Converting a not-a-greenhouse to a chicken coop

[AmyPaperlady]

Made some good progress today.



Pulled down the whole north wall, and have started putting up a new wall. I figure chickens won't care if it's a patchwork...



Also working on pulling other rotten boards off.

I was able to pull most of the boards off with my hands, once I pulled the screws from one end of most of the boards.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Not a whole lot of visible progress (since I didn't take photos of what I took down this time--but I did manage to scavenge 10-12 feet of 4 inch pvc pipe that had been supporting (now empty) bird houses! A lot of thinking and re-doing going on, as well...


Nestboxes! Version 1.2... From outside the coop, and from the inside. The gap is deliberate--I'll line the bottom of the whole thing, and pull the lining out from the front when needed. The boards can be pulled out, as well--there's a board across the back edge to keep the nest floor boards from tipping when the hens walk on the front edge, which extends 2-3 inches into the coop. Three should be plenty, since we're zoned for a maximum of 11 hens.




Today's results--rethought the back wall, since the bottom boards are twice as thick as all the rest. I could've just covered the sheet of plywood I had there, but adding boards to the uprights uses a lot less wood... Starting to use some of the boards I'd removed, after cutting the rotted bits off. I've also left an opening for framing a pop door.

So far, the only power tool I've used is a drill with a phillips head bit. Yes, all cuts have been with a hand saw, because it's a lot less scary than the power saw!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

I've been busy! Now that school's started, though, things have slowed down again (I work for the school district). Could've had more photos, but whenever I thought of taking photos, it had just gotten too dark...



Walls are filled in! (The nest boxes and pop door still aren't done, though I have gotten the hardware now.) I don't think I'd taken any photos of the front before the next step...



The top and bottom edges of the fiberglass panels are now secured! I just need to epoxy the middles (the sides consist of 2 overlapping panels, and I can get my hand in between fairly easily, so I figured I better secure them!) and patch a couple of broken spots. I've framed a pop door in the front, too.


Hardware cloth! Scavenged, so I do need to get some washers, nuts, and short bolts to cover some spots where the wire is broken.

 

[hosspak]

Looks like a great head start to the chicken condo... Lot's of potential.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Thanks! It'll definitely be plenty big enough--I'll hit my legal limit well before I come anywhere near to having crowded conditions (11 hens allowed vs. 100 sq feet!)

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Pop door! Now I know why people don't like hinges...

 

[hosspak]

Hinges are our friends... They are only a problem when their not used right. I don't see what the problem is in that photo.

 

[Alaskan]

I have one handmade feeder where the hinges for the top are made out of a rectangle of really thick rubber nailed into the wood.

You have done some fantastic work!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

I didn't get things lined up right the first time, so it took much longer than it should have.

 

[hosspak]

You always have to install the hinges on the door first, then using your third extra hand, mark and drill into the framing wood. I installed a self holding/closing arm assembly so we didn't have to hold up the door.