converting an outhouse?

[bectxu]

hello all

this is my first time on byc, and i don't even own chickens yet! but i am waiting to rehome some battery chickens in my back yard, i am excited!

and want to be properly prepared.

i have a brick outhouse, attached to my house on one side, with no windows but one doorway which opens on to my yard. would it be ok to convert this into a chicken coop? i imagine i'd need a run attached to the doorway - will i need a door? and some perches inside?

any advice gratefully received!

bectxu x

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum!

Glad you are here!

It sounds like a potentially good situation. One caution is that they make a lot of dust. If the only opening is to the outside, fine, but if dust can get from there into the house, having a coop attached is not real good. I would suggest trying to find a way to put a window in the coop, possibly in the door if nothing else is available. Having some natural light really helps.

To keep the smell down, you need to keep it dry. That is another potential cause for problems if you have it near your house. The dry applies to the run as well as the coop. If it stays dry, you will probably never smell it, but sometimes after a rain you might get a whiff.

All you really need in the coop is a roost for them to sleep on at night out of the weather and safe from predators and nest boxes. You can feed and water in the coop or in the run, whichever suits you best. Many people feel strongly one way or the other, but many of us successfully do it either way or maybe a combination. There are benefits and disadvantages both ways.

I suggest a decent door. As I mentioned, the coop is to protect them from the worst of the weather and protect them from predators. I suggest you plan on locking them in there behind a door that a raccoon, fox, or dog cannot get through. I think everything else just depends on what management style you use. Do you let them free range or keep them penned? How do you manage the poop? Lots of things to consider. I suggest you read through the coop section in the Learning Center at the top of this page and look at the sticky in the front of the coop construction section.

Good luck! And once again,

 

[Amyable]

I love this! DH brought home several old outhouses this summer, to use as little storage sheds. I don't have any specific advise for converting it. Yet. I keep eyeing one up and thinking 'coop'.

 

[bectxu]

thank you so much ridgerunner, that is very helpful and reassuring! there's no direct opening from the outhouse to my house, abut i would have to put a window into the door. i am reading through lots of useful stuff on here too, thanks for the guidance.

does anyone have any experience of how chickens get on with any other animals - e.g. rabbits?!

bectxu x

 

[Amyable]

Quote:
My neighbor has a rabbit running around with her chickens, no issues that I know of. Well, the rabbit IS outnumbered about 45:1

Or, you could have this:

 

[bectxu]

aw amyable, that is soo cool! thank you

i'm hoping for a mostly harmonious little home, so fingers crossed! bectxu x