Vertical height for a coop?

[elmo]

Quote:
My "winter coop" sounds similar to what you're thinking of (scroll down past the pictures of the tractors):

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=32217

One feature of this coop that I love is that the whole front wall opens up, making it very easy to reach inside and clean.

I like having a stationary coop for security, but I also use a day tractor so that my flock can get the benefits of free ranging without the dangers of free ranging.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
In addition, think about your nest box. You want the roost to be noticeably higher than the nest box so they roost on the roost, not in the nest box. As small as your coop will be, 6" higher should be enough.

Something else to consider. If your nest box is inside the coop, they need enough room above the litter to be able to get under the nest box or it takes away from useable space in the coop. I think it needs to be either high enough or down pretty low. Mine is not high enough. They scratch the bedding under the nest box and don't have enough room or motivation to get in there to scratch it back out. Besides, most of their scratching is away from the feeder looking for scraps, which adds to my problem. It is fairly tight under there, which some occasionally see as a nice, dark, cosy, protected place to lay eggs.

Good luck!

 

[elmo]

Quote:
Excellent points! And it reminds me of a mistake I made on my first coop building adventure. I forgot to take into account the depth of my coop bedding when I first cut the hole for the pop door. I had to rig up a patch for that mistake and recut the door or hassle with bedding endlessly falling out through the popdoor.

 

[maclady]

Is 3-4 inches up from the floor before the opening of the poop door enough? I also do not want the bedding going everywhere. The nest boxes are going to be extended outside of the coop so the 4x4 is pure floor space for my babies. We are going to also make it at least a 3-4 inch step up into the next boxes. I read somewhere here that the roost should be 18 inches from the floor. Does this sound correct? Thank you for all the ideas and help. It is greatly appreciated. I want my chickens to have a good home. Loved the reused trampoline for an outdoor pen.

 

[nanners]

just wondering how your coop turned out? you had most of the same questions i've been wondering about! we are going to p/u our 4 chicks today...and i've been fretting about the coop for day now.

any advice now that your coop is built?

thnx