Some direction please...

Vikinglike

Songster
10 Years
Joined
Mar 14, 2015
Messages
101
Reaction score
67
Points
201
Location
Baldwinsville NY
CABEBD82-D39F-4B3E-9C8C-5B022050DD05.jpeg
C62BE09E-D6DC-4E38-A26E-38D88597E9B6.jpeg
I’m practically finished with the coop exterior (8x8)...
However I’m a little lost on how to proceed with the interior.
Is there a decent article that may focus on the interior placement?
I have a idea of what needs to be inside, but not the location/placement.
Any ideas or pictures, or direction where to look are most appreciated!!!
Thanks!!!
 
First lets talk vertical. Figure out where the coop floor will be, taking into consideration the bedding. Then position the nests. Some people set boxes or milk crates on the coop floor. Others hang the nests high enough that they don't have to bend over to collect eggs. Some people will may you that you have to do this or you can't do that but the reality is that we do many different things.

Then I position the roosts noticeably higher than the nests or anything else I don't want the chickens roosting on or in. If your roosts are right over the nests that could be as little as 6" but in a coop your size, I'd set the minimum at about 12" if it is not right over your nests. I like my winter ventilation higher than the chickens when they are on the roost so any winds blowing through in winter blow over their heads. You should have plenty of open space for them to land when they come down from the roosts so that's not as critical for you as for some other people. The higher the roosts the more clear space they need when they fly down.

As for the horizontal layout, try to make it as convenient to you as you can. The chickens won't really care but you might. You have a walk-in coop. The roosts often go on the wall away from the door so they are as much out of your way as reasonable but along either side wall can work well as long as your door doesn't open into them. I can't tell if your door is going to open in or out. I can't see a pop door but you probably want access to that from inside.

Put the nests where you can get to them from inside even if you put openings so you can also access the nests from outside the coop. Since you can get pretty hot in summer, even in New York, I'd want the nests on the north or east sides. They are less likely to become ovens than if the hot noontime, afternoon, or evening sun is shining directly on them or the wall.

If you feed and/or water inside the coop put that where they cannot poop into them from the roosts.

That's the main things I'd think about.
 
First lets talk vertical. Figure out where the coop floor will be, taking into consideration the bedding. Then position the nests. Some people set boxes or milk crates on the coop floor. Others hang the nests high enough that they don't have to bend over to collect eggs. Some people will may you that you have to do this or you can't do that but the reality is that we do many different things.

Then I position the roosts noticeably higher than the nests or anything else I don't want the chickens roosting on or in. If your roosts are right over the nests that could be as little as 6" but in a coop your size, I'd set the minimum at about 12" if it is not right over your nests. I like my winter ventilation higher than the chickens when they are on the roost so any winds blowing through in winter blow over their heads. You should have plenty of open space for them to land when they come down from the roosts so that's not as critical for you as for some other people. The higher the roosts the more clear space they need when they fly down.

As for the horizontal layout, try to make it as convenient to you as you can. The chickens won't really care but you might. You have a walk-in coop. The roosts often go on the wall away from the door so they are as much out of your way as reasonable but along either side wall can work well as long as your door doesn't open into them. I can't tell if your door is going to open in or out. I can't see a pop door but you probably want access to that from inside.

Put the nests where you can get to them from inside even if you put openings so you can also access the nests from outside the coop. Since you can get pretty hot in summer, even in New York, I'd want the nests on the north or east sides. They are less likely to become ovens than if the hot noontime, afternoon, or evening sun is shining directly on them or the wall.

If you feed and/or water inside the coop put that where they cannot poop into them from the roosts.

That's the main things I'd think about.
Thank you so much. This is great info!!!
Thank
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom