For those who use a dog kennel for a coop, I'd love to see pictures...

[Alley]

Question, I have a large coop with no run. I want to use a dog kennel butted up to the existing coop. With a ramp to go from the coop to the kennel. The problem is I'm afraid to cut the kennel wire for the chickens to go down the ramp. The coop is way too big to put inside the kennel. Any suggestions...

 

[OSUman]

you could cut the kennel and use use the fence nails (cant think of their actual name ) to attach the run to the coop

 

[The Wolf Queen]

Keep checking this post in a few days and check out my soon to be permanent coop/s. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=211014

 

[Anny]

I use the dog kennel as the run and the coop is contained inside my garage.

 

[lilchick]

Alley we had same problem when we used the smaller 6 by 8 dog kennel pen with our duck house. When we placed it inside it took up so much room that we could barely walk around it. I did not want to damage the panels since most of my pens are ever changing for various critters.
So we placed the house outside the pen and placed the doorway at a corner where 2 panels connected. Opened it and attached with fencing material to each side of the front of the house. Since house was approx. same height as panels it did not need fencing above.We just used a piece of wire to connect the panels to hold them steady. Put a net topping on and done.

 

[lovinlife]

I don't have a pic of mine from the outside, not sure why...
but here it is from the inside. It's two dog run panels long, 20ft and one panel wide, 10ft.

I put chicken wire over the top, but didn't like how I had to duck when I walked inside, the panels are 6' tall and I'm only 5'4". So, I used some gray pvc 3/4" pipe, made a two-pronged "fork" out of some slick wire, stuck it in the end of the pipe and the fork end into the chain link. I bent the pvc upward and secured with zip ties to the chicken wire roof. Works great.

I have a tarp over one corner to shelter the nesting boxes.

I recently added three more run panels to create a smaller 10'x10' run for my babies. It'll be good to have the second run for various reasons.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Here is mine currently on the patio, I use it for a run. I got the kennel free and it came with a few extra panels, we used one of the extra panels over the top instead of chicken wire. I have an old plastic dog house up on bricks on there along with nest boxes, a home made hanging feeder, and a waterer. It butts up against the coop. I put hardware cloth on the sides where the two meet to fix the gap and allow me to leave their pop door open during the night for fresh air on those hot days.

Over winter the whole kennel is covered in tarps and I put down 2-3 bales of straw with a few bales stacked up here and there for them to hang out on. During the summer they free range so it is hardly ever used but always open so they have shelter from the sun or elements, I do not put down any bedding in the run over the summer due to the fact they are hardly ever in there. I just the concrete it sits on off everyday and it stays clean besides the feed they get all over.

We also have another dog kennel run out back that is 12 ft wide by 6 ft high by 22 ft long that will eventually be the main run for the main flock as soon as my DH builds me the brand new shed/coop he has been promising and the seramas will get the smaller coop and run off the patio.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I have just finished one. I usually use tractors but am trying this.

And for the corners, top and bottom........

The Barnies are less than thrilled. They prefer more enclosed sleeping quarters but it is so blasted hot at night I think this is fine for summer. In the winter I will totally enclose this little house on stilts. And probably put up more tarps all around to keep out wind and rain more.
For more ideas view my BYC page on the M*A*S*H units.

Happy building!

 

[Alley]

Great pics and advise! I always thought cutting chain link was a bad idea but I guess not! My coop is large so it won't fit inside the kennel. Keep the pics coming as I enjoy seeing all the great ideas!

 

[TaLani]

We used a shed that my hubby was no longer using as a woodworking shed and converted it into a coop. Inside we divided it in half using a screen door and hardware cloth as walls to divide up the two sides. We cut a hole in each end and made a tunnel out of wood to connect the chainlink kennel to the shed. You can see the tunnel better in the coop on the left. The coop on the left has shade cloth over the top of it and the coop on the right just has a tarp - both are supported by plastic pipes that are in metal brackets which gives them an arch effect.

Here's a pic of the chainlink kennels/coops: