Would it be considered 4x4 or 4x8?

[Malbri]

My coop is going to have 2 chicken sections, a 4x4 section that is actually just divided off from the original chicken area, and will be covered at about 4 feet up, for my rooster and a couple girls then the rest of the 4x8 chicken area that will be the whole height of the coop for the rest of the flock. The cover of the 4x4 will be removable and it will be the droppings pan and nesting box area for the rest of flock, so would I include that in the dimensions, because in my mind its still an area of the coop, and they can walk on it where there is no roost or nesting boxes, its just elevated from the rest. What do you think?

Edit:
And a second question, what color would you make the interior of the coop? White generally gets dirty looking, but do have the outside as white and its gonna have a red trim

 

[Nemo]

Sounds like 4x8 to me.

 

[patandchickens]

I'd say a qualified 4x8 (like, it's more like 4x8 than 4x4, but the chickens will not have *as much* usable space in that 4x8 than they might in some other arrangements with the same floorspace, does that make sense?)

If you are concerned about white getting dirty (I'm still going to vote for white, b/c it makes it EVER so much brighter in there, which is almost always a good thing if you ask me), how about artistically "splatter painting" it with multicolored paint remnants, or lightly sponge-painting it using a pale pastel color? Either one will disguise the dirt, plus your chickens can while away those boring rainy days pecking pointlessly at all the funny dots

Pat, with (I didn't put them there) color-flecked grey heavy-plastic panels on the walls of much of the pens - and pleased to report that the chickens DID eventually learn not to peck at the speckles

 

[SewingDiva]

Quote:
We painted the outside and left the inside bare wood, but did put vinyl on the floor. Some people do a simple interior whitewash every few years:

Recipe:
1 gallon water
1 lb. salt or 2 cups
5 lbs. lime
Mix good in a pail.


~Phyllis

 

[Opa]

When I built my coop I put vinyl tile on the floor and used 4x8 sheets of white tile board on the walls. Tile board is hard finished and cleans off quite easily. You can buy it a Lowes or Home Depot for about $12 a sheet. Occasionally I lock the girls out, spray the walls with a disinfectant cleaner, let it sit for awhile and wipe off. Old guys like me always look for the best way to avoid work or make things easier. Honeydo list can get long enough without the chickens adding to it.

 

[Malbri]

Haha its splatter painted right now, mom wasnt impressed when I did it

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

4x8 and go with a darker color shows less dirt dark gray or a dark blue will do the trick