The hoop coop build

[squadleader]

Yeah aart is right, the single dirtiest place in the coop is under the roosting bar. At the very least, your chickens will be standing in the dirtiest place in the coop to water and feed, and there's a pretty good chance poop is going to get on your feed and water setup, plus you'll be in the poop too, trying to service the water and feed.

Leave the water and feed, and just move the roosting bar to the other side, you and the chickens lives will be better for it.

My whole left side of my tractor is just their roosting bar, there's a couple of inches of poop under it every week when I move the tractor.

Doing it that way, leaves a clean side where the water and feed is (which is also where you'll be working ), and the other side the dirty side.

When I throw scratch every night to get the chickens back in the tractor, I always throw the scratch on the clean side. I know they will scratch in poop, but I don't want to encourage it.

You're learning some great lessons, it'll be easier to move the roosting bar now, while the lumber is clean, than after it's gotten pooped up.

You've done a great job, very well done coop!

 

[aart]

At the very least, your chickens will be standing in the dirtiest place in the coop to water and feed, and there's a pretty good chance poop is going to get on your feed and water setup, plus you'll be in the poop too, trying to service the water and feed.

Leave the water and feed, and just move the roosting bar to the other side, you and the chickens lives will be better for it.

Good point......but I'd move feed hanger to other side, so they don't walk thru the crap to go into nest.

 

[squadleader]

Yeah, I hadn't thought of the nesting box. If it's already mounted on the other side, easier to move the water/feed bar to the same side as the nesting box. The concept is a clean side, and a dirty side. Thanks Aart!

 

[mikeyv0295]

Yeah aart is right, the single dirtiest place in the coop is under the roosting bar. At the very least, your chickens will be standing in the dirtiest place in the coop to water and feed, and there's a pretty good chance poop is going to get on your feed and water setup, plus you'll be in the poop too, trying to service the water and feed.

Leave the water and feed, and just move the roosting bar to the other side, you and the chickens lives will be better for it.

My whole left side of my tractor is just their roosting bar, there's a couple of inches of poop under it every week when I move the tractor.

Doing it that way, leaves a clean side where the water and feed is (which is also where you'll be working ), and the other side the dirty side.

When I throw scratch every night to get the chickens back in the tractor, I always throw the scratch on the clean side. I know they will scratch in poop, but I don't want to encourage it.

You're learning some great lessons, it'll be easier to move the roosting bar now, while the lumber is clean, than after it's gotten pooped up.

You've done a great job, very well done coop!

Good point......but I'd move feed hanger to other side, so they don't walk thru the crap to go into nest.

Really good points guys! For me personally I don’t care about working in the poop because if I step in the coop at all I’m gonna already be fine with the fact that I’m streppinb in poop haha. Also, since I’m doing the deep litter method and I’ll be in twice a week or so to break up the poop and spread it I wonder if I can get away with where it’s all setup currently. Again if this setup doesn’t work I can arrange it differently. I’d like to try this first though before moving it all, it’ll take some work to move things because of the way I built it

 

[aart]

I’d like to try this first though before moving it all, it’ll take some work to move things because of the way I built it

Go for it!
Much to learn by observation/experience the first week, month, year...2nd year.....
Never be afraid to modify something that's not working well,
hopefully you used screws, that makes mods much easier!

 

[mikeyv0295]

Go for it!
Much to learn by observation/experience the first week, month, year...2nd year.....
Never be afraid to modify something that's not working well,
hopefully you used screws, that makes mods much easier!

Oh yea tons of screws lmao!

 

[mikeyv0295]

You chicken gurus see any issue with this ramp? Grips are spaced about 4 1/2” apart

 

[Latestarter]

The entry is really close enough to the ground that they can jump right in... though the top of the opening "appears" kinda "low" and doing so might give them head/backaches... (from hitting it) Aside from that, looks like it will work fine.

 

[aart]

A landing or porch, as wide as door and same depth,
height half way between ground and bottom of door,
would suffice there better than a ramp.
A couple concrete blocks would do.

Not really high enough for a ramp.
Some numbers would help for scale.
Height of bottom or door.
Height and width of door.

I make my ramps no less than 8-10" wide for two way traffic,
cleats all the way across spaced 4-6".

 

[Ms Biddy]

I love it and like how you placed your roosting bar lengthwise. We're in the middle of making an 8x8 as well. It will have corrugated metal roofing completely over the back section and just partially over the entire length. Draggable with outside nesting boxes. We'll add additional tarp over the top in bad weather as needed.