starting my coop tomorrow. got few questions. pics added

[chickencity]

im starting my coop tomorrow. the plan is to go with a 5' by 12' by 4' high. i was thinking of 2 feet off the ground. i have hread that the nest boxes should be up off the floor. how high should they be? would it be ok to have them stacked ontop of each other? is a 4' fence high enough to keep in chickens that have their wings clipped? im sure i have more questions i just forgot them.

 

[ibpboo]

I have nest boxes on ground and up high. Right now they are using the one on the ground. I just put it in there about 5 days ago and they seem to like it best. You say fence 4 feet high, but aren't you planning on having a top to it so predators don't get them?

 

[chickencity]

i wasn't planing on having a top b/c it would be kinda hard to put a top on a 1/2 an acre of fencing. we dont have any perdators. all we have have are stray cat and somtimes a dog. the fence will have electric fence running around it. my goats will be in the same pasture

 

[ibpboo]

Thats cool, they will be in 1/2 acre!! I thought you meant for the 5x12 area. Just have stuff that the chickens can go under too, they like to hide under stuff. You do not have any hawks or anything like that? I have hawks, but my chickens still run around my acre most of the day, even when I am at work. There is a couple of small haul trailers in my yard they go under a lot, and a few trees, and they just kind of know to watch out for the hawks, they can see the shadow I guess when they are flying above and they will go hide. Sometimes my DH makes hawk noises and the chickens run and hide. They also can go int the horse stall or tack room, or under any cars that are home, they can also go into their pen. At night I shut the gate to their pen.

 

[ibpboo]

What kind of goats, how many? And I think it is ok to stack the nest boxes.

 

[chickencity]

i dont belive we have hawks. there is some trees and a creek. i have two nubian boar cross billy goats. so they wont be able to jump over the 4 foot fence?

 

[whatnow?]

I was thinking along the same lines... fencing the yard to contain the birds. I would like to dedicate a portion (I have got to have poo free zones for my own sanity) of the yard to the chickens and feel like a tractor is the only way to go. The first time I took the chicks outside, a red tail hawk spotted them immediately and started circling us.

I am only concerned with daytime predators, though, since the hens would get locked up at night.

Do the wings have to be clipped to keep the chickens in with a fence only 4' high?

 

[Nuggetsowner:)]

Hello, just to let you know the recommeded height for the nest boxes are around 18" off the ground. However, often times you will find if you give them choices by putting some on the ground and some a little higher up they will find the one they like best and continue to lay in that box. At least that is what mine have done. I really don't think there are alot of right or wrongs but rather trial and error to see what works best for you and your situation. I would however try to offer the chickens in your fenced in area some sort of protection from the daytime predators. I do believe 4 feet high is enough if you are planning on clipping their wings but I have never done it so cannot make any guarentees! Good luck with your new venture!

 

[bills]

How are you going to clean a coop that is only four feet high? Are you going to have a board along the twelve foot section that hinges out so you can hoe out the shavings?

I can imagine a sore back after spending much time stooped over, if you plan on climbing in there.

 

[chickencity]

we started it today and it truned out to bigger than i thought. i can stand up in it. im going to have two door along the front 12' side. i was thinking of a hinged roof but it will be six feet high and there is no way i could clean that out. so im going with a door on each side. i think my chicks will get lost in this thing! i will post pics of it tomorrow.