Converting Shed Into Coop

[kkhoneycutt]

I just recently purchased a shed to convert into a chicken coop. It's an 8x12 so I hope to house the majority of my flock in it. It comes with one large human door, a window and ventilation at the very top on both sides. I have several questions as I will need to make some modifications:

1. I'd like to paint over the treated wood for easier clean up, and to help prolong the life of said building, but which type of paint do I use or is there a better option?

2. What nesting boxes do you use, that are fairly cheap, but great quality? I don't want to cut a giant hole in the building so nesting boxes that protrude from the building is out of the question.

3. Do you prefer sand, coffee grinds, shavings etc. and why? I have sand in my runs currently but use shavings in the coops.

4. How many feet of roosting bar space do I need? It's an 8x12 building, so 4sqft per bird would be up to 24 chickens. My flock is currently at 48 +/- and most are still in brooders but 20 are outside in coops already. However, if I free range my chickens, does sqft really even matter if I have enough roosting bar space?

I think that's it for now. Thank you for reading and giving me your advice.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Firstly - I bet you will need a lot more ventilation. Aim for 1 square foot of permanently-open ventilation per bird far from the roosts. Sometimes even more is necessary in warm climates. Adding your location to your profile can help us better help you.

3. Do you prefer sand, coffee grinds, shavings etc. and why? I have sand in my runs currently but use shavings in the coops.

There are a lot of threads on this very topic. It all depends on YOUR preferences, climate, type of coop, how much time the birds spend in the coop, the amount and type of birds you have, and what is available in your area. The best thing to do is try out the different types of bedding that are readily available to you and choose the one that best fits your needs.

4. How many feet of roosting bar space do I need? It's an 8x12 building, so 4sqft per bird would be up to 24 chickens. My flock is currently at 48 +/- and most are still in brooders but 20 are outside in coops already. However, if I free range my chickens, does sqft really even matter if I have enough roosting bar space?

1 linear foot of roost per bird. Yes, square footage of the floor matters since the coop will be used by the birds in inclement weather, if the chickens are up before the door opens, during feeding time, etc.