Plz Help me configure my coop/run bars and nests

[Wanderlust247]

Hi, we are in the middle of our coop/run build using our kids wooden playhouse. We live on the Texas Gulf Coast where it’s hot and humid most of the year with mild winters (although the last couple of years we have had some freezing temps) Our coop and run is roughly 8 x 12. We are going for an open concept but about 4x8 of one end will have walls on 3 sides as shown in the pic. Originally we were just going to close in the two tiered playhouse area of the playset (roosting bars on the top level and nesting boxes on the bottom level) but we ended up with 10 chickens and half of those were silkies and that just isn’t going to work I assume. So, now, we are “enclosing” one whole end instead of just the playhouse area and trying to configure it in a way that the silkies can access both the nesting boxes and roosts without too much trouble. The roof will be tin and hardware cloth everywhere else

We are thinking nesting boxes on the bottom level of the playhouse, some roosting bars for the regular chickens on the top portion and maybe a big ladder type roost or something on the right hand side with some perches lower for the silkies (but spaced far enough to not get pooped on from chickens on the top roosts)

Or should we do roosting bars on both levels and nesting boxes low to the ground on the right side??

Thoughts?

 

[Ryguy3684]

I'm not too familiar with the roosting needs of silkies, but here's my thought. Two, 2x4 roosts on each level. Upper and lower roosts are staggered to allow the birds an easy jump from one to the other. Since the front will be open, build a ramp to the upper room. Just make sure to put horizontal slats on the ramp about every 6-8", so nobody slips going up. Then, put the nest boxes on the right side ground.