Hello, new here and new to chickens.

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks all, will rejig the layout and get back to you. I've installed a big vent now on the leeward side.

Question about age.
I've been offered three BO girls but are 16 weeks old. They wont have been handled much. These birds are primarily "pets" for my two daughters. Would we be better going younger? or will they be OK?

Hmm. The thing is you get no guarantees with animals - these could be 3 naturally friendly birds, or you could get 3 newly delivered chicks that never quite warm up no matter how much you handle them.

On one hand one benefit is you can at least ID them to ensure you're getting females, so no disappointing the kids that you have 3 boys.

On the other at 16 weeks they're at their most flighty, so may be harder to handle overall. If your kids are patient and willing to just sit around with them (instead of holding and touching them) and let the birds gradually get used to them, they might come around by the time they're ready to lay. One of my friendliest birds came to us at 7 weeks old, with no handling beforehand, and on the flip side I have birds that I've had since 2-3 days old that act like I'm setting them on fire if I even try to touch them.

 

[KyCoop]

Healthy treats like lettuce, sunflower seeds and meal worms will go a long way towards helping chickens get used to you and the kids.
You might not ever get them to sit in your lap but it won't take long for them to at least eat out of their hand. They won't be "dangerous " to the children.

 

[beany_bot]

We have a 6ft fence around our property (outside of their secured run). Do you think they could clear that at 16 weeks?

 

[KyCoop]

They may be able to but doubtful. They will want to test out their teenage wings so I would not let them out for a while.
They will so grow heavy enough to not even try. They will be larger ladies that prefer to be on the ground.
this being said you will want to train them to come to you when you want them to come back from being in the yard. Another reason to keep them pinned up until they know you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

We have a 6ft fence around our property (outside of their secured run). Do you think they could clear that at 16 weeks?

Could they clear it? Yeah, almost certainly. Would they clear it? Probably not. To me it is not so much an ability but the want to.

My fully grown mature Sussex, Orpington, Black Australorp, Delaware, Ameraucana, and Rocks easily fly up to 5' high roosts. Watching them, I have no doubt they could easily go higher. Yet I keep them inside 4 feet high electric netting. I've had a few get caught next to the netting in a pecking order dispute or trying to avoid an amorous rooster and fly out in their panic. They go vertical to get away and land on the wrong side. Normally I have to open a gate for them to get back in but I've had a few fly over the netting to get back in. They can easily fly over that netting but they don't want to so they don't.

What does that fence look like? Many people on this forum have had chickens fly up to the top of the fence just to perch and hop down on the wrong side. That can be a top rail or just a fence post. I had some that learned to get out of my main run by flying up to a fence post close to 6 feet high and hop down. I solved that problem by using some stiff fencing (2x4 welded wire) all around and higher than those posts so they no longer had a good place to land up there.

Will your 6 feet high fence contain them? Probably but I don't give you any guarantees.

 

[rosemarythyme]

We have a 6ft fence around our property (outside of their secured run). Do you think they could clear that at 16 weeks?

What kind of fence? If it has a nice sturdy rail on top, they could (whether they would is another thing).

I may have come home to find a pullet sitting atop the 6' portion of my run fence.

 

[Mark Park]

Hi, I am new to chickens and have spent some time building a large run and converting a shed to a coop over winter but I have some questions.

For info we plan to (initially) get 3 buff orpington pullets in a few weeks.

My questions are...

How would you layout this coop? the roosts and nesting boxes are free to move around but I'm not sure what the birds will prefer? What would you suggest?
Can / should the nesting boxes be on the ground? (I know they should be lower than the roost bars).
Should I put an angled top on the nesting box to stop them roosting on top of it?
Is 2 nesting boxes enough for 3 Orpingtons?

any thoughts really appriciated!

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It's looking pretty good on the whole. There are a few things I would do differently, but it will work as it is, so don't feel cmpelled to take any of it seriously.

1-- Yes, the nest boxes should have a sloping top so their roof does not become a toilet.

2 -- Round off the corners of the 2x4 roosts so they are more comfortable for the birds. Their feet are designed to lock around a branch when they sleep -- a much rounder profile will be better. You also have too much roost -- you need about a foot per bird. I would get rid of one of the 2x4's and put the roosting bar across the back of the shed to free up some floor space for a feeder and waterer, for when you have to lock the hens up.

3 -- there are a lot of hiding places in these wooden sheds for mites and other nasties. I have found that cover8ng the floor and walls up to 4ft with linoleum or vinyl flooring or sheetmetal solves this issue and also makes it possible.to pressure wash and disinfect the coop. Sheetmetal keeps rodents out as well.

4 -- Ventilation. You need a window with chicken wire or hardware cloth on it for ventilation.

 

[Mark Park]

Could they clear it? Yeah, almost certainly. Would they clear it? Probably not. To me it is not so much an ability but the want to.

My fully grown mature Sussex, Orpington, Black Australorp, Delaware, Ameraucana, and Rocks easily fly up to 5' high roosts. Watching them, I have no doubt they could easily go higher. Yet I keep them inside 4 feet high electric netting. I've had a few get caught next to the netting in a pecking order dispute or trying to avoid an amorous rooster and fly out in their panic. They go vertical to get away and land on the wrong side. Normally I have to open a gate for them to get back in but I've had a few fly over the netting to get back in. They can easily fly over that netting but they don't want to so they don't.

What does that fence look like? Many people on this forum have had chickens fly up to the top of the fence just to perch and hop down on the wrong side. That can be a top rail or just a fence post. I had some that learned to get out of my main run by flying up to a fence post close to 6 feet high and hop down. I solved that problem by using some stiff fencing (2x4 welded wire) all around and higher than those posts so they no longer had a good place to land up there.

Will your 6 feet high fence contain them? Probably but I don't give you any guarantees.

Orpingtons are big and heavy and won't get out. If you are concerned about it, cut the primary wing feathers on one wing (not both) -- if they try to fly they become unbalanced.

Of more concern with fences is things getting in.

Lay down a 2ft strip of chicken wire on the ground outside the fence and sew ut to the foot of the fence with zip ties. Throw a bit of dirt on it so it lays flat and very soon the grass will grow through it and make it invisible -- anything that tries to dig under the fence will fail.

If you have critters that can climb the fence nail a 6 inch horizontal outrigger to the outside top of each post to holf a strand of electric fence wire.

If you have a dog that likes to scare the chickens from outside the fence attach 3ft of landscaping fabric to the bottom of the fence to conceal the birds.

If you have airborne predators, crisscross some nylon fishing line across the top of the yard -- the birds of prey will not try flying in to the yard after they hit the fishing line.

 

[catballou]

Totally appriciate the roost height input but I'm really confused. I've spent literal hours and hours googling roost heights for Buff orpingtons and the vast majority of owners say keep them low or they wont use them and could even damage their hips jumping down. ive seen people say 6 / 9 / 12, no more than 20 inches. But certainly the concesus is for BO's the roost need to be much lower than "typical".

I think you've got the roosts perfect right now, except a little further from the back wall. They are generally a heavier bird so lower roosts are good. The nest boxes look good too. You could put a 2x4" across the front so they'd have a smooth edge to land on while jumping up there. Or even a 2x2". Do you have a light in there?
They will go to the highest roost because chickens like to be as high as possible.
You could also build a little ramp on the side opposite the nest boxes and put up a higher roost.
I would definitely have a door for their outdoor access, because a nightime predator has all night to figure out a way to get in.
I tried no door and found one dead hen half eaten. A possum got in and killed one of my 1st 3. And getting over the top of your run! Owls are sneaky, hawks Love chicken.

It's great that you're planning ahead.

 

[gretchenconnect]

Do you have a link to where you read that? I'd like to read it in context to see if it makes sense. Are you sure they are not saying that the roosts need to be at least 6" higher than the nests?

My Orpington had no problems flying up to and down from my original 4 feet high roosts. But mine were not show quality Orpington that can be so big they can hurt their legs getting down from a roost.

Young chickens fly more. My mature Brahmas really don't fly at all, although they did when younger. I ended up putting a ramp on my roost so they could easily find a height. Ventilation should be high (near the roof ). Drafts are dangerous to chickens. I would put water (with a heater base) and food close to the door for your convenience in filing them (also elevate these so bedding doesn't get scratched into them). We use steppingstones to get the best height on feeders and water.