Birddog's Garage coop

[Birddog1148]

Ok, I think I an going to get 6 or 8 chicks at TSC and raise them for eggs. I have an old 18'x18' garage that I want to use part of as a coop. And I wanty to put an access out the back to a "run"? in the back yard that will be enclosed in mesh/fence. I would also like to be able to let the chiclkens out sometimes to go into the garden. I need to figure out how to collect their waste to go into the composter as well. The garage wont be used for much repair work since I moved my shop a few blocks away. I bought a "grit" published book about raising back yard chicken. Anybody have any coops similar to what I have described that can share some pics?

PS I am a good scrounger and a professional maintenance worker so I am up to the building task.

 

[Judy]

It should work fine. Just block off their area with wood, a sort of shed inside a shed. It will need a roof or top, or else walls that go up to the roof, or they will figure out a way to escape. Don't forget a people door into both the coop and run. About half the daily poop is produced at night so a lot of people put a "poop board" (a scrap of smooth countertop works well) below the roost and just scrape the poop off. For the rest, the usual approach is keep the coop floor covered with some sort of litter (straw, hay, dry leaves, shredded paper, pine shavings from TSC, etc., etc) and just compost both the litter and poop. If you keep it fairly thick, and turn it some (or scatter some scratch so they will turn it for you) it won't smell and you won't have to clean it all out more than once or twice a year. It's called deep litter method, lots of info on here about it, but also lots of versions of it. In the original, the litter was left long enough and was thick enough to begin composting while still on the coop floor. I do this on a dirt floor, common where I live.

If you can build the run so it runs up to one garden fence, it will be a lot easier to let them in / close them out without having to carry or try to herd them.

You might want to look through the large coops section here for ideas -- and read some in Predators and Pests if you want to keep them safe from raccoons and all the other critters around. Everyone loves chicken.

Good luck!

 

[Birddog1148]

Thanks Judy.

 

[Birddog1148]

Here is the inside of the garage, needs cleaned up.

The outside

The future residents, 6 days old I think
http://i287.photobucket.com/albums/ll124/birddog1148/GEDC0613.jpg

 

[DDNONIN2016]

Cute chicks I couldn't view the other 2 pics Good luck with your new build

 

[highpointfarm]

I think that this will be a great setup for them... What i do that works well with cleanup is I put a layer of straw down(or hay)Let them poop on it for a while and do layer after layer (Deep bedding method) and then use a pitchfork and it will all come up like pancakes....

 

[MamiPollo]

I converted an old shed into a chicken coop. Similar to a garage as far as the floor conditions. I cleaned that very well and then put sand down. I also put a raised platform in half, because the floor sometimes floods in a rain. I put straw down on that part for winter.

We have now gone through our first winter in this shed & it has worked great! My birds are all healthy & laid a lot of eggs all winter long.

Pictures of the shed/coop are posted here: http://www.squidoo.com/chicken-shed

Good luck with your project! I think it is very doable!

 

[Birddog1148]

I suppose I need to learn how to post pics here, I do it like evey other forum I am on and it doesn't work. Mamipollo, cant open your link. Hope to start work on this in the next week or so.

 

[Birddog1148]

Ok I think I want the space inside the garage to be 4x8x 4 and the outside run to be about 8x18x 4. Is 2x3 fencing ok to use on the outside run? I plan on using it on the top of the run as well to keep raptors and other critters out.How big of an opening do the birds need to get out of the coop into the run? The coop will be raised off the floor of the garage so I can rake out the stuff int a wheel barrow. The floor will be lined with some old conveyor belt material I have to make cleaning easier.

 

[Nslangton]

we built our coop inside another building too. We utilized the two walls that were already there and then framed out the other two from floor to ceiling. We cut a hole in the back for access to the run and have man doors in both the coop and run for easy cleaning.