Converting Engine crate to chicken coop.

[BBSnavely]

My father works for an engine remanufacturing company and picked us up an engine crate for free.

We live inside city limits but are so excited about starting our first coop/chicken tractor. My dad is working with me to construct the coop using a variety of concepts. We ll have three nesting boxes, 2 roosts, a 7 ft run or so, with a moveable chicken tractor.

We can have up to 6 hens by city ordinance, but i think we ll start with 4 or 5. We ll pick up our Plymouth Barred Rocks chicks from the local Estes hatchery this week while we finish the coop, which should be done in the next few weekends.

Let me know what you think. I ll keep you updated with our progress and chicks!

 

[lularat]

Wow...that was a great idea. I just love recycling. Yes, please keep us updated on your progress. I'm in the process of building an attached shelter to my coop.

 

[BBSnavely]

Finished cutting plywood for the pitched roof tonight, cut out one side of the coop that we ll attach to hinges for easy cleaning, and layed out plans for the run, which i ll start on sometime this weekend. Tomorrow picking up some roofing paper from the Habitat for Humanity restore, which we ll line the roof with.
Sorry no pics, we worked in the dark.

 

[jetdog]

Looks good so far, I think I would have cut the side to have the laying box on the outside just for extra space, keep the pictures coming.

 

[sn0wwhite]

Great re-use idea! I bet that box is sturdy too. I have a whole new appreciation for sturdy with chickens. Will you paint it when you're done?

I ended up working in the dark on mine too... we used the brooder light and another work light and kept going most nights until 10pm!

 

[BBSnavely]

Heres the latest pic. I have been working mandatory Overtime here at work so time has been short, but my dad has rocked it out every chance he gets. He put in the ventilation as you can see, just used eave venting. He also sprayed the hinges, hardware etc with rustoleum. Side door panel needs to be reinstalled still which will open and or remove for easy cleaning.

Question- in the spaces around the coop where there are small crevices at joints- do i need to caulk those to seal them? The wood is solid, and we live in town. Not so worried about predators as much as drafts. Should I worry about these tiny spaces? Nothing more than 1/2 of an inch, maybe smaller.

 

[marktoo]

Heres the latest pic. I have been working mandatory Overtime here at work so time has been short, but my dad has rocked it out every chance he gets. He put in the ventilation as you can see, just used eave venting. He also sprayed the hinges, hardware etc with rustoleum. Side door panel needs to be reinstalled still which will open and or remove for easy cleaning.

Question- in the spaces around the coop where there are small crevices at joints- do i need to caulk those to seal them? The wood is solid, and we live in town. Not so worried about predators as much as drafts. Should I worry about these tiny spaces? Nothing more than 1/2 of an inch, maybe smaller.

Nice! Having built only one small minimalist coop I don't have a lot of experience but from what I've read the caulk not only prevents drafts but also gives the mites & lice fewer places to hide.

 

[jetdog]

I caulked in all the cracks to keep all the drafts out, I used a paintable caulking so when it was painted everything looked the same.

 

[Going Quackers]

Nicely done! I admit to not caulking stuff here but i don't think we've had much in way of gaps, probably the larger ones i would ...

 

[BBSnavely]

starting work on the chicken run.

Side panel opens completely for easy cleaning.

Chicken door. Will use an eye hook attached to some kind of chain/string through the wire mesh.