Good Morning! in 2018

[SusanH]

Other big news (and it's your fault): I got some fertile eggs from @Kbr42 and Miranda is now one happy chicken in her own little coop, sitting on seven eggs. Either I need to sell a couple of those Polish or a few of the new chicks, or get out my construction tools or all of the above. Chicken math strikes again.

I vote for more coops

You are bad! I'm trying to figure out how to make half of the bottom of the coop into living space. Right now I have an 8 foot cube of which the top half is coop (sleep and nesting space) and the bottom has hanging feeder and dust bath and space to get away from driving rain/snow. I like having the nest boxes and cleanout at eye level. But if I closed in a 4x4 box at ground level, maybe the Polish would be happier there. How much floor space per hen are they supposed to need? I will still have to sell at least one Polish. And leave the upstairs for the Wyandottes and whatever hatches. Best laid plans. With my luck, the Wyandottes and chicks would appropriate the downstairs and the polish would roost in the tree, leaving the big coop empty. I know what you're going to say, about how to fill an empty coop, you demons.

[Jaye]

4 square feet in the coop and 6 square feet in the run for a total of 10 square feet per bird is the recommended minimum space requirement. More is always better, especially in the winter months when they are more confined.

[KimChick]

Good morning!

[baronrenfrew]

How’s it going eh!

[Ontario Chick]

Good morning,
Back to crazy weather, my "babies" are all legs and feathers, trying to count cockerels and pullets is like pushing rope up a hill, don't want to post the numbers until I am sure, but so far looks very much half and half.
I may have to keep some "unusuals" this year, although it's completely against my religion.
Bert, back to barn fixing, you know winter IS going to ask, what you did in summer

[SusanH]

4 square feet in the coop and 6 square feet in the run for a total of 10 square feet per bird is the recommended minimum space requirement. More is always better, especially in the winter months when they are more confined.

Thanks @Jaye I thought so, sixteen square feet should be ok for four, then.

Dumb question. Why does everyone have a small pop door and a big cleanout door? Why not just open the cleanout door to let the chickens out? Is this a "tradition thing?" (We don't know why, we just do, because everyone does.) I am thinking how awkward two doors would be in my case.

[Ontario Chick]

I personally feel that big open door is an invitation for all comers to get in.
Pop door a bit more inconvenient for an owl or a hawk to swoop in.
Also the pop door cuts down on draft and other inclement weather somewhat.

[Killerbunny]

OC is right. I was losing eggs to ravens when the big door is open. The small door cuts the wind a bit.

[Jaye]

I have two big cleanout doors and a pop door in the bottom of one of them.
The cleanout doors are only opened long enough for the big spring and fall cleanouts; the rest of the time it's only the pop door that gets opened. Like @Ontario Chick and @Killerbunny said, less chance of uninvited/unwanted "guests".

[SusanH]

Woohoo! Ducks have started laying! I can't wait for breakfast to try them!
They laid eggs just on the floor of their house. They don't have nest boxes because I read they don't use them, but is that true? Any opinions/suggestions?