Multi Level coops??? - PLEASE HELP!!!

[nbonney76]

My husband posed a question to me about chicken coops last night - we are in the process, still, of building our coop. he wants to know if you can make a multi level coop. Will the chickens walk up a board to a second level and roost/nest? I don't know. Has anyone tried it and been successful???

Please help!

 

[bawkbawkbawk]

I don't know if it works, but that's what I'm trying to do. Just put mine in there last night for first time, so we'll see...

This pic gives you an idea of how it looks:

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Not intentionally

but it turned out that way anyhow....

I have a lot of cages (for taking birds to swaps) so I put in shelves and put the cages on the shelves in the coop - this also works nicely for seperating trouble makers, broodies, etc...

I ended up with many levels in the coop... and they use them all.

The better fliers perch on top of the cages at night

Some perch on the lower shelves, some perch on the actual Roost (imagine that!). Some perch in the rafters (the smaller or younger ones who can fit up there.)

meri

 

[nbonney76]

Wow! Those pictures are great! I think that is almost exactly what he meant. Thanks for the help! If anyone else has pictures I'd love to see them...

Thanks again!!!

 

[letsgobucks!]

Here's my "stealth" chicken coop in our shed....Haven't put in the nesting box or the ramp to the outdoor run but here's a mulit-level SMALL coop. Our 3 hens are loving it and yes, they go up and down the ramp.

This is the first pic I've posted so here goes...Oh yeah, I have enlarged the bottom area by about 4-5 inches in terms of height. They were fine now at 5 weeks but I felt they'd need more headroom once full grown.

 

[Imp]

Two story coop here. Chicken rarely use the bottom level.

Imp

 

[MidnightChickenLover]

Most definetely! Chickens used to live in trees before we domesticated them. I have seen a 11' tall coop and the birds litterally flew up from the roosts to be up in the rafters! They will walk up ramps too, but I have a feeling they will not think it is importanta enough to go up it unless the food is up there too. Latters are different though... They would definetely use them

 

[GardeNerd]

My chickens use the mid level all the time in my little coop. Early morning and mid afternoon seem to be favorite times of day to just hang out there. They use the whole coop. I think there are pics on my BYC page showing the mid level. It didn't have the ladder in at the time however.

 

[TexasVet]

My chickens always go to the highest roost spot, but they don't use (or need) a ladder... they just fly. I have half a dozen who regularly roost in the topmost rafters of my coop, so about 7 feet above the floor.

Kathy, Bellville TX
www.CountryChickens.com

 

[newchickmom]

I put in a "shelf" for extra space.
This is where I keep my teenagers.

Or my trouble-makers before they become dinner.