first time coop...advice/help/ideas to build from exhisting shed

[mandapanda3186]

Hello!

First time posting here...hoping you guys can pass along some good advice. I am getting my. First chickens this spring. Id like to get about 16. I have an exhisting shed offered to me to make into my coop. It is approx 8 x 12 or 13. The walls of made of plywood and the front is 3/4 open(no door). Was used as a lean to for horses years ago. There is no floor as of yet and no windows. I have browsed at coop designs but I was hoping for one on one advice on how to make this work best and of course at the best price. Wel live in MI so it must be winter hardy. Any and all advice of material suggestion, style of nestboxes, etc would be so appreciated. I can post pics but not for a few days when I visit the in laws again. Thanks so much in advance!

 

[midget_farms]

Welcome to the forum!! You will find nothing but good friendly advice here.

First - a free coop is a great coop!

An 8x12 coop can hold a bunch of birds! But you are better off not over filling because they will need the extra space in the winter. That size coop will do just fine for 16 to 20.

As far as design. Depending on the predators & protection you have you may want to close in the open side & have a small lockable door. Raccoons have wiped me out completely 3 times. I now have a very very secure coop. But if you have a nice dog that doesn't kill chickens & lives in the coop with them- you might be OK.

In any case - Its a good idea to close up the open side to keep the winter wind out.

In my coop (sorry no pics) I have 2x4's running across the 8ft side about 16 & 20 inches up from the bottom. They roost on these. Two should be plenty for 20 birds.

Place plastic storage bins under the roosts to catch all the poop. Chickens do most of the dropping from the roost. That way all you need to do to clean the coop is dump the storage containers. It works really well.

Nest boxes come in a variaty of shapes & sizes too. You can choose from just plain milk crates to wood boxes stacked inside the coop to built in's that can be opened from outside so you don't need to go in to collect the eggs. Up to you on which you like best. I personally have 4 nest boxes inside the coop (the girls only use 2).

Then food & water - you want to protect your food & water from wild birds as they carry parasites (worms)
Keep that inside the coop

 

[mandapanda3186]

I like the idea of the storage tubs for under the roosts..but I just can't picture it. What kind of tubs? And do ypu just set them on the floor or hang them??

I do plan to put a door on. Haven't decided if I want it in the run or not..

Also, what about flooring? Wood, cement blocks? We do have coons and occasional coyotes...I don't want any digging into my coop at night!

 

[1K18]

I have built about 40 coops...unfortunately, that's all done in my head. I'm starting on a similar project soon so i can tell you what i'm planning, based mostly on what people here have said.

I'm closing everything up and covering all ventilation with 1/2" hardware cloth. To prevent animals from digging into the coop, i'm digging into the ground around the inside of the walls and putting hardware cloth down about a foot and attached to the wall. (why inside? because to do it outside, i would have to dig up my wife's lavender.) I'm not putting a floor in it, and i don't plan on insulating. They're animals; they'll live.

It looks great in my head.

 

[MareeZoCool]

:w























'
elcome from Ohio!

CONGRATS on the shed. AND

joining this group!

I like the shed idea. Deffinately go with concrete blocks all around the outside edges, filling gaps between to hold them together & in place so digging invaders cannot get inside.
For poop sheets, you might check with a discount or 2nds in flooring center. Ask for some mis-matched linoleum strips. You can place these under your chicken roosts, then pull out for easy cleaning.

NESTING: I'd go with12" boards, separated by 10" walls every 10-12" You'll need to add a rail in front to help your hens climb in, keep eggs & straw from rolling out. The hens fly up so they use that rail as a landing and take-off strip
ip

 

[PapaChaz]

are you moving this existing shed in, or is it already part of the yard? if you're moving it, it would be easy and cheap enough to build a platform floor, you can even get a floor kit from home depot or lowes for one of their metal building kits. If it's already there, and you just want to secure the floor from predators digging in, i'd just get some 2x3 welded wire (dog fence type) lay it in the floor, get some good size fence staples and secure it to the bottom of the walls. put some dirt over it, or fill it with wood chips that will eventually decompose into a dirt floor.
You can buy pre made nest boxes, or build them yourself. You'll definitely want to close off the opening, if it was me, i'd frame it in so that's my access side, put a door in, frame some openings for nest boxes that extend through and out, hinge the lids and you can get your eggs from the outside! do your girls free range or will you have a run? pretty easy to put a pop door in the wall for their in's and outs!
I've just built my new coop last week, check my page here and you'll see what i mean about the nest boxes. I got my ideas from looking at almost EVERY coop design here. Still looking for a square metal 'creep feeder' type feeder i can put through the wall.

 

[midget_farms]

Quote:
Just set the tubs on the floor. nothing fancy.

you can use cement blocks - or treated plywood.

 

[chicks4kids]

I turned my shed into a coop last spring. Here's the link, hopefully you can find something useful in there.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=309746&p=1

Here's another link with several pics of other sheds transformed into a coop

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=438246&p=1

 

[mandapanda3186]

I am moving the shed. I suppose a constructed wood floor would be just as good as cement to keep out predators. And probably easier Id imagine. I'm now thinking id like add a linoleum strip under the roosts for easy cleaning.

I've got my designs going including a door to seal off the front, 2 windows and id like hanging water/food dishes. Thanks for the continued advice! It really helps my brain along