converting a tree house into a chicken coop...

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Ok, so I am going to take over the tree house my dad built for us when we were kids. Here it is now:

(Sorry it's sideways! I dunno how to fix it)

When we outgrew it, we turned it into a "cat house", but the last cat to use it died 2 years ago. No one has been in it since (except for mice, raccoons and oppossums, and WASPS!

I went up there today to start cleaning, and whew! What a job!

I found an old feather bed, an old sleeping bad, a bucket, 2 pillows, an old dog bed, and the entire floor was lined with old carpet backing. On top of all that, there were probably 2 or 3 bales of straw.

Here it is AFTER I drug all that junk out! It was such a huge pile I could hardly get down the ladder!

(Again, sorry it's sideways!)

Tomorrow I'm going up to get some more done, but I'm pretty excited about the idea! I'm going to screen in the sophets, and the windows for when they're opened. I bought galvanized "metal cloth" to put up around the bottom so it will be totally secure, and I'm going to build a door from scratch to get into it (with NO carpentry skills!) I'm going to plant grass seed in the bottom, too. The inside will need work to fashion roosts, etc, but I'm super excited for the finished product! If anyone has any suggestions or reccomendations, I need all the help I can get, as I am new to chicken-keeping! I'll keep y'all updated with more pics as I get more done... wish me luck!

 

[Omran]

That's will be an Awesome coop, best Luck for you.

Please keep us updated, with more Pictures and info.

Omran

 

[Chicken03]

How will they get down to the outside or to their run?

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

There's a trap door type opening where the ladder is, it's slanted. I'm going to add a ramp, I guess I should have mentioned that... sorry!

 

[Omran]

You also can build a step and a ppl door from one of the sides that way you can access the coop with out going on thier litter.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Great idea! See, thats why I

this site!

 

[lunkerchicken]

That will be a great coop. How high up is it? That is going to be quite the ramp! Keep the pics coming!

 

[aaronzclark]

That is gonna look great! are you gonna put a fence at the bottom or what?

 

[ducks4you]

Didn't somebody on the forum say that their (adult) birds used steps to flutter up to the top roosts in their barn?

I'll bet that would work. I sure would have to have to move it--must be heavier than it looks, and looks well built.

 

[Lil chick chick]

Very Unique! Very cool. I would definately build steps and a people door or something to that effect, or else it is going to be a pain to fill food and water. If I had a ramp to walk up I would be afraid of slipping and falling with the heavy food and water. Or are the food and water going to be below?