Converting playset to coop?

[Kidwantschickens]

So long story short my 6 year old son was struggling with his sight words at school so as a carrot for motivation I promised him a day with me doing whatever he wanted. (I suggested a ski day at a resort we've never been to due to price and he's a ski junkie) while he was looking forward to that, he has been begging for chickens for about a year and he saw some at the local farm store and quickly threw a ski day out the window and now is all "CHICKENS!!!!". Takes after me because I LOVE chickens and used to have 30 or so at a time.

However, I've never owned chickens on small acreage and I live in a development I have to build a real coop. We have a playset that got blown over and damaged when we moved it to our new house.

Im wanting to cut the base area off and use the legs that were in between as "legs" (will be about 24" off the ground) and then add an addition on to the side that used to be open, and then nest boxes to the narrow side that had a platform area. I'm thinking id like the addition to be almost double what's there (it is 3'x5.5'.

I'm also planning to make the run go under the 6x5.5' (with addition) area with the 1/2" HC, and then extend a bit into open sun for a 3' tall by idk size outdoor run that they would be stuck in unless we are home to let them out into something bigger, which I'm debating what that should look like. I have a chain link fenced back yard but was planning to keep them outside of that fence and maybe doing some 4' tall chicken wire to keep them in a larger area when we're home or we could devise a way to put them into the back yard. Not sure there.

Any tips or concerns or ideas? Areas of concern to watch for? Our biggest concern for predators are fox, neighbor cats and our own bad dog who will get e collar trained on the chickens.

 

[nuthatched]

I think it's a workable idea but could you post a few more picture plus dimensions?

 

[Kidwantschickens]

Hi! It is 3:x5.5' on floor, it will sit 2 feet off the ground. I was planning to add on another 3' section to make the total area 5.5' X 6'. I can draw up what I think it will look like. I have to add a roof. I have shingles, OSB, will have to buy some exterior wood and will need the HC and then chicken wire for the larger area.

Was thinking of putting 1/2" HC over the existing windows for light/ventilation during the summer with a wood cover for winter. I can take more photos when it's daylight tomorrow

 

[rosemarythyme]

Chicken wire isn't predator proof in the slightest, I'd spring for hardware cloth instead.

So 5.5'x6' for coop, and how much roughly in run space are you thinking? How many chickens are you aiming for?

 

[Kidwantschickens]

Chicken wire isn't predator proof in the slightest, I'd spring for hardware cloth instead.

So 5.5'x6' for coop, and how much roughly in run space are you thinking? How many chickens are you aiming for?

I was going to do a main area in 1/2" HC then an extension in chicken wire for Daytime use only. Our biggest predator that I'm aware.of would be other birds and fox. We have eagles/owls/hawks etc. I'm told skunks are a concern too. I certainly have seen fox within two miles here and there (maybe once a year) I back up to a farmers field but other than antelope, I don't see any critters near my house. However chickens can be attractants.

Anyway, I was planning 6-8 chickens, they will have the covered 5.5x6 area and then I wanted to extend that so they would have more space, probably not shaded but covered in HC, then have that extend into a larger area of chicken wire that we could let them into when we are home. So a main run attached to the coop, probably 5.5'x10-12', then not sure from there. I don't want them too confined when we aren't home but when we're home they will probably be turned out more into a fenced area.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Anyway, I was planning 6-8 chickens, they will have the covered 5.5x6 area and then I wanted to extend that so they would have more space, probably not shaded but covered in HC, then have that extend into a larger area of chicken wire that we could let them into when we are home. So a main run attached to the coop, probably 5.5'x10-12', then not sure from there.

Coop is sufficient, the run depends on whether your 5.5'x10-12' includes the under side of coop or not. If yes, that should be sufficient for 6-8 chickens. If not, I would extend to closer to 100 sq ft total run space if possible. Having some time out in the extended enclosure is good but since it won't always be accessible, the run still needs to be big enough for extended periods of use, i.e. if you need to lock up due to increased predator activity.

 

[aart]

Hi! It is 3:x5.5' on floor, it will sit 2 feet off the ground. I was planning to add on another 3' section to make the total area 5.5' X 6'. I can draw up what I think it will look like. I have to add a roof. I have shingles, OSB, will have to buy some exterior wood and will need the HC and then chicken wire for the larger area.

Was thinking of putting 1/2" HC over the existing windows for light/ventilation during the summer with a wood cover for winter. I can take more photos when it's daylight tomorrow

I'd keep your bird total at 6.
How tall will the coop be?

They need good ventilation all year around.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Kidwantschickens]

I'd keep your bird total at 6.
How tall will the coop be?

They need good ventilation all year around.

Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!
View attachment 3036505

Thanks. I'm in Helena Montana. It can get extremely cold but generally only for a month, and I live in a very windy area of the valley. No matter how "tight" I try to make it there will be major air flow. But I was referencing lots of windows that would need covered in the winter, not 1-2 small ones. I will post pics when I actually start the coop. For now we just need to get ready for the chicks.

By total area I meant total in the actual coop, so 33sq ft in the coop and then will make an appropriate run. I'm thinking we'll end up with 8-10 total although fatalities are possible

 

[Kidwantschickens]

So I have way more chicks than planned. What was I thinking? I am still hoping to have 1-2 roos in the group, so far none have died and we're at almost 2 weeks.

So now I'm thinking 5.5x7 for the coop with an 8x 16' run. That's 38.5 sf in the coop and then 128 +under the coop 38.5= 166.5 sf of run.

I've seen people say 3sf per bird in the coop as well as 4sf. Can I keep 11-12 full size hens in this set up?

Also thinking of just buying a premade shed and putting it up.

 

[aart]

I've seen people say 3sf per bird in the coop as well as 4sf. Can I keep 11-12 full size hens in this set up?

4sqft per bird is minimum, IMO.
Especially in nasty winters where they may stay coop bound for days.

Also thinking of just buying a premade shed and putting it up.

That's a good idea.