Dog Kennel to Coop?

[Scott H]

So here's what I did for a nesting box......Built it out of 3/4 inch plywood...





Cut a hole in the dog house portion of the kennel...


Repurposed 4 lawn mower wheels and used some threaded rod for axles...found some bushings to keep the threaded rod from eating the plastic wheels....



This is the dog house interior...the opening to get in is covered with plywood on the left.



And here is what it looks like installed and stained....




Like I told my wife, if I was building a coop, I would do something completely different...but this was here.

 

[mtocih]

Like I told my wife, if I was building a coop, I would do something completely different...but this was here.

Looks great! I love the transformation!

 

[Scott H]

Here's an update on the kennel/coop.....

I added a photo sensor to the Pullet-Shut door and the girls free range from the crack of dawn to dusk...every day. Constantly changing the timer got to be a drag and if you didn't stay on it the girls were sitting on the roost, in the dark, with a wide open door.

Added a poop hammock filled with granular Sweet PDZ.....



It's made with 1x2's ripped in half on the table saw, then a vinyl tarp, cut to fit, between the two halves on each end of the tarp. Then screwed the halves together and suspended under the rooting bar with chain.



I haven't had to change their pine shavings in over six months! I think I've picked up half a dozen poops out of their litter in this time. All their time in the coop is spent on the roost and they free range the rest of the time. Now the poop battle outside is a different story.....

Oh, and the nesting box I spent a whole day designing and building......they wouldn't use it. So, I went with two of these. Had to have two to accommodate a broody hen at the time.


Not very creative but at least they actually use them.

 

[jetdog]

I think you did a fantastic job and I think being creative is half the fun, I never thought I would have put in half the effort that I have into my birds, everything done I figure it cost me about $500 to do everything so now the rest of the eggs are free, lol.

 

[Scott H]

Thanks. ....I used two full sheets of 3/4 inch plywood, 3 rolls of hardware cloth, some 2x4 Cedar, other odds and ends, and the door was a couple of bills so I'm probably right there with ya!

 

[Scott H]

I forgot to mention that I've been experimenting with leaving the door window uncovered and closing up all air holes back by the roost essentially making this a "open air" coop. It's been down to 12 dg here at night and the open air idea seems to be working so far. Coop is dry and no distressed chickens.

 

[silly4buttons]

Here is some of pic of my dog house coop it's not completely done