Big metal shed to chicken coop...?

[Chuckie chicken]

Assuming the corrugated metal is a thick enough gauge, here's a pretty simple idea for windows. Cut a single piece of wall out, whatever size works best, and make a 2 x 6 frame covered in hardware cloth that fits inside the hole. Set your frame in the opening, then build a 2 x 2 frame around it on the outside of the wall flush with the 2 x 6. Push the assembly all the way in, then make the same 2 x 2 frame for the inside and push it tight to the inside wall so you've sandwiched the 2 x 6 securely between the two 2 x 2 frames and the wall of the shed. This should cover any edges of the hardware cloth for a neat finish, it will secure your window, and it will provide material at the top of the frame so you can hinge the cut out portion to use it as an awning to control airflow / snow flow / rain flow. You could also make shutters, which would be lighter, but they don't provide any overhang.

 

[3KillerBs]

Yes I told my husband we need about 1sft at least of 24/7/365 days a year ventilation per chicken. And he was shocked and didn't understand. But I'm in charge and told him I'd show him a diagram later. The windows will be in addition to this ventilation.

This photo is from an article on cow barns, but it illustrates the ventilation principles nicely.

 

[Pippin quail]

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!


View attachment 2724263

I just realized my husband only has to frame out part of the shed if we put all the windows in one half and put up a wall of some sort like you suggest. But I'll leave the big door and put the nesting boxes in the middle wall so that I can go inside the big door on this side to access the eggs and not have to try and build access for that outside. I think it will be much more pleasant in the winter/rain/wind to be able to go in, shut the door, and then collect the eggs from there. And not have chickens flying around me either. It'll be easier to send the kids in to do it that way too.

 

[NatJ]

Looks like they have netting where the two plywood meet.

[looks closely at pictures again]

I think you're right. I didn't see that the first time.

Yes, that would certainly prevent all the problems I was worried about.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

I can't contribute much to this because I'm in a hot climate where "replace one wall with wire" is the appropriate solution for metal shed conversion, but here is the link to BYC's best article on cold-weather chickeneering.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[WallyG74]

I agree insulation would be a huge waste of money.

 

[aart]

So I guess we would need to put some sort of framing for those...

Yes.

AB, Canada

Northern or Central or Southern?
Here's how to add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[NatJ]

I'm curious about some of mine now that were born with fairly defined combs right on day one. We joked that they looked like dinosaurs. Is that more a breed thing at that age?

Probably a breed thing, if it was there at hatch.

I'm also worried now because some of the ones we were *sure* (laughing at myself now) were females are getting the biggest and reddest combs at 3-4 weeks. But they also happen to be different coloring than the others so could be a breed thing too.

It could go either way.

If you have several with the same coloring, comparing combs among them might be a good way to see differences (same breed or cross, different comb often means different gender.)

I have 5 white chicks (with a few black speckles here and there) 5 purebred lavender orpingtons, 3 black that may be orphingtons or just a mix, and then one brown and one kind of stripey brown one. And I think the two brown ones are biggest and have most developed combs. Roosters are normally bigger, right? (obviously depends on breed if you have a small breed rooster and bigger breed hen)

Yes, males are normally bigger than females, starting when they are fairly young, but that mostly applies when comparing birds of the same breed.

but would that help identify them at all right now or is that just when they're full grown?

You could take pictures and post in the "What Breed or Gender" forum.

If you post a group photo, sometimes people can pick out some of the males & females.
Individual photos of each chick usually work even better.

If you are posting individual photos, try to get a good view of the comb and of the whole chick (often requires two photos, unless the chick is unusually cooperative.)

It also helps if you label the photos, so you don't have folks saying "first photo is male, second is female" when they really show the same chick!

Sorry my world is upside down now

That seems fairly common when keeping chickens. They just like to keep us guessing!

 

[Folly's place]

Your birds won't be feather sexed, so early tail and wing feather development doesn't matter. Pictures, and keep guessing!
Mary

 

[NatJ]

Openings with hardware cloth for ventilation: sounds good to me.

Glass windows in addition to them: also sounds good to me. As long as you do not reduce the ventilation openings, and you have already planned for the glass windows to be shaded in summer, I don't see any downsides to having them too.