Trying to plan coop but struggling on internals

Its a bit mind boggling trying to understand where it all fits I know!

Things we thought about when building our coup.

Eliminate any unnecessary internal joints/crevices which could house red mite, by simpliyfing construction, and keeping the inside of the coop as stream lined as possible.

Think critically at all times about cleaning.   Can you access it, can it be easily removed, can it sprayed and dried easily, etc etc.

We had wooden nest box inserts, but gave up with them for being awkward to clean, and have now got 3 plastic crates, which just sit on the floor in the nest box area of the coop.  They are so much more practical for cleaning/drying.

Perch is 45 cms above the floor level.  Haven't got a dropping board, but floor is lined with newspaper and then wood shavings.  Poo can be easily picked out of the woodshavings each day, so never builds up.  Perch at this height is nice for the girls, because they like to be high.  But also leaves clear space in the coop so noone has to duck! 

Think about ventilation as well - above head height so not draughty on the girls.

Picture shows ours under construction.

We used an external wood glue (polyurethane? Might have got that wrong ).  It expands to fill the gaps, and sets very solidly and can be sanded if necessary.  Others on here have used bathroom type fillers.

I only 'clean' the coup about once a fortnight, ie everything out, spray with poultry sheild (providing I think it will dry - depends on the weather), and replace paper, woodshavings with fresh, adding Diatom powder.  Shavings in coup are not there as bedding, girls will ideally sleep on the perches, or if not, will get into the nest boxes.  So coup shavings are purely to absorb poo.

I wash the plastic nest crates every weekend, replacing nesting with a base of woodshavings (absorbent) and top with a nest of straw (cosy).  Again use Diatom and also add a sprinkle of louse powder - so they get a dose every time they nest.

On a daily basis, I pick poo out of the woodshavings.  It's not what I would term as cleaning really.  Just like picking eggs from the nest box, you pick poo from the coup   Also do a daily poo pick in the run.  Just basic common sense hygiene really.  Wouldn't matter if you missed a few days, but it's just nicer to be in the run if you don't have to tip toe through poo.

Here's a pic of pop hole, external and internal.  Tilly (ex batt) still in need of feathers   Pop hole door is controlled by an automatic light sensitive door opener.





Below see original plywood insert being modelled by Wilma - looks the business certainly, but a sod to clean.  Replaced with plastic crates which are a dream.  Need to be v sturdy solid so can't be tipped up.  These are workshop types store bins.





Coup raised well off the floor so don't encourage rats, also good place to hang feeders so they don't get dirt kicked into them, and can't be knocked over.  Also good for shade - whooo hoo, the suns out!!



Contour of bitumen roof provides ventilation at the right height, but fill in gaps with weldmesh to keep out rats.



Have a compost bin handy for poo/bedding.  My garden compost bays are in here too, which the girls love.  Their bin is the darlek, and the rubber gloves are their for a purpose .



And don't forget your own perch........you'll need it!  Sunflower kneeling mat is perfect for the job, and I keep it on top of the coup when not in use.

I used silicone sealant, but the PU glue idea is a great one - be warned though - it's messy stuff, and once on your hands it stays for days!! Also, you'll NEVER get a joint apart once glued with that stuff - I build all the band's speaker cabs using it, and it's fantastic (but sticky!)

I'll take some more pics at the weekend.

Oh yes! forgot to mention that, make sure you wear your marigolds, and work quickly!

Yes, I had all sorts of cunning plans and clever tricks in mind, but K.I.S.S. is really the best way.

There's a couple of threads on here about DIY auto openers that I'm considering having a bash with, but it's all a bit involved. Let's get the chickens settled first before I go too mad with the rest....

Auto pop hole openers are the best thing since slice bread, apart from the girls themselves of course.

Though we bought one, didn't try to DIY.  Bought the steel door with it from the Flytes site, and it was a doddle to install.

Highly recommended, just makes life so much easier.

lol....no offence taken, although i do now feel rather stupid