Help Required

[Marigold]

How are you going to access the nest boxes? It will be easier if you had doors or flaps on the outside, which you could just raise or open to check for eggs, compared with having to keep opening the access door and possibly disturbing a nesting hen. Also this would be easier to clean out than if you had to reach into the coop itself and round the corner into the boxes. They will be nice and dry and cosy inside the coop, though.

 

[Poxyting]

How are you going to access the nest boxes? It will be easier if you had doors or flaps on the outside, which you could just raise or open to check for eggs, compared with having to keep opening the access door and possibly disturbing a nesting hen. Also this would be easier to clean out than if you had to reach into the coop itself and round the corner into the boxes. They will be nice and dry and cosy inside the coop, though.

Hi Marigold,

I'm going to have a flap behind the nesting boxes for egg collection. The back doors will be for cleaning only.

Thanks for your help. I will keep you updated.

 

[Poxyting]

Hi Engin

It's looking good. I would suggest a small lip to the front of the nest boxes so that all of the bedding doesn't get scratched out and the dirty bedding doesn't get pushed in, also do the same with the entrance again so that they don't scratch all their bedding out. For exterior materials tongue and groove looks nicer but 12mm exterior ply is a better material with regards to harbouring red mite as it has less joints for mite to hide in, of course because it doesn't look great then that might be a compromise too far for you which I can understand. I forgot to say that the grill to the front is a little bit big I would cover the bottom half of it or it will let too much draft in when there is one at the back as well, the idea is to let plenty of air in but not create a through draft anywhere near level the birds are roosting. I would also use a smaller grade of mesh, you would be surprised how small a gap a weasel can squeeze through. Hope this doesn't sound critical because it's certainly not meant to be, it's just nice to give people the chance to not make the mistakes you've made yourself.

Hi Dinosaw,

I'm going to put lips on both, also I'm going to change the size of the airvent.

I'm going tomorrow to pick up some plywood and return the tongue and groove.

Thanks again for your help and will keep you updated.

 

[Marigold]

You're well on the way towards designing the perfect coop! You could go into business ....
Do you need a new kitchen in the new cottage? First things first, that'll obviously have to wait a while!

 

[Poxyting]

New bits arriving daily

 

[Marigold]

Just like Christmas, isn't it?
Where do you plan to keep the feeder so it stays dry, Elgin? You'll probably lose a lot of feed to wild birds, maybe a bit less if it's under some sort of sheltered roof. It'll be good to try to keep birds off the drinker as well, and both bits of equipment will stay cleaner if raised off the ground on blocks, to the height of the chest on the smallest hen. The hens will also be less likely to waste feed by scratching it out of the feeder compartments if it's higher than their feet.

 

[Poxyting]

Just like Christmas, isn't it?
Where do you plan to keep the feeder so it stays dry, Elgin? You'll probably lose a lot of feed to wild birds, maybe a bit less if it's under some sort of sheltered roof. It'll be good to try to keep birds off the drinker as well, and both bits of equipment will stay cleaner if raised off the ground on blocks, to the height of the chest on the smallest hen. The hens will also be less likely to waste feed by scratching it out of the feeder compartments if it's higher than their feet.

Hi Marigold,

The feeder and the water bottle both have legs on them...I didn't have them extended as it was a photo, think I'm buying more for them than the house