Converting old Playhouse to coop! Will this work? Please HELP! *Pics*

[jlloyd]

I have the same situation here in Minnesota. We have a 2 story wood playhouse and no kids. I was thinking of making the bottom into a coop. Right now I have one of those A-Frame moveable coops, which works great, but with 8 hens it is a bit snug. I like your idea and plan to do something like it. You got some great tips I can use as well. Thanks!

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Possums are predators of chickens as well as raccoons, stray dogs, some cats especially with baby chicks, foxes, coyotes and sometimes bears. Just about everything eats chicken.

Can you get some field fencing? (small squares so they can't get out) That will work with the t-posts, then you could use the chicken wire to cover the top of the run if you like. Just make sure you lock them up every night.

This is what happened to a coop that I bought. It had this vent opening, and since the coop is so small I couldn't figure out how to get the chicken wire replaced with hardware cloth. Everything was fine for over a year, then what we assume was a raccoon found it.

A fully grown Orpington pullet was pulled through this 2 inch by 1 inch opening. Don't put chicken wire on your coop.

It's now screwed shut permanently. I use this coop only to grow out babies. Then they go into my larger coop.

 

[KaylaBird]

Wow

ok hardware cloth for the coop for sure. Unfortunate since its 2x as much as chicken wire. Field fencing sounds good, but locally they only sell it in 39x300ft rolls which I dont need and can't afford. Think I could get by with chicken wire and T-posts with an open top on the run if I lock them in the secure coop at night? We live in a suburban area the only predators would be cats, possums, and rats with the chance of a raccoon.

 

[TurkenDuck73]

This is what I've done. I had chicken wire up all around it for months and took it down about a month or so ago. After all my reading on here I think I'm going to close it back in because I would be devastated if I lost either one of my Ladies. The second is their nesting box. Used it for the first time this morning. The bench above the nesting box is where they roost at night. I scoop up droppings and compost them for my garden. They just ventured up to the second level today so I'm hoping that if something comes in the yard that scares them they'll go upstairs.

This was before I removed the wire.

 

[ZombieChickens]

No it won't work. I'll come pick it up and get it out of your way.....

 

[BooBear]

Turkenduck,

You need better wire then chicken wire or you still will risk disaster. The only thing a chicken wire holds or keeps is chickens. Everything else can break right through it. I would start to replace it with hardcloth wire.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Check craigslist for partial rolls of fencing. Home Depot also carries it, although its a big roll.

I also forgot to list hawks, owls and other birds of prey as predators too. My run is not covered as we choose to have really large runs (and my chickens are in my orchard), but we do have 6 ft tall field fencing. (it was already there to keep the deer away from the fruit trees) I have lost a hen to a hawk 1 1/2 years ago (before I got my rooster), so it just depends on the level of risk you're willing to take. Some people completely free range, and they choose to take the risk of possibly losing some of them. You just have to decide what you're comfortable with.

 

[noodleroo]

Quote:

 

[donsgirl67]

I just scored a super cute, very good condition wooden playhouse to use as my first coop. I'm thrilled. Question about the windows though. I know to use the hardware cloth where needed but I will still have to make something that closes them down tight at night correct? As in maybe a hinged window cover that latches? And during the winter, do you winterize the coop by putting something else over the windows like clear plastic? I know they have to have ventilation, that's why I'm asking.

 

[jetdog]

You could try to make a pair of working shutters that latch for the winter, make additional ventilation at the peaks of the roof.