Free coop renovation

[kproffer]

I’ve never had chickens but was given this awesome 8x12 shed that I want to use as a coop to house my first flock! It has been used for various things (including chickens briefly). I was planning to adding nesting boxes on the right side, and roosting bars with a poop deck below along the back wall under the window. We will add a run access door on the left side, and replace the front doors with more secure ones. I thought about painting the inside, but I’m not sure...it would take a lot of prep. I plan to start with ten hens. Is this a good setup plan? What other advice do you have for a newbie?

 

[Fishkeeper]

Sheds are perfect to remodel into chicken coops. That's an amazing find!
Where do you live? That'll dictate some of what you'll need to do as far as weather prep. It would also help us figure out what predators you have in the area and what you therefore need to prepare for.
Definitely replace the doors. You might also want to shrink that window.
You'll need added ventilation. Lots of smaller windows under the edges of the roof, covered in hardware cloth on the inside, should do it.
If I were you, I think I'd get some of that thick plastic that painters lay down to keep the floor clean. I'd cover the floor and about the bottom 6 inches of the walls in several layers of that plastic, stapled in place at the top edges, to waterproof it. Then I'd make the coop deep litter.
Personally, I wouldn't paint the inside, I think the wood looks nice. Maybe you could paint just the support boards and leave the flats alone.
You'll need roosts. 2x4s are good- it's good for the chickens to be able to sit with their feet flat, and to be able to settle down over their feet to keep them warm.
Some places sell small squares of glass, or will cut them for you. I might put a few glass windows at chicken level, for them to look out of.
What else you'll need to do depends on what predators live in the area.

 

[Cryss]

Soooo jealous.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

I’m jealous! Looks dark to me; I would want to paint or do something to increase the light. It might just be the photo, though.

Otherwise, I’m just sitting back to watch this thread. Green with envy!

 

[kproffer]

Thank you for all the info! We live in southern Missouri (zone 6). Hawks and coyotes are probably our main predators. We also occasionally see raccoons, foxes and bobcats. I was wondering about the floor...would linoleum work instead of the plastic? Seems like it would be sturdier come clean out time? With the windows, is it possible to make it too drafty in the winter? Do I need to make shutters to protect them from winter wind?

 

[Fishkeeper]

Sure, you could use linoleum, people use that for chicken coops. If you do deep litter, though, you don't have to clean it out. Ever. You add in new materials now and then, stir occaisonally, and you sometimes scoop some of it out to make more room. It's basically a compost pile in the coop. The chickens do most of the stirring for you, and everything gets broken down into nice compost, AKA dirt.

Coyotes are pretty strong. If I were you, I'd put on some gloves and go around the coop at the outside, prying and whacking everywhere, trying to find weaknesses. Pretend you haven't eaten in two days and there's a steak dinner in there, and you can have it if you get in, you just can't use your thumbs.

 

[Cryss]

Linoleum works pretty well. Run it up the walls about a foot because chickens scratch stuff up. You will want to seal up drafts that would blow directly on them. Windows will want to be closed in winter and they need to be covered with 1/2 inch hardware cloth to keep out predators. You will need to cut some ventilation holes well above their roosting heads, like just under the roof line or in the triangles or both. These need to be covered with hardware cloth also. As for me I'd paint inside white. It will make for more light reflection and help seal some gaps against insects. Good luck! Can't wait to see how it progresses.

 

[kproffer]

Thank you!

 

[kproffer]

Scraped, cleaned and a roost and poop deck installed. What a day!

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Looking real good!