As if there weren't enough coop questions...

[LaurelC]

Not an ideal situation, but wrapping a chain link dog kennel in hardware cloth (could be removed and used in your new coop setup once it's ready) or tarps, plus a roosting pole and doghouse could be done in a day, easily. It wouldn't be an ideal situation, but the girls would be safe for a couple weeks if necessary to give you some breathing room to get moved and get the new coop built.

 

[RottenEgg]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_562137-6300...ductId=50152496&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1#img

Wood Shed. Pretty basic, but I'm thinking it would be pretty easy to add/modify the components to give good ventilation, as well as add the different pieces such as roosting bar(s), boxes, etc. I think it would probably be easy to cozy right up to the existing shed for space saving and give a bigger area for a run. I didn't even think about a foundation, @Ridgerunner , but that's a great point. Not sure exactly what I'd need to do for this specific shed?

I have heard of your niece, @Blooie . I hope she's doing well! My husband's family is actually from Brandon. I don't think I'd want to come all the way from Wyoming that time of year. It can be a little sketchy.

 

[Blooie]

She's doing very well, thanks. Our Littlest Warrior!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I personally like a dirt floor. You can put on a floor decking if you want but I consider that a good place for Momma Mouse to raise a family. When I built my coop I filled it in with a few inches of clay dirt to keep water out, plus put a swale on the upslope side to keep rainwater runoff away.

For my shed I knew where the railroad dumped their used ties and made a floor out of those. You probably would not want those treated ties around your coop. I would not use them because of what they are treated with.

If I were doing it for a main coop I’d probably get some 4” x 6” landscape timbers and put those directly under the 2x4 base, and strap that base to the timbers. You don’t want it blowing off. I know the landscape timbers are treated but they don’t use the nasty stuff for that treating that they used to. I’m Ok with them but some people may not be. In my opinion any wood that touches the ground needs to be treated unless you use the really expensive fir, redwood, or something like that.

An alternative is to pour a concrete footing or make a footing out of cinder blocks. That’s more work than I’d go to but for a 4x8 building it’s not too bad. Just have a way to strap your building down so it does not blow off.

Another foundation would be to set it up on posts. Firmly set a 4x6 treated timber at each corner and put a base on top of that to set the building on. You’d have to floor the building and I’d keep it up high enough so I could retrieve a chicken or eggs from under it if you need to. That gives them good shade in the summer and is high enough mice can’t set up housekeeping under there if you give the chickens access. I used this method to install my 4x8 grow-out coop. You have to watch your dimensions carefully but I leveled it by adjusting the base.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Here in Wisconsin, a dirt floor usually leads to rats digging, we pour concrete to keep them from digging into the coop, it's getting colder and the great rat roundup and kill has begun.

 

[RottenEgg]

The more I think about it, the more I feel like my husband might be right and we should just incorporate part of the shed. Concrete floor, existing structure. We would just have to cut a pop door in and section off the area we planned to use for the ladies. Just might be the easiest and cheapest way to go.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I always like going the easy way, if it doesn't work out than next spring you get a new coop going. I actually prefer pens within sheds, where else do you store all the junk that comes with chicken keeping.

 

[LaurelC]

Is it possible to cut a hole in just a door to the shed? Makes replacement much easier if/when you change your mind about the shed and want to use it as a shed or sell the house.

 

[RottenEgg]

No, unfortunately the place I'd want the coop isn't by the door. I think I'll just do the hole in the wall and make the one side up for the ladies, then have the rest for storage. As a coworker of mine pointed out, I could always sell it as a kennel/run later if we sell the house. As for us, I can't imagine not having chickens, so at least for the duration we're there it'll house the ladies.

 

[Mutt Farm]

http://www.lowes.com/pd_562137-6300...ductId=50152496&Ns=p_product_price|0&pl=1#img

Wood Shed. Pretty basic, but I'm thinking it would be pretty easy to add/modify the components to give good ventilation, as well as add the different pieces such as roosting bar(s), boxes, etc. I think it would probably be easy to cozy right up to the existing shed for space saving and give a bigger area for a run. I didn't even think about a foundation, @Ridgerunner , but that's a great point. Not sure exactly what I'd need to do for this specific shed?

I have heard of your niece, @Blooie . I hope she's doing well! My husband's family is actually from Brandon. I don't think I'd want to come all the way from Wyoming that time of year. It can be a little sketchy.

Looks like a cost effective solution. Way better built than a little pre-fab coop half the size. It says it has a wood floor...deck paint? For a dig/chew proof foundation. I used 1'X1' cement pavers (like $.88 ea on sale). leveled the ground real well, added leveling sand (sandbox sand) smoothed it with a 2X4. It turns out just like a concrete pad. Treated 2X4 base. I know nothing about wintering chickens other than to finally turn off the fan! I sure hope your move goes smoothly. Lots of folks had great ideas here. I'm trolling, as we're moving fairly soon and I'm already worrying.
ETA: Kennel panels retain their value quite well, more so than a specialized chicken yard. Your idea could be a dog run for resale too.