[Ben_H]

For example of previous post I'm tempted to either buy something like this and cut the legs off before putting under the roosting bars or make something similar to fit:

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/40146109/

[kegs]

Here is the inside of Hillfooter's coop showing perches close together

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=70436.0


and here is the thread for the 'simple' pop hole instructions

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=65865.0

[hillfooter]

I'm looking at the possibility of retro fitting some sort of grid into the bottom of the coop so that the chooks do not step in poo the whole time. I'd thought about building a wooden frame out of thin pieces of wooden batten or dowel that can be removed easily to get at the poo beneath. Any thoughts on minimum width for chooks to stand on comfortably but allow poo to fall through? I guess this would need painting with slurry to keep the red mite at bay? I'm also assuming that rounded bars would be more comfortable for the chooks to walk across than square edged ones?

I'd be very interested in how you built your auto door openers Hillfooter if you don't mind sharing?

Well Kegs has answered the how to build a simple pophole open/ closer.  Read my thread on this.

Re slatted roosting bars should be around 6cm wide and 3cm ish deep (larger fowls can be larger say 7cm wide and bantams smaller say 5cm) and with rounded edges.  the sspace between them again is 5  - 6 cm.  Not too close that droppings don't fall through and not so wide that the chx claws poke through.  

Paint them with the DE slurry made by adding DE to a dilute disinfectant base made using Vanadine V18 at the surface concentration with a squirt of washing up liquid.  My cheap alternative to Poultry Shield.  Droppings won't stick and can easily be scrapped off and Red Mite are discouraged too and the disinfectant sanitises the perches.

The Ikea rack is sort of the idea but I think it would be better to make them yourself from preservative treated wooden batons from a DIY centre,  Use 50mm X 38mm (or 25)  and bevel or round the edges.  That way you can make them the exact size you need and make them easily removable.

HF