Need help modifying A-frame for better roosting

[Futuregreenefarm]

I have a prefab and a homemade A-frame coop. I have 8 chickens who pretty much only sleep in them or lay but in a run during the day. Originally, 5 were in the A frame and 3 in the prefab. As predicted by some already, 2 of the hens have moved to the A frame and sleep with the rest. They are sleeping on the floor. The prefab now has one hen by herself. She seems to like that but my desire now it to modify the A frame to hold all 8, hopefully get the 3 on the bars instead of the floor. The roof on the A frame is metal. I have more and I can add another row and move the door out. I think I can run the bars, staggered all the way across the back but I am open to any suggestions. And I don't know what to do about nesting boxes? No clue there. I currently have 2 plastic tubs that work fine but I don't know where to position them if I move the bars. I don't plan to add any or hatch any. Just want to get them together in one house and possibly move the prefab out if I can.
Pics provided

 

[rosemarythyme]

If they're ok with the set up as is, is there a reason to change it?

If you want them to all be in the A frame, are you planning to expand the overall sq footage? Very simply put, it sounds like there's not enough room in there to fit the whole flock. Just adding a roost doesn't increase floor space or ventilation.

 

[Mtnboomer]

Can you raise the whole coop and have additional rods at lower heights? Turn the roosting rods perpendicular to the axis of the coop and add more?

As long as they are safe at night and happy.....I'd let it ride. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

Hey @Mtnboomer thanks for the suggestions. The issue is the roosting bars in the prefab are bogus and the 3 hens have always slept in the boxes. Which as we know doesn't make for very clean eggs. Even the 2 that has moved to the A frame sleep on the floor or in the plastic tubs making those boxes messy too. My desire is to get them all on bars and outta boxes. As I stated I can add more metal roofing, move the door out more and make the area larger. There just wouldn't be flooring underneath the whole thing. And that's what I was thinking about was staggering the bars. Are you saying run them the whole length of the frame or width of the frame? Sorry to be dumb. I couldn't raise the coop but I could take the floor out and basically take in the whole A frame. Currently only about half the actual frame is the house. Does that make sense? It is covered by a tarp right now. I only wonder how I would get inside to keep it clean??

 

[Mtnboomer]

Hey @Mtnboomer thanks for the suggestions. The issue is the roosting bars in the prefab are bogus and the 3 hens have always slept in the boxes. Which as we know doesn't make for very clean eggs. Even the 2 that has moved to the A frame sleep on the floor or in the plastic tubs making those boxes messy too. My desire is to get them all on bars and outta boxes. As I stated I can add more metal roofing, move the door out more and make the area larger. There just wouldn't be flooring underneath the whole thing. And that's what I was thinking about was staggering the bars. Are you saying run them the whole length of the frame or width of the frame? Sorry to be dumb. I couldn't raise the coop but I could take the floor out and basically take in the whole A frame. Currently only about half the actual frame is the house. Does that make sense? It is covered by a tarp right now. I only wonder how I would get inside to keep it clean??

I would make the bars as long as possible to encourage roosting. My roosting bars are removable. I designed and built my own coop and with cleaning in mind, i can lift all 3 bars out, clean the floor and put them back in secs.
My juveniles (2 mos-4mos old) are kept in a coop/run setup for only 2 mos before joining the adult free range flock. During this time the roosting rods only allow for 10 birds to roost. As there may be as many 20 birds in the setup including the young cockerels, there are always a few that sleep on the floor.
Only the hens join the free ranging adults at 4mos of age. When they do, those that developed a habit of sleeping on the floor as a youngster usually start out doing the same in the main coop that has nearly 40 lf of roosting space. But they eventually figure it out.

 

[Mtnboomer]

As for the nesting boxes, common practice wojld be to install poop boards under your roosting rods and build or place nesting boxes under the poop boards. You could also build external nesting boxes to be connected to existing coop.

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

Thank you very much for taking your time to give me these recommendations.

You also made the comment "safe at night and happy". I know this sounds like a really dumb question but how do you know if your chickens are happy? I think mine are not happy. That's why I keep asking questions on here to get better at taking care of them but they never seem to get "happier" lol. If your chickens are happy, how do they act??

 

[Mtnboomer]

Thank you very much for taking your time to give me these recommendations.

You also made the comment "safe at night and happy". I know this sounds like a really dumb question but how do you know if your chickens are happy? I think mine are not happy. That's why I keep asking questions on here to get better at taking care of them but they never seem to get "happier" lol. If your chickens are happy, how do they act??

If they are eating, drinking, active during the day and doing normal chicken stuff like dusting, scratching and foraging they are happy chickens. Ya know....being chickens!
Its my pleasure to offer suggestions, but please take them with a grain of salt. I can only speak from my experiences and what has worked or not with my birds, in my area, etc. Trial and error are good teachers and you'll find what works best for you and your birds.
Everyone here is happy to help.

 

[aart]

The issue is the roosting bars in the prefab are bogus and the 3 hens have always slept in the boxes.

Here's an excellent modification to that kind of coop:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535

 

[Futuregreenefarm]

I am going to make every effort to enclose the whole frame I have some materials to make the new bars that I hope to use but I'll purchase if I need too. I have landscaping timbers. Would that be okay if I can figure out how to brace them? Or are they too wide? And how many boxes do I need for 7 hens?