adapting a Little Tykes Playhouse for use as a coop for 2 chickens

[Carolyn252]

Hi all. I'm such a newbie here, I haven't even bought any chickens yet. I'd like to know if anyone here has ever converted a Little Tykes Playhouse for use as a coop. Our grandkids no longer use the one I have in the yard for them. It seems to me to be an ideal coop to keep clean, because I can just hose it off. If any of you have an advice or suggestions for me as to how to outfit it with nest boxes, perches, etc., I'd love to hear from you. The playhouse looks like this:

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

That would be a neat place for the chickens to get out of the rain, or to explore in. But as a nesting and sleeping coop you might have a problem. The plastic wouldn't breath so it may get too hot in the summertime (if your locale is inclined to hot weather). And i'm not sure if you could properly secure it from predators for nighttime quarters.

But, i have never personally used something like that, so i would be interested to hear if others have tried it.

Oh, and i almost forgot

 

[birdsofparadise]

Youʻd have to screen in all of those openings and I donʻt think that plastic will hold screws. Plus, does it have a floor to keep predators from digging in? Will the wind blow it over? What will they perch on? By the time you make all of the modifications, building a small coop will be cheaper and easier.

 

[lovintheridge]

Welcome to BYC, you're going to love it here. The people are so wonderful and extremely helpful. The school house sounds like a great idea just to keep the birds out of the rain, but as far as an actual coop for sleeping/housing, I would be nervous about critters. Even if you screened it up you would also have to dig down and around some home to make it critter proof. I think a fox would have know problem knocking it over to get to your birds, especially if it's a really hungry big fox. Remember what happen to the three little pigs?
Love the idea though as a place for them to hang. Good luck

 

[mmtillman]

If the playhouse turns out not to be a good idea....You can get all sorts of ideas for a simple coop right here at BYC ! Im a newbie as well, and found hundreds of ideas to go by before we built our coop! Good luck and Welcome !!

 

[bluie]

Yeah, critters and varmits are a big problem for me, here in Nassau County. We have raccoons, possums, and hawks. Also dogs of course. (Judging by this forum, they may be the worst predator). Make sure you make your coop/run critter proof. (Come see mine! We'll talk chicken!)

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

I'm trying to get something like that from my mom. It would have to go through some major modifications though to be useful.

 

[mrsengeseth]

I have one i am using for my silkies. I built a run AROUND it. The run is roofed and secure from predators. I Sprayed foam insulation into the walls, and sealed the windows shut for the winer . I left ventilation though. I attached a floor that noone could dig up through under the run and the playhouse. I'd take a pic, but it'skinda hard to see anything because the roofing shades it so well. Then inside the playhouse I lined the edges of 2 walls on the floor with those milk crates. They can "Roost" on them or nest in them (they are none old enough to lay), and then I spread the floor with pine shavings easy enough to clean out.

 

[OCchickens]

Quote:
Yay! I was just thinking about using my little tykes playhouse for my soundproof coop -- because it occurred to me I could spray foam insulation into the hollow walls. I like the idea of surrounding it with a run to guard against predators.

mrsengeseth -- how did you attach the floor, and where do you get the spray foam?

 

[carey34]

I am currently converting a kids playhouse into a coop myself. I did as the above posted and have made the run part around the house. In my case the run is a 9X9X6 dog kennel with chicken wire over the top. Also considering putting chicken wire around the bottom. I have put the house on a pallet topped with vinyl flooring for easy cleaning and so they wont be on the cold ground. My windows are smaller then the one you posted and two of them will have nesting boxes attached to them that open in the back to I can get eggs out easily. When all is said and done I will post pics. Good Luck!!