Converting My Shed

Joslyn · Mar 5, 2015

Last night I posted a question about coop size since I was considering converting an old shed to a coop. This morning I was able to go out and take pictures and measurements so I could start planning what needs to be done. It was smaller than I thought it was but I feel like it's just the size I need it to be. I thought I would post here with some of my thoughts and ask some questions.

The shed measures 4x8 and I will be housing 7 chickens. It has a concrete floor and even has cinderblocks and concrete along the base outside. Nothing is digging it's way in. The shed is metal but luckily it is underneath a huge tree that provides a lot of shade in the summer. There are gaps where the ridges don't meet the walls near the ceiling. I figured I would leave the gaps and just line it with hardware wire to help with ventilation. In the back wall I figured I would put a gable vent and another gable vent in the door. The door needs to be replaced and I'm thinking about adding a window to provide light and if it's screened allow more ventilation in the summer. The pop door would go in the wall on the left and perches on the right wall. I had considered putting the nesting boxes along the back wall near the bottom. Would the light from the window would bother them if the nesting boxes were on the back wall? How far away from the vents should the roosts be? Anything I'm missing?

Oh FYI the wet look up by the ceiling is from the hundreds of wasp nests that use to line the rafters.

Judy · Mar 6, 2015

The size should be OK, I just wouldn't add more chickens unless I roofed the run or part of the run. I don't know that that's enough ventilation. Think approx. 7 sq ft of open air space. Maybe a hole in the wall instead of a window, covered with hardware wire, with some sort of awning for rain. Maybe a frame covered in hardware wire for a door, or at least the top half of the door. Maybe both. If you ever see condensation on the inside of the walls, you need more ventilation.

Drafts aren't nnearly as critical as ventilation. You don't want a cold stream of air being funneled onto them in the winter -- though in summer this is called a breeze and is welcome, lol. In the old days, coops were often built with upright boards for walls, each separated by an inch or two for air.

Sometimes they seem to prefer a darker space to nest, but if your nests have tops, that is probably enough. Another possibilty is to put the nests under the roosts, topped with old baking pans or whatever for poop boards.

Your arrangement does sound workable, with the possible exception of needing more ventilation. Whatever you do, use screws so it will be a little easier to change your mind!

You should look at the article linked in my signature, a classic if you haven't already found it. Also bu the same Canadian author is this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures

Good luck!

Alaskan · Mar 6, 2015

Judy said: ↑

The size should be OK, I just wouldn't add more chickens unless I roofed the run or part of the run. I don't know that that's enough ventilation. Think approx. 7 sq ft of open air space. Maybe a hole in the wall instead of a window, covered with hardware wire, with some sort of awning for rain. Maybe a frame covered in hardware wire for a door, or at least the top half of the door. Maybe both. If you ever see condensation on the inside of the walls, you need more ventilation.

Drafts aren't nearly as critical as ventilation. You don't want a cold stream of air being funneled onto them in the winter -- though in summer this is called a breeze and is welcome, lol. In the old days, coops were often built with upright boards for walls, each separated by an inch or two for air.

Sometimes they seem to prefer a darker space to nest, but if your nests have tops, that is probably enough. Another possibility is to put the nests under the roosts, topped with old baking pans or whatever for poop boards.

Your arrangement does sound workable, with the possible exception of needing more ventilation. Whatever you do, use screws so it will be a little easier to change your mind!

You should look at the article linked in my signature, a classic if you haven't already found it. Also bu the same Canadian author is this:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures

Good luck!
Click to expand...

Everything that she said is great, but I underlined the two things that I would definitely do.

Only thing that I would do that she didn't mention, is with the door... I would make the door start about one or 2 feet above the floor. So that the door will swing over the bedding if it opens inwards, and over the snow and ice if it opens outwards.

You can make the bottom, not-opening one or two feet a remove-able board, so that it is easier to shovel out bedding....

Also, even with the door solid wire... since you have hot summers, and they are in a metal building, you will probably need a big window across from it for summer ventilation.

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