Utilizing Wasted Space ... chickens under the porch???

[schu]

We have a small lot in the city... like many we want to get the most out of it.

The house has a wrap around porch, the space under the porch is wasted.

What are your thoughts on using the space under the porch as part of the chicken run?

Pros

• Space is available
• mostly snow free and will be rain free
• Space will let the chickens run a little more

Cons

• manure... how to deal with it realistically, they don't care when or where... it just drops.
• maybe hard to clean
• eggs hard to reach if they don't lay in a coop
• smell?

Let me know what ya'll think. Thanks

 

[CosmoTheRooster]

Well, my flock has a nice coop, a run, and an acre they free range in, but they still love laying on my porch. I didn't do anything special, but they sure like it. They do poop on the porch a lot, so I spray it all off every day with a powerful hose bit.

-Cosmo

 

[jorey]

Wonderful idea but I would wonder about the smell also. I have a deck that the hens would go under for shade it didn't stink but it wasn't covered so the rain could disenagrate (spelling) the poo.

 

[schu]

As you can imagine we have had a range of ideas;

• some sort of tray that would pull out from under the porch for cleaning
• fans to dissipate any smell

I know the chickens would love the space, think of how many times they have gotten caught digging down and dusting in a flower bed.

 

[CosmoTheRooster]

Just make sure they know the coop is their home. I made the mistake of putting food and water on my porch, and the chickens would linger around the porch for most of the day, resulting in more poop! So I just keep their food and water in the coop.

-Cosmo

 

[jorey]

Trays that pull out sound good but then what would they dust bathe in unkess u filled with sand and just pull them out and scooped them as needed. Like a giant litter box.

 

[Hokum Coco]

• some sort of tray that would pull out from under the porch for cleaning

This make me think you are giving some serious thought to this project. I personally think it is do able. The worst that can happen is that it might be not quite what you thought. At worst you may have to come up with some sort of plan "B".
That would not be the end of the world as you know it.

Go for it.

 

[Cluky]

I actually have coop in city under porch, with outside safe run. I love it, it is nicely insulated, cooler in summers, and warmer in winters from the house. I think it is really good use of space in my opinion.