Final coop questions......

[Nebraska]

I'm building my first coop (very similar to the pic below) and wanted to ask a few questions before I get too far.....


Q1 - What would be the optimal size for nesting boxes in a coop this size? The back of my coop is 48" wide and ~44" tall in back so I could go for more boxes or bigger boxes but don't know which would be best......

Three across with nine evenly spaced nesting boxes that are approximately 14"-16" deep x 16" wide x 14" high.

Two across for a total of 6 nesting boxes that are 14"-16" deep x 24" wide x 14" high. If I went 24"W, I'd put two nesting bowls in each box.

**OR** - A couple shelves with three 16" boxes and the top shelf with just two 24" boxes or vice versa.....



Outside of the trap door (that would be closed most of the time) and the opening to the aviary, these plans don't show any kind of ventilation.

Q2 - Considering that I'm going with a solid floor, what should I do for ventilation that won't be a problem when it comes to rain/snow/cold?

With nesting boxes covering the back, I'll have ~50"x48"x32" of open space inside the coop so.....

Q3 - How many perches should I install on the inside and how would you lay them out??

Thanks for any/all help!!!

[AZ Brittany Guy]

Nebraska, I would really reconsider the solid floor if I were you. I know too many guys that did not use the 1/2 hardware cloth and regretted it. As far as size and number of nesting boxes, I would use what was recommended in the plans. I built the same loft from the same plans and I think that 12-14 birds would be all you could comfortably hold. I also put handles on each side of the loft for ez relocation once the ground got too saturated with droppings.



I wish you the best.

[Pointerguy]

I recently built the same coop 44"x46"x5' tall and put 6 aprox. 12"x12" nesting boxes with a wire mesh floor. My thought is it will be a much cleaner and ventilated coop with the wire floor. I have 12 homers in their and room for a few more.

[WiskeyJaR]

my frist loft was the same one as yours. I used the solid floor with staw about an inch thick on floor. Had no problems when it came time to clean, just pulled out old straw and replace. Besides, the birds used the straw to make their nests in the boxes. Raised 6 birds from egg to adult in that little loft. Never seems to have any air flow problems. Just didnt like having to reach in threw the doors, would rather be able to walk in. Now that I have made a bigger "walk-in" loft, I use that old one for a rabbit hutch now...works just as good, with a few minor door changes.

Good luck with yours,
WiskeyJaR

[Nebraska]

I was going to go with a wire or open rubber floor but putting this coop in our backyard is a big enough stretch as it is (for the wife :roll: ), without having all the pigeon goop underneath so hopefully it works out ok with the solid floor. One idea I had today is to cut out a really big door each side (2'x3'??) to make scooping/maintenance easier and then to cut a smaller door out inside of each main door (1'x2'??) and put mesh on the inside. That way I could leave the smaller door with the wire mesh open during the hot summer days for ventilation and shut them when it's cooler or if it's likely to rain.

I used Microsoft photo editor to draw some doors and am thinking about something like this.....


I put this post over on "Pigeon Talk" as well to see what kind of info I got back and they pointing me at this super-duper nesting box design that is a little over the top for what I'm doing. They're also saying my coop will be good for 3-4 birds tops which seems a little light to me. Of course, they seem to treat their birds better than some folks treat their kids!!

If I could end up with 6-8 homers to work with, I'd be a happy camper.....

[Coveyrise64]

Nebraska, I would really reconsider the solid floor if I were you. I know too many guys that did not use the 1/2 hardware cloth and regretted it. As far as size and number of nesting boxes, I would use what was recommended in the plans. I built the same loft from the same plans and I think that 12-14 birds would be all you could comfortably hold. I also put handles on each side of the loft for ez relocation once the ground got too saturated with droppings.



I wish you the best.

The only drawback to having the open floor is when the pigeons are going through their molt. My yard looks like I hit a feather pillow with my lawn mower. I am considering replacing with a solid floor.

Coveyrise64

[mtclip]

Here's some pictures of the one I just built. I added a recall door to the left of the cage after I took the picture.

[AZ Brittany Guy]

Nebraska, I would really reconsider the solid floor if I were you. I know too many guys that did not use the 1/2 hardware cloth and regretted it. As far as size and number of nesting boxes, I would use what was recommended in the plans. I built the same loft from the same plans and I think that 12-14 birds would be all you could comfortably hold. I also put handles on each side of the loft for ez relocation once the ground got too saturated with droppings.



I wish you the best.

The only drawback to having the open floor is when the pigeons are going through their molt. My yard looks like I hit a feather pillow with my lawn mower. I am considering replacing with a solid floor.

I know what you mean but think about all the scraping and brushing you will have to do with your head stuck in the loft, as opposed to raking and shoveling the ground under your loft..

Coveyrise64

[chicago0517]

I don't know that I'll describe this well, but let me give it a shot.

Re: flooring -

Build a wire floor with a wood sub-floor. About two inches between the two. Leave an opening/slat the length of one side of your coop that you scan slide newspaper or cardboard in and out of. This way your birds can stand on the wire floor and poop through it, but it lands on the newspaper/cardboard for quick and easy clean up.

Just change the cardboard/newspaper every week or so and you'll have a clean (I use that term loosely) coop and a happy wife.

[battman1]

Mine has a solid floor with a 2 pretty good sized doors (its off the ground the height of a 5 gallon bucket).When its time to clean it, I just use a hoe to rake it into the bucket.Takes about 2 minutes.