Chicken Coop Design, feedback please.

[chris]

Large Fowl - ~12-18" of perch space. 1 nestbox between ~3 birds is adequate.

Scratching space? As in outdoor space? As much as you can give them.

[sir david]

Thanks Chris . I am surprised the birds share nest boxes , bit like cookoos .

David

[RedThorn]

cookoo is right, you watch them all jostle for a spot in the nestbox however if you put two in, likely hood is they'll jostle in 1 still

[JeffUK]

cookoo is right, you watch them all jostle for a spot in the nestbox however if you put two in, likely hood is they'll jostle in 1 still

Yep! We have 2 nest boxes..... the status quo seems to be 3 chickens in one next box, and one in the other nest box, trying to find a way to squeeze in with the rest

[elizajay]

We have 2 nest boxes for 5 hens.

One hen sleeps in the tree and never goes into the hen house if she can help it - hasn't laid in the house for a few years. Three lay in the house, usually in the middle of the floor, but occasionally in a nest box. The other stopped laying a week or so back. She is a hybrid and I am sure she is laying but where??? I have tried keeping them in longer in the mornings, but she must cross her legs until I give up and let them out. I try watching where she goes, but that hasn't helped. What a waste of eggs, especially as the weather has been so soggy and I have looked in the more sheltered places.

[Linzy]

That looks very similar to the one i made only we have a peaked roof that doubles up as the lid to open to collect the eggs. Works a treat plus as its raised of the ground the chicks love laying in the dry soil underneath and it stops the rats getting to my eggs. I think you will have some very happy chickens.