so, just how agile are chickens? designing a coop...

[lisajanemarie]

we are planning to get 3 hens and i am repurposing a wooden shipping crate (4'x3'x2') as the coop - going to create external nesting boxes mounted on the long side. as i try to design the interior and maximize space, i am left wondering just how much help i need to give in the way of steps/ladder for them to get up to the boxes or roosting bars. any advice would be greatly appreciated! i bought the book "reinventing the chicken coop" but as i look at the designs i am wondering just how functional some really are... specifically the "cupe" design.

many thanks from the rookie!

 

[nooniejames]

Chickens are fast as hell!! I grew up chasing them dam things

 

[4 the Birds]

Chickens can fly up pretty high; Yet, you don't want a lot of wing flapping going on in the coop. Dust and particulates go everywhere! You also don't want birds up high so they are not jumping down far. A 12" or 18" hop up for an adult chicken is my rule of thumb before adding a ramp or ladder to aide them. Not sure of the height of your coop but you want your roost bars up a little higher than your nest boxes and then give them plenty of room above the roosts. This is where walk-in coops offer some advantages. Head space for the chicken keeper, roosts and vents up high to move moist air out. Hope this helps!

 

[lisajanemarie]

It does help! Thanks very much!