Coop/Run Care

[Gary335]

Hi all! I’m quite new to chicken keeping, so please bear with me if this sort of question has been asked before. I have two hands, not quite of laying age yet. I’ve included the picture of my set up. As you can see I have my coop inside of a larger run structure. I have bedding inside of the coop, which I clean every couple of days, since both hens sleep in the same nest box and seem to leave a lot of poop in it. I do not have any sort of ground cover in the outside run, nor have I cleaned it in any way yet. There is some poop in the run, but not a whole lot.

My questions are first, should I have something covering the ground outside in the run like I do inside the coop? The grass is dying anyways so killing the grass is not a concern. Second how often should I be cleaning poop from the run? Like I said there’s not a large amount in the run, but there is some and I feel like every time I go in there I come out smelling like chicken poop.

Thanks in advance for any insights. I want to make sure I’m taking care of these girls correctly.

 

[Sally PB]

since both hens sleep in the same nest box and seem to leave a lot of poop in it.

You need to install a roost in the coop and be sure it is higher than the nest boxes. You don't want chickens sleeping in the nest boxes; you've seen the poop. You will have very poopy eggs when they start laying, and that is not a good thing.

Chickens poop at night. A lot. Give them a roosting bar and have it away from the nest boxes so that the nests are clean.

 

[Gary335]

You need to install a roost in the coop and be sure it is higher than the nest boxes. You don't want chickens sleeping in the nest boxes; you've seen the poop. You will have very poopy eggs when they start laying, and that is not a good thing.

Chickens poop at night. A lot. Give them a roosting bar and have it away from the nest boxes so that the nests are clean.

There is a roosting bar in there. I’m not sure why they’ve chosen not to use it. Here’s the inside of the coop:

Maybe the bar isn’t high enough for their liking? If you can think of anything I can do to promote the use of the bar I’d love to hear it!

 

[Sally PB]

Maybe the bar isn’t high enough for their liking? If you can think of anything I can do to promote the use of the bar I’d love to hear it!

Until they are actually laying, they don't need the nests. Cover them for a few days, and I bet the ladies will use the roost bar. It might not hurt to raise it a bit too.

The grass in the run won't be there much longer, and that's ok. Your chickens will happily scratch it down to the dirt.

You don't need to clean the poop out of the run IF there is enough carbon-based litter there to work with the poop and make compost, and if the ground stays relatively dry.

Wet poopy dirt STINKS. If you can get wood chips to spread in the run, that is fantastic. Coarse wood chips are the "gold standard" for run litter because they are good source of carbon to balance out the heavy nitrogen load of the poop, and also because they can absorb a lot of water, so the run gets just damp, not sodden.

Covering the run can help keep the run dry, or dry-ish, and also provide more shade for your chickens. I have a heavy duty tarp over half of my run, and it's going into its 4th winter. (The black/silver tarp from TSC, the heaviest grade they sell.) I have a solid roof over the other half.

It looks like the sides are covered with chicken wire. If so, your run is not secure. Chicken wire keeps chickens in, but WILL NOT keep predators out. Dogs and raccoons can tear through it, small rodents can get through the holes.

Search here on BYC for "predator apron." You need one. Raccoons and anything that digs can get in easily.

 

[Sally PB]

Nice use of zip ties, by the way. Half of my run is held together with zip ties!

 

[Sally PB]

My run is much like yours.

This was before I put on the solid roof, but you can see the tarp over the chicken wire over the metal framing. I imagine you get snow in the winter like I do here in Michigan. The chicken wire supports the tarp between the metal bars, so it doesn't collapse into the run. I broom off the snow as part of my open up routine in the morning.

Notice all the zip ties?

 

[aart]

Maybe the bar isn’t high enough for their liking?

More likely it's too small and sharp edges.
How big is it?
Might want to add a 2x4, wide side up on top of the existing roost.

 

[Gary335]

More likely it's too small and sharp edges.
How big is it?
Might want to add a 2x4, wide side up on top of the existing roost.

It’s not sharp at all. I could try this, but my fear would be there would not be enough room for the birds. The coop is quite small.

 

[Gary335]

View attachment 3942237
My run is much like yours.

This was before I put on the solid roof, but you can see the tarp over the chicken wire over the metal framing. I imagine you get snow in the winter like I do here in Michigan. The chicken wire supports the tarp between the metal bars, so it doesn't collapse into the run. I broom off the snow as part of my open up routine in the morning.

Notice all the zip ties?

I don’t know what I would have done without zip ties. I bought the run from a farmer and he had used them too, so I figured if they were good enough for him they’d be good enough for me too. I have it half covered with a tarp just like you do yours. I haven’t decided yet if I’m going to do anything with the other half or just leave it as is.

I do have a predator apron, it’s actually down by my feet in the first picture. I need to get it on, it’s doing no good down on the ground in a roll. The farmer had it around the run and said it did the job of keeping diggers out.

As for winter, we do typically get at least a little snow, though the last few have been quite mild and lacking in snow.

 

[aart]

It’s not sharp at all.

I see that now, after looking much closer, sorry.
Still how big is it?
Anything smaller than ~1.5" they may not be comfortable on.