Coop made from a metal shed with concrete beneath

[remraf]

Hello,

I am getting chicks next week and want to start working on the coop that I will transfer them into when they are ready. I currently have a metal shed in my backyard that I want to convert into a coop. I want to cut some windows into the shed for ventilation and add a run to the side of the shed. I live in southern Michigan and the weather can get pretty cold here so I was thinking about insulating the shed with plywood as people on the forums have suggested to prevent condensation. Should I also put plywood on the floor to cover the concrete or would it be better to leave it? The dimensions are roughly 7x10x8.5 feet (heightXlengthXdepth). I plan to repaint the shed white. Also the shed is just resting on the cement and is not attached in any way. Any suggestions or things to watch out for would be appreciated. Thanks. Here are some picture

 

[fried green eggs]

Hi

. I'm in S.E. Michigan. I have 3 coops that are steel sided. I highly recommend you insulate the walls and roof with Styrofoam insulation and then cover it with thin plywood. Metal shed/barns feel like walking in a refrigerator on cold cloudy days and the metal gets really hot in summer heat. Covering the cement with plywood will also help. I love my coops but, they would be unbearable if they were not insulated. With the insulation they stay comfortable year round. Just make sure you put in plenty of ventilation that will not cause drafts on the chickens. I have windows that hinge on the top so, they lift up with pulleys and can be left part way open year round. It's lots of work but you will be happy you insulated it when you are done. Lowe's has 4x8 sheets of 1" insulation for $8.00 a sheet or you can spend more and get the better insulation that is 1 1/2" thick. Good Luck on your project and glad you joined us.

 

[schmism]

pass on the plywood on the floor and just put down your wood shaveingss/bedding right on top of it. concrete is perfect for deep litter.

 

[Hokum Coco]

My I think you have a great start!
My coop was in worse shape than yours and smaller.

I have been keeping 12 to 15 birds in this 3 level 4x8 foot print coop for years with no problems. It was being scraped by a relative and I renovated and rescued it. Framed the inside with 2x2 and insulated and covered the Styrofoam with veneer from interior doors I picked up as cast aways. Replaced the metal sliding doors with hinged 1/2 inch plywood doors.

One feature I put in my coop that saved me a lot of work was roost with a 3 1/2 inch drop to poop boards. The top photo shows the edge of one of the 2x4 roosts (there are two 2x4 roost on that side). This feature also catches eggs laid through the night and the board slides out similar to a drawer for easy cleaning.

 

[remraf]

Thanks for the replies! I am going to go ahead with the styrofoam insulation and plywood. I am still uncertain about the ventilation, would you suggest putting the windows higher up on the side walls or on the slanted part of the roof. Do you guys have any pictures of your ventilation on your sheds?

@Hokum Coco: What was the main reason for replacing the sliding doors with the hinged doors, I also have sliding doors

Thanks

 

[Gatorbait]

I would go to Lowes or other hardware store and pick up a few concrete anchor with.simpson ties to attach it to the concrete just in case of high winds.

 

[schnebbles]

I have a shed I'm contemplating turning into a coop as well. Just like that! I was thinking of the 2" insulation and plywood, windows and vents. a chicken door as well most likely. I'll be watching this thread!

I saw one somewhere where they used house type vents that can close/open like your heat/ac vents. I thought that was a good idea so they could be closed on cold, cold nights.

 

[Hokum Coco]

@Hokum Coco: What was the main reason for replacing the sliding doors with the hinged doors, I also have sliding doors

Your metal shed looks very solid. A good coat of paint will do a lot to transform your project. With a 10 x 8 foot print it makes me envious.



I replaced the sliding doors for three reasons hinged doors swinging outward are easier to manage in the winter months in Canada; The metal channel would be a pain in the butt to keep clear when chickens start scratching in their bedding (imagine opening the doors if ice or poop should freeze in the track). Also I needed the metal from the doors to repair the coop.

One thing I learned the hard way was do not buy your paint in spray cans to paint your shed. It sure brought up my cost in renovating up in a hurry.

I cut windows in my plywood doors (below their roost) to serve as ventilation ports. The windows hinge up and prop open.

One mistake I did when installing my pop door for the chickens is I should have cut the opening about 8 to 10 inches up from the bottom of the door to allow for the bedding (4-6 inches was not high enough). If that is the only mistake I make in my life however I think I will be all right LOL.

Another thing I would have done different. In a perfect world I would like to be able to access my nest boxes from the outside of the coop. However in order to accomplish that now I would be just as far ahead to build a new coop and use this structure for my white homing pigeons.

If I were to build a coop from scratch this is the model I would design it from only with a larger foot print maybe 10x12.

http://www.ezcleancoops.com/coop-deville-chicken-coop?