Why are my chickens lying in a heap on the floor of their house?

[Pork Pie]

Okay, I think I’ll need a new house. How urgent do you think this is? Will they be okay huddling up through the winter, or is this really cruel?

Sorry if these are silly questions but I’m really green!

Winter, when weather may confine your birds to the coop is the most crucial season. Overcrowding can lead to undesirable behaviours (feather pecking, for example) which can be difficult to correct. If finances are available, I’d try and fix things as soon as you can. Just my thought

 

[Alpal]

I can’t overstate how much I appreciate all your considered responses, and am so glad I asked the question here!

I’ll move without delay to get a bigger house for my lovely chooks, and it is so great to get specific info. I wish I were handy enough to make it myself but I’ll the specifications to make sure the next house is more suitable. (I’m already thinking of how I’ll paint it up! )

I’ll hold onto this one too - or if I sell on advise the new owner better on how many chickens it should hold.

Thanks everyone!

 

[Michael Propst]

I’ll hold onto this one too - or if I sell on advise the new owner better on how many chickens it should hold.

I would recommend if you have the room to keep it. I have found having an extra small coop around is handy if you are ever in a situation where you need to isolate one of your girls for a period of time. You hope that one will never get sick and have to isolate but if it does happen it is nice to have a comfortable environment to do it within

 

[lazy gardener]

No matter how many chickens that coop is intended for it simply is not adequate: not enough ventilation, a frost bite night mare. No natural lighting. The birds would feel vulnerable to attack in such a small coop with inadequate perch height. However, it is cute, and could be repurposed into a great community nest box!

Alpal, if your ground is not frozen, and you don't mind an unconventional build, you might consider a cattle panel coop. YOu could then put your little coop in the CP coop to use as a nest box. I strongly suggest that what ever you end up with, it be a "walk in". That will ensure that you get all of the benefit out of the space, b/c you can "stack your space". Low ventilation, high ventilation, low nest boxes, higher perches, with plenty of room above them for ventilation without creating drafts.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/gallery/20170423_194938.7897852/

 

[Stayc]

Very cute coop!! Sorry you were mislead. I am no expert but by the advice here i would say u were best of luck sorting it all out.

 

[Molpet]

I had 2 roos and 6 POL in a 4'x4' dog house the first winter... they slept in a pile in one corner and laid in another... I put a few vents in it and no frostbite at -17f.. but 30f and freezing rain was another story... I built a hoop coop like lazy gardener said during the winter and put the dog house and a little used coop in it. The molting hens use them in the winter and the broodies love them too.

the turkeys are standing on the old dog house.

 

[Stayc]

Cute, cute, and cute!!

 

[azygous]

These cute little prefab coops are designed and built by people who have never observed chickens in a coop jumping up to roost for the night and then dismounting the roosting perch in the morning. If they did, they would never build a coop less than five feet wide.

I confess I began with a 4 x 4 foot coop I built myself for two adopted hens. I added on to it a few years later after I added to my flock. Even though the new coop is now 4 x 12 feet, it is too narrow for comfortable access to the perch running the length of the coop.

While twelve feet generously accommodates the flapping of wings when the chicken fly up to the perch, they do not have adequate running room to dismount, and I observe frequent wipe-outs against the wall opposite the perch. Ouch! I feel guilty even writing this.

Another thing I would have done differently is to build walk-in coops. I'm forever bumping my head and elbows, cursing my stupidity every single day. Someday when I can afford it, I would love to tear the coops down and start all over and do it right.

 

[aart]

OP is looking into another coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/should-i-buy-a-shed-rather-than-a-coop.1208138/unread

 

[bobbieschicks]

That's adorable! Here's a pic of my 4'x4' grow out coop I just finished wiring for solar powered auto door.

It would be fine for that number of chicks if they were banties or chick size instead of large fowl pullets, so maybe hold onto it for a grow out pen or rooster only pen. It would still be fine for pullets but maybe only 4 or 5. 4'x4' is a good amount of space if they also have a good size run to hang around outside during the day.

I have a similar set up but without the nest box for my grow out pen. More then enough room for my 5 six week old Leghorns and mystery chick They prefer the 2x4 roost I hung across one side. Maybe if you take one roost off so they all fly up to just one side it might work? Then again some birds jut prefer to pile rather then perch when they are young.