Tips on ventilation and cleaning this coop.

[tori729]

Here is our coop so far. Plan is to put a roof on with ventilation at the top but I'm not completely sure how much we will have. Any other easy way to make sure there's enough ventilation?

Also plan is to have a hinged door on the side (hence the open side) with nest boxes attached that opens up. Then a slide out tray for cleaning.
Does this seem doable and a good idea? I'm still trying to decide if I should do the sand stuff (pdz?) All on the bottom or just do deep bedding.
The whole thing is 6x6 and I'm a little worried about being able to get to the other side to clean.

 

[nuthatched]

I would at least double the height from floor to ceiling. It's too short for roosts, room to walk under roosts and ventilation.

 

[tori729]

I would at least double the height from floor to ceiling. It's too short for roosts, room to walk under roosts and ventilation.

Yeah that's what I was afraid of. Would it actually be doable at this point to make it taller though? Could it be done just with top ventilation or would that be too close to the chickens then?

 

[DLA]

I use a piece of smooth cheap plastic floor runner under my roost at nite as a poop tray. Just slide it out in the morning, wash it off and slide it back in a nite. Poop slides right off and half a bucket of water cleans it, quick and easy. In the winter when it's below freezing the poop freezes on it and just pops right off, I don't even have to wash as often. Not sure if that might work for your situation but it's an inexpensive option and can be cut to fit into most spaces.

 

[chickengr]

I would at least double the height from floor to ceiling. It's too short for roosts, room to walk under roosts and ventilation.

x2

 

[nuthatched]

Yeah that's what I was afraid of. Would it actually be doable at this point to make it taller though? Could it be done just with top ventilation or would that be too close to the chickens then?

You'd have to redo the corners and sides, it's a pain but changing it later will more difficult and expensive. But it won't be terribly difficult.
You'll regret not making it bigger, chickens need to spread out. I'm redoing mine for winter in a few weeks.
Cleaning trays don't work for long and don't allow for proper litter for cushioning, make one side on a hinge for easy cleaning.
Your plans seem to be like prefab coops you can buy and those have poor design.

 

[aart]

Way too short in height!

Are those zigzagged pieces to support a solid floor....or.....?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Trying to save you later issues.

This video is super short and may help give you a better visual of floor framing.

 

[tori729]

Cleaning trays don't work for long and don't allow for proper litter for cushioning, make one side on a hinge for easy cleaning.
Your plans seem to be like prefab coops you can buy and those have poor design.

The missing side will be on a hinge.

Way too short in height!

Are those zigzagged pieces to support a solid floor....or.....?

They are supposed to be, yes.

Trying to save you later issues.

This video is super short and may help give you a better visual of floor framing.

So looks like the difference here is straight pieces instead?

The other video doesn't seem to load.

I'm not really sure what other options we have; we are not builders so we hired a friend to build for us. He seems to know what he's doing and has built coops before and while he knows they need ventilation and roosts, etc., he seems to think they need much less than I've been reading here. I keep changing my plans on him and I'm sure this is more than he expected/bargained for. They *will* have over 200 sq ft of run space but I know coop space is important too. This has been *the* hardest thing when it comes to chickens and why I hesitated for so long. In hindsight, I maybe should have just paid him to pick up a used coop and modify it for what we need but he's already done so much work at this point that it's too late to change things.

 

[nuthatched]

The missing side will be on a hinge.


They are supposed to be, yes.




So looks like the difference here is straight pieces instead?

The other video doesn't seem to load.

I'm not really sure what other options we have; we are not builders so we hired a friend to build for us. He seems to know what he's doing and has built coops before and while he knows they need ventilation and roosts, etc., he seems to think they need much less than I've been reading here. I keep changing my plans on him and I'm sure this is more than he expected/bargained for. They *will* have over 200 sq ft of run space but I know coop space is important too. This has been *the* hardest thing when it comes to chickens and why I hesitated for so long. In hindsight, I maybe should have just paid him to pick up a used coop and modify it for what we need but he's already done so much work at this point that it's too late to change things.

I understand your hesitation and position but unless there's work that's not being shown, not a lot has been put into your coop so far, maybe a few hours worth.
It just needs longer corner posts to raise the height for roosts and ventilation.
The floor can be unscrewed from the corners and reattached to longer posts, it would only take an hour. No need for a shed at this point.