converting part of garage to coop?

[vermontgal]

I have a coop on the second floor of my antique garage (built for one-horse and carriage). It is built into the south-west corner for passive solar heat. I like the coop location, generally. The chickens like being up high, especially to roost. When they are free ranging, they go up 1.5 stories to sleep.

The shavings are somewhat free roaming, as mentioned above, but I just bought a broom to keep right next to the coop.

Because the coop is inside the barn, where only I see it, it is very very ugly from the outside of the coop (inside of the barn). My neighbors can look into the coop windows from their houses, and so the coop interior is kind of nice.

The chicken dust/dander is getting to be a concern. I have vents into the interior of the barn, and I may put filters on them. I have many power tools, hand tools, and an antique 1963 VW bus also in the barn. In the summer, there is also removable window (with metal fence covering the opening) for ventilation.

You can see a tour of my coop as part of Liz's First Egg video on Youtube.

 

[chickachickawhat]

they can get down from that drop?

 

[riley]

i havent done it yet but i am turning a back room in my garage into a coop

 

[AHappychick]

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That is sooooooo cool!!!!!!!!

 

[AHappychick]

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There are those two windows you can see in the 2nd pic and the garage door has windows. But I have been supplementing light as well for 12 hours since on cloudy days not much sun gets in and I am collecting eggs.

 

[vermontgal]

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Yes, it's about 4.5" high. But, unlike a similar drop inside a coop, they can buffer the drop by "flying" over 20-30' across the yard in the course of the descent. More amazing, they can also fly up to it, but sometimes by hooking the beak and willing themselves up with much flapping of wings.

The ladder comes down at night. It just rests between the barn window and the "fire tower" structure, with short horizontal boards to act as "stops" on either end.

I'm hoping to improve the aesthetics in the spring.

Edited to add: On the subject of windows, my two windows in the coop are both "new." Fun with the sawzall! The windows look old because they are reused historic sashes from elsewhere on the property. Trimming the windows out properly is on my list of things to do in the spring.

 

[chickachickawhat]

my garage that i want to put a coop in is 20' by 18' i would like to make either a 5' by 8' or something like 4' by 18'. So the 4 by 18 would be 4 feet out from the back wall then all way across from both walls. is this confusing? any suggestions?

 

[vermontgal]

Bigger is better. Ask around to see if anyone else has a long skinny coop, and how the layout works?

 

[chickachickawhat]

good idea

 

[tiffanyh]

I dont have a garage coop, hubby wont give up the new garage yet. But I wanted to say "Hi Neighbor" to chicka and really cool top of the garage coop Vermont Gal!