Big metal shed to chicken coop...?

[countryladyNH]

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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Great ideas, Krug!

 

[countryladyNH]

I can't make recommendations in re: mice because I've never had a mouse problem.

My new coop is going to be completely covered in 1/2" hardware cloth and have an anti-digging skirt of 1/2" hardware cloth.

I pity the mouse that gets into my chicken run during the daytime. I've noticed that I have mole tunnels everywhere in the yard EXCEPT in the chicken run.

We do too and have never had mouse or anything get into our coop or run.

 

[Pippin quail]

That shed looks really nice. The wood floor looks great and I am just wondering, if you take that all out could you save any boards that are not rotted to use for your run frame building, window and door trim, partitioning, and other misc. where wood is needed?
I would recycle any wood I could salvage.
I would not have a dirt floor. I have no idea how much composite decking is...You know that plastic-y stuff people use instead of wood? If it is cheaper than wood, maybe you could put in a floor of that (smooth side up). It would be easy to sweep and clean or hose when needed...
I personally would not go for a glass slider in a coop. I would definitely run electricity to the coop. You will be so happy you did.

My husband ripped out the couple rotten boards in the floor and I asked if he could maybe just replace those instead of ripping out the rest. It may be a lot less work and hassle, but we'll see! Apparently they're only supported on the two sides so it's really bouncy, not sure how long it'll last that way. If they need to be removed we'll definitely try and salvage what we can and then just go for a dirt floor and do deep litter.
Just curious why you wouldn't use glass sliders in a coop? They won't be my main door, just extra light/airflow in summer and hopefully radiant heat from the sun in winter. I will definitely be putting hardware cloth over any screened windows as well.

 

[Pippin quail]

Chuckie, I agree. Hubby made separate removable interior window screens using hardware cloth that attach to the windows inside the coops with wooden turnbuckles, are painted like the coop interior and go over the reg. window screen. These stay on all summer and are removed when we close the windows for winter. (We have the necessary coop ventilation.) Never rely on only reg. window screening; hardware cloth is a must.

All screened windows will definitely have hardware cloth. Man that stuff is expensive though!

 

[Pippin quail]

My husband cleaned out the shed this week and ripped out the couple rotten boards. He then decided to paint before doing anything else with the floor. He did the first coat last night and it was amazing with the paint sprayer we just bought. Wish we got that thing years ago!!
I didn't get a full after picture yet because it was so smelly, but it definitely looks a thousand times better with a coat of paint. I can't wait for the outside to be painted as well, it'll look like a different building!

 

[3KillerBs]

Just curious why you wouldn't use glass sliders in a coop?

I wouldn't because all the bedding would jam in the tracks and make it very difficult to open and because, unless you're opening into a roofed area, rain would come in.

That's why people usually recommend top-hinged windows.

 

[Pippin quail]

I wouldn't because all the bedding would jam in the tracks and make it very difficult to open and because, unless you're opening into a roofed area, rain would come in.

That's why people usually recommend top-hinged windows.

Oh yeah makes sense. Maybe I'll have to get my husband to build a little barrier in front of the doors to keep the bedding out of the tracks. And I likely wouldn't have it open of it was raining so I can't foresee that being too much of an issue. It's only supplemental ventilation not my main ventilation that will be open all the time.

 

[Krugerrand]

My husband cleaned out the shed this week and ripped out the couple rotten boards. He then decided to paint before doing anything else with the floor. He did the first coat last night and it was amazing with the paint sprayer we just bought. Wish we got that thing years ago!!
I didn't get a full after picture yet because it was so smelly, but it definitely looks a thousand times better with a coat of paint. I can't wait for the outside to be painted as well, it'll look like a different building!

It's looking great!! Lots of posts on black jack 57 as a floor covering. It takes some time and work, but makes a nice waterproofing on the floor.

 

[NatJ]

Maybe I'll have to get my husband to build a little barrier in front of the doors to keep the bedding out of the tracks.

I'm pretty sure chickens can throw bedding more than a foot high as they scratch or dustbathe, so a "little" barrier might not be enough.

 

[Finnie]

My husband cleaned out the shed this week and ripped out the couple rotten boards. He then decided to paint before doing anything else with the floor. He did the first coat last night and it was amazing with the paint sprayer we just bought. Wish we got that thing years ago!!
I didn't get a full after picture yet because it was so smelly, but it definitely looks a thousand times better with a coat of paint. I can't wait for the outside to be painted as well, it'll look like a different building!

Looking great so far. Can’t wait to see the transformation!