An alternative to building more coops/Pictures added

[Katy]

I have a neighbor a few miles away that has been raising bucket calves. He has decided to scale back and is selling some of their calf hutches. I bought one a couple of months ago to see how they would work as a chicken coop. I like how it's working out, so yesterday I went back and got 3 more to use in my breeder pens.

 

[Wynette]

I've always wondered if those things would be big enough for my mini-donks to get in out of the rain.

Hey, can you post some pics? I love it when folks post pics; it gives me more ideas to add to DH's honey-do list!

 

[Chicabee19]

have you got pics yet?

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

I'd love to see some pics, too!

I'm still designing, re-designing & then changing my mind--AGAIN about my second coop--which I hope to have started next spring!

I doubt they would work for me because our winters are so harsh here...but it may be a good bachelor pen or quarantine area...

 

[Katy]

I'll get some pictures after the grandbaby is gone for the day...unless it's raining by then.

Our winters can be brutal here too. Lots of single digit windchills and snow. The ones I got (he had 2 different kinds) have a more straight side on the front and I'm going to make doors and attach them with hinges.

Their dimensions are about 4'x6' and are tall enough I can about stand up staight in them.....I'm 5'4" tall.

 

[Western Chick]

I just started using our old polydome calf hutches for brooding chicks of different ages, I think we have 20 of those big plastic igloos sitting around rotting! For the longest time I was trying to convince DH to sell them before they all broke down. Now I use them all over the place.

It was really one of those Duh! why-didn't-I-think-of-that-one-earlier? moments when I first started using them for chicks. I cut a piece of 1"x2" welded wire just a little bigger than the opening, I bent the side so they would follow the curve of the hutch door then I used the pipes (the ones that would typically hold the manger in) to hold the wire on the front.

It's probably not the most predator proof solution but I haven't had any problems since I started using them earlier this year.

I'll try to get some pics tonight to post tomorrow. If you have any of these sitting around, they work great. If you're lucky enough to know a former dairy farmer who wants to get rid of some, or better yet, loan you some, go for it. The only problem (at least around my area) is that most people won't part with them for cheap. I've seen advertisements for used hutches anywhere between $150-200 a piece

 

[Katy]

I've got...or will have them setting inside my runs so that will help with the predator side of it.

I could buy these from him for cheaper than the building supplies would have cost me to build 4 seperate coops of that size. Not to mention how much time it would have taken me to build them by myself in the evening after the grandbabies have gone home!! Other than building roosts for them, they're ready to go. Plus I like the fact that I can move them around to different areas if I need to. I think I'll probably set some straw bales on the north side of them for some insulation.

 

[MissPrissy]

I am jealous, Katy! I have been looking for some of those calf shelters to use for my turkeys.

 

[redoak]

great idea, something else to keep my eyes open for on craigslist.

 

[tazcat70]

I can't wait to see pictures! What a great idea!