Converting a not-a-greenhouse to a chicken coop

[AmyPaperlady]

Got the door hung! No pics, because it was too dark. I'll get the handle and latch on tomorrow--or later today

--and then take a picture or 2. After that, I've got a bunch of fiddly little stuff to finish predator proofing, the gutter to put back up, a stretch of board by the roof to replace because I didn't look up that far when I was removing boards last month, and the roof for the nest boxes to put on. Hopefully the rain hasn't warped the plywood for that

Then the interior stuff!

 

[Alaskan]

I have used warped plywood before......just screw the sucker down!

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Door is finished (well, except for paint, but the important stuff is done)!


Exterior, closed, and then a close-up of the latches and the door handle.


Interior, open. The short bit of board up top is a doorstop. The nut-on-a-wire is attached to the hook in the bottom latch--my younger daughter (now 4) used to enjoy locking people in and out of places, so I wanted to make it so she couldn't (the upper latch is well out of her reach)--I'm just a bit too big to get out through the pop door...

 

[Alaskan]

that is a brilliant idea! (the nut and wire)

I have been locked in coops before....never fun

 

[AmyPaperlady]

I figure, with 2 separate latches, I don't need any elaborate thing in the lower latch--I don't think racoons are smart enough to know that they have to pull the hook out of one latch and slide the rod of the barrel latch as well. If I did need a padlock, or even a carabiner, in the lower one, the nut and wire thing wouldn't work! And anyone tall enough to do the upper latch would see me in the coop, so no accidents there. Of course, there's no way to rule out ornery husbands, but locking me into the coop on purpose is a bit different than turning the lights out on purpose when I'm in the shower. And he hasn't done that for a few years now, anyway.

 

[Alaskan]

(I don't have to deal with raccoons) but supposedly, they can pry pretty well with those fingers (so see how difficult it is to pry the bottom corner forward)

If you have lots of smart raccoons, maybe a carabiner in the lower latch only at night....put it on a hook up high, out of reach of child fingers during the day.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

Pry-ability is one reason for the lower latch

Oh, and I forgot to say earlier, but I've got lots of material for when I start on the roosts and such--my husband pruned the cherry tree, and I've quite a few long branches thicker than my wrist!

 

[hosspak]

Hi Amy, are you thinking about what age the chickens will be when you get them? If you are a month or so away from finishing the Chicken Mansion and you plan to get chicks, This might be a good time to get them so when you have the Grand Opening the chicks will be old enough to move right in, just a thought.

It's looking really good so far...

 

[AmyPaperlady]

I'm hoping to be done before the end of the month, and I'm hoping to get some started pullets or young hens--at least something old enough to not need a brooder.

 

[AmyPaperlady]

We are now predator proof

Holes in corrugated plastic patched with leftover plastic and silicone caulk (it'll dry clear).



Big knot hole covered. Roof on the nest boxes, finally! (I said we were predator proof, not weather proof

)

Next step is to clear the junk out of the coop and figure out where/how I'm going to do the roosts. The branches in the last photo are the ones from pruning the cherry tree that are at least as thick as my wrists, with some side branches still attached that need removing. I've more than enough to make roosts for my legal maximum.