Show us your coup interiors /floor plans

[Ellie]

I have an 8x10 coup for them but have not done anything on the inside.

I am not sure if the roosts can go under the nest boxes or under a window.. which sounds better?

I wonder if anyone has a floor plan which allows us humans to replenish their water and feed without stepping in chicken poo...

I guess if I see what y'all have already, I can pickand choose. I would love to see pics and/or floor plans.

Thanks very much,
Ellie

 

[homecatmom]

go to coop & run design
click on message "How big should my nest boxes be?"
There is a picture in message 3 or 4 showing it. Hope this helps.

 

[DoctorGoose]

Well, it ain't pretty, but it works for me, and I built it ALL BY MYSELF!

The wired part is about 10 years old, and in this picture, it has a little hutch on the inside, but we took that out. The "black" part is just a few months old, and the interior shot is of it. Since then, I've also put down some lineolium (sp?) and that makes cleaning really easy. On the back of the top story, there is an egg door--you can see the outline if you look closely. I keep the waterer on some bricks next to the door, and their feed bowl on the other side of the door--basically a large, weighted doggy dish.
The original part of the coop is (I think) 10' by 8', and the new part is 8' by 4'.

Also, if you go to www.hencam.com I really like this lady's set-up with the "racks" of roosts--it seems more space-efficient to me, and I wish I had seen it before I built the add-on.

 

[Dawn419]

Ellie,

"I am not sure if the roosts can go under the nest boxes or under a window.. which sounds better?"

From what I've read (and experienced 20 years ago), if the nest boxes are higher than the roosts, the chickens will roost on the nest boxes, instead of the roosts, IF at all possible.

Wish I could help you with a "poopless" situation but really can't. We've almost finished our main chicken yard and "think" I have coop space worked out properly. I figure once the gang moves in, finally, I'll get to reassess my whole game plan!

Dawn

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I don't usually wear shoes in the house and keep a pair of yard/coop shoes or boots by the door that are easy to slip on. I also have one of those shoe scrubber brush contraptions outside, that you use to clean your footwear. I think they call them boot cleaners.

If any of you have designed a coop interior that keeps you from stepping in poop, please post pictures!

 

[Ellie]

These are just great. Thanks so much. I know I may do some re-arranging once they get inside....but I am all about doing it once if I can

I have about two weekends to get some interior stuff going for them.

The pics and tips help a whole lot.

Ellie

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

I second a previous post. Chickens like to roost 'way up high', so if you would like them to use their roosts, they should be placed above the height of the nest boxes. By the window sounds better, as long as they can keep warm in winter.

 

[Dawn419]

Hi Ellie,

Here are some pix for you. It is just a "mock" set-up so I have an idea of where and how we want to place our roosts and nest boxes. (Click on pix for enlargements)

Our playhouse coop (prefab from Homier's)



Mock set-up for roosts #1...



Mock set-up for roosts #2...



Possible nest box placements...





We'll be using 2 x 4's for the indoor roosts and will also have outdoor roosts available in their enclosed run. We decided to go with roost option #2 as #1's upper roost would have them too close to the ceiling and ventilation area. Food and water will be available outdoors under a tarp-covered section (weather protection).

Our Playhouse Coop

Dawn

 

[LoneCowboy]

Ok, here's the inside of my coop before the chickens moved in.

I have the nesting boxes with a 2 X 4 roost in front, and then roosts on the side with drop bins underneathe to keep the chickens from picking in the poop. It doesn't look nearly so clean now though