Currently my set up is pretty minimal and not ideal for my three hens (2 standard, one bantam).
On craigslist I found a plastic doghouse for $40 and a 4 ft tall dog kennel for $50. It was listed as 6x4 feet but measures to be 6x8 feet. We fortified the dog kennel with 4ft wide hardware cloth (three feet going up, 1 foot apron around the outside). The top is covered with poultry fencing. I have plans to use PVC to bow up the roof so that I can have some head room moving about the run (I am 5ft2). I want a better coop though, preferable on the outside of the run for more room (the girls roost on top of the current one and poop all over it. DH wants to buy something but everything to buy is pricey and requires shipping or driving a couple hours to pick it up.
This doghouse has been listed on craigslist for $80 for over a month now (they said the price is firm in their first post).
Dimensions are 37 inches wide, 41 inches long, 47 inches high.
I was thinking that I could modify it by putting in external nesting boxes (25 inches wide by 12 inches tall to create two) and elevating it to create more space underneath for waterers and feeders (I would have to buy a smaller feeder the one we made would be too big). I can't lift it up too high or it will tower over my run. Would 18 inches be sufficient? Could I use 2x2? I would enclose underneath with hardware cloth. I have pavers that I could put underneath that are currently under the plastic dog house.
I would also make the dog door smaller (using hardware cloth for venting) to be more chicken sized. I would attach this somehow (more hardware cloth) to the portion of the chainlink pannel adjacent to the gate on the kennel. I will probably also need more vents on the doghouse (N. Florida here so heat is a bigger concern than cold). ETA: I also want to create a door for me to access the interior of the doghouse probably on the back. Roosts of course will be placed inside (2x4 are best, right?).
Of course, now that I have put this much thought into the doghouse will be gone or something (has been on craigslist since August 23). Does anyone have any suggestions or comments? I am thinking about predator exclusion as well of course.
On craigslist I found a plastic doghouse for $40 and a 4 ft tall dog kennel for $50. It was listed as 6x4 feet but measures to be 6x8 feet. We fortified the dog kennel with 4ft wide hardware cloth (three feet going up, 1 foot apron around the outside). The top is covered with poultry fencing. I have plans to use PVC to bow up the roof so that I can have some head room moving about the run (I am 5ft2). I want a better coop though, preferable on the outside of the run for more room (the girls roost on top of the current one and poop all over it. DH wants to buy something but everything to buy is pricey and requires shipping or driving a couple hours to pick it up.
This doghouse has been listed on craigslist for $80 for over a month now (they said the price is firm in their first post).
Dimensions are 37 inches wide, 41 inches long, 47 inches high.
I was thinking that I could modify it by putting in external nesting boxes (25 inches wide by 12 inches tall to create two) and elevating it to create more space underneath for waterers and feeders (I would have to buy a smaller feeder the one we made would be too big). I can't lift it up too high or it will tower over my run. Would 18 inches be sufficient? Could I use 2x2? I would enclose underneath with hardware cloth. I have pavers that I could put underneath that are currently under the plastic dog house.
I would also make the dog door smaller (using hardware cloth for venting) to be more chicken sized. I would attach this somehow (more hardware cloth) to the portion of the chainlink pannel adjacent to the gate on the kennel. I will probably also need more vents on the doghouse (N. Florida here so heat is a bigger concern than cold). ETA: I also want to create a door for me to access the interior of the doghouse probably on the back. Roosts of course will be placed inside (2x4 are best, right?).
Of course, now that I have put this much thought into the doghouse will be gone or something (has been on craigslist since August 23). Does anyone have any suggestions or comments? I am thinking about predator exclusion as well of course.
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