Stacked roosting bars, double decker with deep bedding

Nonafel

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Greetings. Wanted input before I did this.

I have a 8x12 chicken wagon, restricted to around 7x8 for roosting bars space.
My goal is to fit more chickens in this small space by going vertical.
I would use a larger coop area but larger can't move around the woods well.

Thus my goal was to create a single layer of 5 roosting bars over the wagons deep litter bed, then add another 3 with their own "poop tray" deep litter box that has a removable bottom for easy cleaning. I'd simply open it up to drop whats there to the lower floor level and add more as needed.

Sadly I don't have great images of the interior of the wagon, but you can sorta picture this design in the photo provided.
Also many thanks to all on backyard chickens, I've been reading for a while and it's been extremely helpful.
 

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Last edited:
Greetings. Wanted input before I did this.

I have a 8x12 chicken wagon, restricted to around 7x8 for roosting bars space.
My goal is to fit more chickens in this small space by going vertical.
I would use a larger coop area but larger can't move around the woods well.

Thus my goal was to create a single layer of 5 roosting bars over the wagons deep litter bed, then add another 3 with their own "poop tray" deep litter box that has a removable bottom for easy cleaning. I'd simply open it up to drop whats there to the lower floor level and add more as needed.

Sadly I don't have great images of the interior of the wagon, but you can sorta picture this design in the photo provided.
Also many thanks to all on backyard chickens, I've been reading for a while and it's been extremely helpful.
I'm assuming it's tall enough to hold two layers? Seems like that could work, but then the issues is how much chicken-to-overall space will you have in there?

Also just a note about terminology - you're actually talking about deep bedding rather than deep litter. Deep litter is a composting system which requires being on actual ground. I have deep litter in my run, and just keep dumping in more leaves, and deep bedding in my wood-bottomed coop, with 10+ inches of pine shavings, pellets and hemp.
 
Looks like a good idea, I'd just try it and see how it goes. Chickens always want to roost at the highest point, so you may just get a bunch of chickens fighting over the top roosts and perching on the edges of the poop tray, and pooping on the chickens below. But until you try it, you won't know for sure. Making the current roosts longer would work better, IMO, or building a second trailer. But you are limited on space. I think your design looks good, as long as your upper poop tray extends to the sides of the roost enough that when the birds poop they don't get the birds below them. I actually measured the distance from my chickens feet when perched to their vents when they sat on the perch when I built mine. measuring tape + chicken = a fun time.

One thing to consider - you can put spiky plastic bird deterrent strips on the edges of the poop box, if you need to do something to deter them from roosting on the edges. They can walk around and thru them, but it's not a comfy roost.
 

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