Help with roosts on prefab coop

[Futuregreenefarm]

So I bought this prefab coop from TS as I was "gifted" chicks unexpectedly and needed a place to house them. It has a roost inside the house that is directly on top of the slide out board. And this is right beside the nesting boxes. I have five 14-week-old chickens and they have never slept on the roosting bar but in the nesting boxes. I have racked my brain trying to figure out how to modify this coop to either move/add new nesting places or create a roost higher up but somehow still enclosed. Does anyone familiar with this coop have any ideas on how to improve this design flaw?

I should add they have a netted run they stay in during the day and only sleep in this coop at night.

 

[mixedUPturk]

So I bought this prefab coop from TS as I was "gifted" chicks unexpectedly and needed a place to house them. It has a roost inside the house that is directly on top of the slide out board. And this is right beside the nesting boxes. I have five 14-week-old chickens and they have never slept on the roosting bar but in the nesting boxes. I have racked my brain trying to figure out how to modify this coop to either move/add new nesting places or create a roost higher up but somehow still enclosed. Does anyone familiar with this coop have any ideas on how to improve this design flaw?View attachment 1860858
I should add they have a netted run they stay in during the day and only sleep in this coop at night.

Im sorry i dont know how u could rebuild the interior But you Could put the girls on the roost each evening and train them that thats where to sleep.

 

[coach723]

One of the faults with prefab coops IMHO. You can run a roost across the width half way up, just above the door and nest boxes (opposite the way they run now) you may have to have a brace over the door/window on the side, or you can run a brace just above the nest boxes and move the roosts up the same way they are now. Probably only one roost running across the width, or one or two the other way, due to the slope of the roof, so they still have head room. If you make your brace across the side door/window removable, you could maybe get two across the wide way, and you could remove it for cleaning etc. I can't find the interior dimensions anywhere, so those are based on there actually being enough head room to raise them up. You could also run another board along the entrance to the nest boxes, making the step in a little higher, and just raise them that much if head room is an issue. I would start making a list of what you like/don't like and want, to plan on the one you will build. My first coop made me NUTS, so building what I wanted made me much happier. And the prefabs don't hold up well over time. But that would be an easy way to make it work in the short run. If you can find a used shed, those are reasonably easy to convert to a coop and keep costs down. And much more workable space.

 

[RoosterML]

For starters cover the nest boxes so they can’t go in until closer to laying age.

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

Thank you for the suggestions @coach723
I will go out this evening and measure and see if I could make any of these work. And thanks @RoosterML , I had read this before and forgotten it. Thanks for reminding me. I will do this right away. I had almost thought about just putting new nesting boxes below, like the plastic storages boxes you see repurposed but they would be on the ground and I'm not sure that would be any better ??

 

[Mybackyardpeepers]

I'm going to say this coming from one who also bought a TSC coop. Build a better and bigger one! I am using my prefab as a grow out coop, it is no way made to house chickens permanently (at least mines not)

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

I'm going to say this coming from one who also bought a TSC coop. Build a better and bigger one! I am using my prefab as a grow out coop, it is no way made to house chickens permanently (at least mines not)

I totally agree! I purchased it as quick housing and I am only wanting to make it work until we finish a house under construction and move to a new location where we plan to build a better coop and run. Honestly I would not have taken on chickens until we moved and could build one, but like I said, these chicks were given to me unexpectedly. But I am glad, I have enjoyed them tremendously!

 

[aart]

Here's an excellent modification to that kind of coop:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535

ETA to add pic from link, because sometimes people don't read.

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

That's awesome @aart . Thank you so much!!

 

[jddowdle]

I have the same coop and am not happy with it my chicken will not get on the roost inside the coop. They sleep standing up on the slide out tray.