This is the chicken coop I built out of a hydraulic water lift that no longer worked and did not meet the current safety standards for it to be maintained.
I have never had chickens before so I got the information for things needed buy looking at the commercially available Chicken coops and runs and google and looking at the designs on this site also helped
. For those who will not make it to the bottom:The Runs dimensions are 1270mm W x 1400 mm H x 2500mm D. The coop is 965mm W x 1900mm H and 1329mm D.
Here is a picture of the Lift before I dismantled it.
As you can see the aluminium mesh is a perfect chicken run. Especially as we have a Jack Russel Terrier that would unfortunately kill any chickens given half the chance. This was one of my reservations about getting chickens when we have a dog which is a natural hunter. Foxes also kill chickens in our city that aren't in a secure coop.
This is the completed run I had to cut the length down and used some of the mesh that was on the sides for both ends. At one end I put on hinges so to make a small door to enter the run.
Inside of the actual lift. I had to cut the lift out of the outside frame without damaging the outside frame as I do not have the ability to re-weld any joins. I used an angle grinder where I could but often room was tight and I had to use a trusty old hacksaw.
Hole cut in back of the lift for a door the chickens to enter/exit to the run. Handle, and carpet removed and I used the some of the outer frame to make supports for the shelf I was putting in.
Gave the inside walls a good clean out. The plywood (varnished) shelf installed with pine wood shavings. I installed 75mm x 35mm roost 600m above the ply wood shelf. The nesting box pictured is a milk create type container on its side with a piece of ply to hold the wood shavings in. However my wife picked up a plastic pail from the local bakery for $2.50 and that will replace this as a nest box. The door has a mesh window that is 700mmx800m so will provide plenty of ventilation. I see on this site some insulated coops due to very cold winters where I live the winter temps max and min avg 10°C-21°C and Summer is 21°C-31°C. In a year the min would be 2°C and Max 38°C. So will not be any need for that heavy insulation.
This is the other side showing the small vertical sliding door, I just used ply wood and coated it with varnish for protection. The ramp is also plywood. The gap on the left shows the small mesh door for me to access the run.
As my dog loves to dig I placed some wire fencing with 100mmx 100m squares a metre out all the way around the run, secured with tent pegs.
Finished product with Jack Russel in front. The Runs dimensions are 1270mm W x 1400 mm H x 2500mm D. The coop is 965mm W x 1900mm H and 1329mm D.
The chooks checking out their new digs.
I have never had chickens before so I got the information for things needed buy looking at the commercially available Chicken coops and runs and google and looking at the designs on this site also helped
Here is a picture of the Lift before I dismantled it.
As you can see the aluminium mesh is a perfect chicken run. Especially as we have a Jack Russel Terrier that would unfortunately kill any chickens given half the chance. This was one of my reservations about getting chickens when we have a dog which is a natural hunter. Foxes also kill chickens in our city that aren't in a secure coop.
This is the completed run I had to cut the length down and used some of the mesh that was on the sides for both ends. At one end I put on hinges so to make a small door to enter the run.
Inside of the actual lift. I had to cut the lift out of the outside frame without damaging the outside frame as I do not have the ability to re-weld any joins. I used an angle grinder where I could but often room was tight and I had to use a trusty old hacksaw.
Hole cut in back of the lift for a door the chickens to enter/exit to the run. Handle, and carpet removed and I used the some of the outer frame to make supports for the shelf I was putting in.
Gave the inside walls a good clean out. The plywood (varnished) shelf installed with pine wood shavings. I installed 75mm x 35mm roost 600m above the ply wood shelf. The nesting box pictured is a milk create type container on its side with a piece of ply to hold the wood shavings in. However my wife picked up a plastic pail from the local bakery for $2.50 and that will replace this as a nest box. The door has a mesh window that is 700mmx800m so will provide plenty of ventilation. I see on this site some insulated coops due to very cold winters where I live the winter temps max and min avg 10°C-21°C and Summer is 21°C-31°C. In a year the min would be 2°C and Max 38°C. So will not be any need for that heavy insulation.
This is the other side showing the small vertical sliding door, I just used ply wood and coated it with varnish for protection. The ramp is also plywood. The gap on the left shows the small mesh door for me to access the run.
As my dog loves to dig I placed some wire fencing with 100mmx 100m squares a metre out all the way around the run, secured with tent pegs.
Finished product with Jack Russel in front. The Runs dimensions are 1270mm W x 1400 mm H x 2500mm D. The coop is 965mm W x 1900mm H and 1329mm D.
The chooks checking out their new digs.
