Would this count as additional 'floor' space?

[greatergraceoffbg]

Do yo mind me asking what kind of chickens you plan on getting? That can make a big difference. With a larger breed like Jersey Giants or Buff Orpingtons, you would do better with less chickens that you are proposing lets say change the rule to 5 sq ft per bird. But with Icelandics you could up the numbers say reducing the rule to 3 sq ft per bird AND let them out in the winter when their is low snow or well crusted snow. Othe types of fowl such as the Russian Orloffs, Cochins, Marans all go with the 4 sq ft rule and would do well in your area.

Andy in Fredericksburg

 

[Captain Carrot]

One way to add more space, would be to build the roosts off the ground. What I mean is instead of having the roosts at an angle with the back wall starting at the floor, build the roosts starting a couple of feet up, with a poop board underneath, and a ramp leading up the the roosts.

That way you'll have your added floor space, it won't get covered in droppings because the poop board catches them. You could line the poop board with newspaper with a sprinkling of shavings, Then when needed pull out the board, tip off the paper and give it a wash...then replace.

If you don't understand what I'm on about, PM me and I'll send you some diagrams.

Oh some of the heavy breads will have trouble using a ramp, keep that in mind.

Good luck

 

[wordgirl]

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Well maybe I'm misunderstanding what you're proposing.

If it will be low, nearly at floor level, with a solid not wire floor, and poop will be cleaned off regularly rather than letting it mound up high, and there will be at least 18" between floor (well, top of poo) and underside of roost, then yes they will use it as floor space.

However if this is a higher bump-out (like 3' up, or whatever) and only a foot or so under the roost, and/or wire-floored, then no they will NOT use it in the way they use floorspace and so it does not "count" in terms of figuring how much room the chickens percieve themselves to have use of.

Pat

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks, Pat. Now I think I understand.

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Currently I'm thinking about a variety. About two dozen in the under 8-pound range (about half of those in the near five-pound range) and two of each Orpington and Australorp.

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With your design, are the chickens able to walk under the poop board?

Thanks everyone!

 

[kcfuerst]

While my setup is smaller than yours at 8x8x8', this type of roost works great for providing extra floor space for my 10 girls. Even in inclement weather when they choose to stay indoors, they have plenty of room. The "poo park" as I call it, is easily shoveled out when time to clean. I keep it full of layers of wood chips and DE as needed until time to clean.

I should mention that the whole entire top of the roost is like a lid which is removable. I take it outdoors once a year and paint it with kerosene to prevent mites. The front of the box has hinges and the front side drops down for easy cleaning.

 

[wordgirl]

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That's a lot like what we were thinking! Do you have trouble with the poop and the wire? What size are your birds?

 

[teach1rusl]

Love the mirror K8tiecat!!
OP - Or you can just do standard dropping boards and clean them off (wide putty knife to "rake" dropping into a bucket) every day-every other day. It's a really quick process - for the number of birds you're talking about, probably 3 minutes MAX. for daily clean-up - and you save bedding.

 

[wordgirl]

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Only three minutes for 28 birds? That wouldn't be so bad, I guess. And it would save on bedding...and construction work...and it would make the coop look a lot cleaner.... Hmm...may have to consider that idea. Thank you, teach1rusl.

 

[patandchickens]

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For whatever it's worth, for a fully-occupied 7' roost it takes me LITERALLY 10 seconds to scrape the poo off the board into a bucket held in the other hand. I use one of those super-wide drywall taping knives (looks like a paint scraper).

Pat

 

[Captain Carrot]

Quote:
That is what I was trying to explain.

 

[wordgirl]

Thanks, everybody.

Well, maybe then we'll just change our plans a bit. I really like the simple poop board idea.

teach1rusl, or Captain Carrot, or patandchickens - with your poop boards, how far from the front roost is the edge of your board? And how are your roosts spaced, both from each other and the back wall? Last time we did it I think we did stair-stepped roosts (three of them), each successive one twelve inches away and twelve inches up, with the back one eighteen inches from the wall. Do you think it needs to be eighteen inches from the wall, or would a foot suffice (and still allow the chickens to be comfortable)?