry. Wet is the enemy. As long as it stays dry you shoudl nto have to worry too much about the poop building up. It will not cause any problems as long as it is dry. The poop may build up under the roosts so you will probably have to manage that part so it doesn't get so thick it stays wet.

With that number of chickens you may be able to go years without cleaning that size coop out as long as it stays dry and you manage the build-up under the roosts. That is a totally different situation from a tiny elevated backyard coop with a handful of chickens. all that room is just tremendous. It can make your life a lot easier.

 

[aart]

Is this a new to the birds coop...or the one your son has been using?

Agrees with RR you need to improve the window situation.
I like top hinged windows and large roof overhangs to help protect them as well as provide year round eave ventilation.


This is how I keep things 'clean'.
-I use poop boards under roosts with thin(<1/2") layer of sand/PDZ mix, sifted daily(takes 5-10mins) into bucket going to friends compost.

-Scrape big or wet poops off roost and ramps as needed.

-Pine shavings on coop floor, add some occasionally, totally changed out once or twice a year, old shavings added to run.

-Runs have semi-deep litter, never clean anything out, just add smaller dry materials.

-Nests are bedded with straw, add some occasionally, change out if needed(broken egg).

There is no odor, unless a fresh cecal has been dropped and when I open the bucket to add more poop.

That's how I 'clean', have not found any reason to clean 'deeper' in 4 years.

 

[Mallori]

We've been using the coop, and I totally agree, we need to fix the window situation. We probably have some spare tin laying around that we can make another roof over it. It's a very big window and fantastic for ventilation when it's dry. We're moving it closer to the house because it's a fair distance from the house and farther than I want to trudge out to in winter, plus I can then run a power line out there for light in the very cold winter days (we're in WI).

I've been pretty hands off until now, because our son has been tending to them, and we just moved here the year we got the coop, so we've been busy getting everything situated. Now that they will be entirely my responsibility, and moved to a better spot, I want to upgrade a few things. And we'll have way more chickens now.

I need to investigate poop boards, I had not heard of those.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Can you post pics so we can get a general idea of the what it looks like and the layout? And really I just enjoy looking at pics of coops.

 

[Mallori]

 

[Mallori]

Needs some more cleaning, and going to spruce up once it's moved, but you get the idea.

You can see the big window that's up higher. That's the one that occasionally lets in rain but it does dry out fast, and it's covered with plexiglass during winter.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

OoOOOOoh DAMN, I like it! Add a new coat of paint and that thing will shine bright like a diamond! And yeah, perhaps you can build a rain guard of sorts to block out the rain from that window, maybe just get a metal sheet to bend it and extend it further out from the roof or whatever. Anyway, nice setup.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Really nice set up. If the straw is working fine for you, I don't see a reason to change it at this time. Ridgerunner's advice is great - use whatever will help keep the floor dry, whatever's available and economical. I use wood chips because it's free. I would not use shavings due to the cost for that amount of space.

 

[Melky]

Another bedding product is peat and studies show it is better at reducing ammonia levels in litter so consider peat as it helps prevent ammonia toxicity in chickens who are at particular risk in winter due to lack of ventilation and spending more time indoors. Also keep bedding clean/fresh. Adding zeolite 100g/kg to bedding also helps reduce odors and decrease ammonia, moisture,and pH. Zeolite is like Manna Pro or DooKashi odor Eliminators that help compost litter as well. Clean and paint that beautiful!