Trap door for cleanout and window musings on a friday evening.

[Lulu-vt]

I am mid build of my new chicken coop. Two questions on one post to save time!

1. I was planning on one solid wall on the west side of the coop. But having a window would bring in nice light. So small window on west side, chicken door on north wall, Big window/door on east side and nesting boxes on south side. Sound fine? I keep thinking that there should be one wall with nothing going on. But theres not. Am I missing something?

2. I think I want a trap door in the floor to help with cleanout. Wouldn't that be cool? Open the bottom and voila - the bedding falls through and the rest can be swept down into a collector of some kind and brought over to the compost. Since I have joists every 16' or so (can't remember now), the trap door would really only be that wide, but it could be long. Is this worth it? And how do I build it? This is really more rhetorical since I'll just have to mull it over for awhile. I wouldn't mind if someone offered their advice/opinion on trap doors for cleanout. There is a 2ft space below my coop. I could go under in an emergency but definately enough room for a garden sled to catch bedding.

 

[2ndTink]

 I think your window in the West wall is fine. What are the dimensions of your coop? Just be sure there is plenty of ventilation.

I like the trap door idea. Could you have something that lifts up, just a big bird that you could remove from inside and then scoop everything through the opening?

Do you already have chickens or is this for your first flock?

 

[Lulu-vt]

 I think your window in the West wall is fine. What are the dimensions of your coop? Just be sure there is plenty of ventilation.

I like the trap door idea. Could you have something that lifts up, just a big bird that you could remove from inside and then scoop everything through the opening?

Do you already have chickens or is this for your first flock?

I had a flock of chickens for about 6 years. I took about a 5 year hiatus and now I'm back at it! I definitely know what works for me and what I'm going to change. I built a pretty small coop before - it was perfect for what I had. But it became vunerable to weasels and racoons. We moved our chickens to our large goat barn where they lived perfectly for many years. They loved roosting in the loft! The barn was open and unprotected from predators but the goats kept everyone at bay.
Now we are restarting. I am building a new coop. I am ambitious! I want a nice easy way to clean out the coop and my son suggested a trap door. It sounds so great! I am just trying to think my way around that and how to build it into the floor. Currently, I only have joists.

 

[Lulu-vt]

 I think your window in the West wall is fine. What are the dimensions of your coop? Just be sure there is plenty of ventilation.

I like the trap door idea. Could you have something that lifts up, just a big bird that you could remove from inside and then scoop everything through the opening?

Do you already have chickens or is this for your first flock?

A lifting trap door sounds like a good idea. Just trying to think through if it would be framed out and would the edging stick up to catch on things, would I trip on it? Would it be vunerable to predators?

 

[BackyardinWales]

I love the trap door idea and had thought about one for mine, but couldn't get my head around it so going a different route.

Good luck on the build!

 

[Lulu-vt]

I love the trap door idea and had thought about one for mine, but couldn't get my head around it so going a different route.

Good luck on the build!

Yes! Trying to get my head around it. Exactly! What did you decide to do for yours?

 

[BackyardinWales]

Yes! Trying to get my head around it. Exactly! What did you decide to do for yours?

It's just a basic roost with 4 double nesting boxes, or it will be when it gets beyond the nice 'table' in my living room.