Big metal shed to chicken coop...?

[Pippin quail]

The teal blue makes it beautiful.

Thanks! I love it, it's my favorite color!

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Of course it's easier for me being thousands of miles away. But, I'm thinking of virtually no dismantling. ... just remove that door in the front of the picture. Add a wall part ways in. Hardware cloth on the top, closed off on the bottom (wood / hardipanel / etc). Use @Chuckie chicken 's idea for the window in the back. Looks like that wooden shelf in the back can be your nesting box!


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Just a thought...would taking off one of the roof panels and adding a clear panel for extra light?

 

[Idaho Chicken Bungalow]

Another question for any of you. Will 1/2 inch hardware cloth keep out mice or do you normally use 1/4 inch?

1/4 for sure.

 

[3KillerBs]

Just a thought...would taking off one of the roof panels and adding a clear panel for extra light?

In my climate it would turn my coop into a rotisserie. In a cool-summer climate it would be a great idea. In other climates it could be good in the winter and need a shade-cover in the summer.

1/4 for sure.

The problem with 1/4" hardware cloth is that it's made from finer-gauge wire.

That means that though it is tighter against rodents, it's easier for strong predators like dogs and raccoons to tear through it.

 

[Folly's place]

Only immature mice can get through 1/2" hardware cloth. As they mature, they won't fit any more. And I can't imagine a snake small enough to get through 1/2" being much of a danger, at least not in the USA.
Mary

 

[3KillerBs]

And I can't imagine a snake small enough to get through 1/2" being much of a danger, at least not in the USA.

That would be a chicken snack, I think.

 

[Trampmom]

So far it's been a few nights and the kittens and chickens don't seem to mind each other. Since they're separated by chicken wire and a screen door it works, at least until the cats are big enough they scratch the screen door up... But I can always hardware cloth or chicken wire that too. My only problem now is what to do with the kittens during the day, lately they've been hanging out mostly under the deck (which means it's full of cat pee and poop under there ) but my large puppy (almost 6 month old German Shepherd/border collie) really likes to chase them... So it's a fun new adjustment period for everyone involved! Lol

I'm a little late here, but here's an idea for the sliding glass door problem with your dog. I assume the sliding side is on the inside of the coop. If you can get to that from a different entrance, you could open it just wide enough for the cats to fit through and then have your husband cut a 2x4 just long enough to fit in the space between the end of the door and the frame. That way, the dog couldn't push it open with its head. I hope that makes sense.

Your coop turned out absolutely beautiful! Appreciate that great husband you have! Mine hasn't had to do a huge project like yours, but he's done A TON of chicken stuff for me and has put up with a wide variety of pets through the years. Be grateful you got a good one!

 

[Pippin quail]

I'm a little late here, but here's an idea for the sliding glass door problem with your dog. I assume the sliding side is on the inside of the coop. If you can get to that from a different entrance, you could open it just wide enough for the cats to fit through and then have your husband cut a 2x4 just long enough to fit in the space between the end of the door and the frame. That way, the dog couldn't push it open with its head. I hope that makes sense.

Your coop turned out absolutely beautiful! Appreciate that great husband you have! Mine hasn't had to do a huge project like yours, but he's done A TON of chicken stuff for me and has put up with a wide variety of pets through the years. Be grateful you got a good one!

My husband basically did exactly what you suggested, although it's on the outside door, so easy for us to remove the board and still use the sliding door.
He has also finished the nesting boxes so there's a back with doors to access from the outside of the chickens area. Although I added another divided area so there's now cats on the end, chicks in the middle (where the nesting box access is) and then chickens on the other half. The chicks are integrating fairly well with the big chickens and I've been about to leave the door to their side just propped open and they enjoy exploring the coop and even venturing outside into the run during the day. At night they still sleep in their own area, been working well so far!

And I agree, my husband is amazing!! Last night he helped me set up some heated waterers for the chickens and cats so I don't have to break up ice every morning... I'm hoping next he'll help me build some kind of shelter in the run since it's not covered yet.

 

[kmplatt94]

I am new to chicken keeping. I hatched my first 15 chicks 3 weeks ago! All are healthy and GROWING! And surprise, surprise, my husband and I are those people who hatched the chicks and thought we would have plenty of time to build a coop. But with the extreme lumber prices right now my dream wood coop is so far looking like it will cost $2700 not including any insulation or the hardware cloth and run! That's just the lumber for framing, flooring and roofing. Hubby is not going for that....

So we have a couple options. One is buy a plastic Costco shed, still a bit pricey as we would need to add ventilation, windows, insulation, etc and then I don't think it would be quite as big as I'm hoping for. (Most are 8x8 or 7x9) I currently have 15 chicks (about 3-5 I think are going to be roosters based on my amateur feather sexing, so I could be wrong) But of course want to leave room for chicken math!

Our next option is a big metal shed we that was on the property when we bought it... The issues with this are:
1) the floor is rotting out in some places and will need to be ripped out. It's on top of some big steel pipes to keep it off the ground. But I'm trying to figure out if we should try and replace the floor or block off the gap around the edge with wood and hardware cloth and have a dirt floor. I'm hoping to do deep litter so I like the idea of the dirt floor. But wondering thoughts on how the might work in metal and with the raised situation.
2) We live in AB, Canada where it gets cold in the winter. It doesn't usually stay there for long, but we definitely have cold snaps where it gets down to -40°. How would you suggest is the best way to insulate a metal coop? Would I need heat or would adequate insulation and ventilation be enough? Would the roof need insulating as well? I'm not too worried about summer heat as the shed is in a treed/shady area and I also plan on adding windows and a full sliding glass patio door to the side. I'm hoping that will also help heat the coop in the winter when the leaves are gone.

3) The shed is 24x8 feet. So it is definitely big enough for chicken math, separating part of it for feed storage, eventually adding ducks to one side, etc... Lots of options. I'm just wondering, for the time being with what will likely be 12 ish chickens by winter, will a coop that big stay warm enough with that few chickens?
The picture of the shed shows how big it is and it clearly needs a lot of work. It has a few dead mice in it which instantly gives me the heeby jeebies.
And as you can see, my chicks are fast outgrowing their brooder. I made them a temporary outdoor chicken tractor that I bring them out to on nice days. But on rainy days like it has been all week, they all fly out every time I open the brooder and then they explore the room and poop all over the floor Needless to say, we really need to convert or build a coop ASAP.

I’m wondering how your chicken did in the coop. I’m thinking about doing a metal coop. Our winters here in IN aren’t that very cold compare to yours. We can get some hot summers. High 80’s & some 90’s

 

[neo71665]

I’m wondering how your chicken did in the coop. I’m thinking about doing a metal coop. Our winters here in IN aren’t that very cold compare to yours. We can get some hot summers. High 80’s & some 90’s

Been in the 20s here lately and my birds are fine. Last summer they survived low triple digits.

Heated water, proper ventilation, and all access to feed I blame it on.