Garden Shed to Chicken Coop

[SteveMadonnaJ]

My wife is giving up her 8x12 garden shed so I can expand our existing flock of 8 chickens. Currently they are housed in a coop made from a wooden pallet, and a 10x10 dog lot for a run. I work a full time job during the day, so the build will take a few weeks. I will keep adding pictures as I go. I am more mechanically inclined, so my wood working skills are not the best. If anyone has a question, or helpful info, please let me know.



The top drawing is what I plan on doing. I have purchased another panel for the dog lot, which will be opened up and butted up against the shed. The current run is not attached. The bottom drawing is the plans for the inside of the new coop. A ramp will be in front of the nesting boxes that will lead up to the poop box, perch's and boxes.



Drawing of the poop board and perch's. You are probable thinking, that is one big poop board, but I have Rhode Island Reds and plan on adding more. I am looking at having 16 total birds before I will have to go to a bigger space, but 16 is enough for my wife and I.



Nest boxes. The top is going to be angled and hinged, so all I have to do is pick up the top to collect the eggs.



The separation wall between the storage area and nesting area.



Inside of the shed and load of wood from Lowes.

 

[cavemanrich]

For 16 hens, you will need to provide plenty of ventilation. The eves look like they may be closed off currently. I do not see light shining thru, That can also be because of a facia board blocking light. Read up on placing ventilation. There are many good articles here . Just put ventilation into search bar. Another suggested thread that may give you a plithora of Ideas is the following. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/596294/post-your-chicken-coop-pictures-here .. Skim thru the pictures and get Ideas, also see how others arranged their coops. ALSO TO CONSIDER ,; PREDATOR PROOFING YOUR COOP OPENINGS/WINDOWS/EVES.
WISHING YOU BEST.

 

[SteveMadonnaJ]

For 16 hens, you will need to provide plenty of ventilation. The eves look like they may be closed off currently. I do not see light shining thru, That can also be because of a facia board blocking light ............

The current vents are very restrictive. I plan on taking the one's that came with the building off and opening them up, and covering with chicken cloth. Placement of the poop board/perch's by the window did cross my mind. nothing is built yet so it can always be so it can always be changed. Thank you for the help

 

[aart]

The current vents are very restrictive. I plan on taking the one's that came with the building off and opening them up, and covering with chicken cloth. Placement of the poop board/perch's by the window did cross my mind. nothing is built yet so it can always be so it can always be changed. Thank you for the help

Use 1/2" hardware cloth instead of chicken cloth (wire?).
Got a pic of exterior of shed and eaves?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Two roosts all the way across the shed will be plenty. Make the first 12” off the wall with another 12” separating the two horizontal. The poop board should go all the way across and extend about a foot past the outside roost. The area of my roosts near the window is prime roosting space.

For 16 hens four nests are enough. You can save a bit on fittings and work if you eliminate one. Since your nests are internal to the coop, I think the tops being hinged are a waste. You can reach in from the front of the nest to get the eggs, the same way the hens enter. That simplifies the build.

Since you have a wooden floor you might want to put down a piece of cheap linoleum or paint it to make cleaning easier.

Make sure your screen door to the storage area is higher than the bedding in the coop so you can open the door. The bottom of the pop door needs to be above the bedding too so the bedding doesn’t get scratched out.

Ventilation is important, winter as well as summer. How much area will you be opening up?

 

[SteveMadonnaJ]

Use 1/2" hardware cloth instead of chicken cloth (wire?).
Got a pic of exterior of shed and eaves?

aart, I do mean hardware cloth. I always get confused and call it chicken wire. Here are some pics of the shed, the eaves and what I plan on doing with them.



This is the shed, and the side which the run will be attached, The building only has the one window. I am thinking of possible adding a window in the future.



Outside of the eaves. The cover will be left off.



Inside of the eaves before, and



inside of the eaves after with hardware cloth covering the opening. This will be done on both sides.

 

[SteveMadonnaJ]

Since you have a wooden floor you might want to put down a piece of cheap linoleum or paint it to make cleaning easier.

Ventilation is important, winter as well as summer. How much area will you be opening up?

Ridgerunner, I have a 8x12 roll of linoleum that I will be putting down to cover the floor. Look at my post to aart and you can see my pics of what I plan on doing for ventilation.

 

[aart]

Quote: That would be a gable vent.....and that is chicken wire.

Eaves would be where lower edge of the sloping plane of the roof meets the side walls.

A couple more windows would be good too.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don’t think you need another window as far as light goes. I won’t argue against another, especially if it can be opened to provide more ventilation in warmer weather.

I’m not sure if two of those gable vents, one on each end, will be enough ventilation or not. Often summer is the worst time if you live where it is really hot. I really like opening them up in hot weather, high and low. Heat is usually more of a threat than cold. In winter, if it gets below freezing, you need to be able to get rid of excess moisture from their breathing, from their wet poop, from waterers, or any other source of moisture. High moisture and freezing temperatures can lead to frostbite. If you have enough ventilation to get rid of excess moisture chickens can do fine well below zero Fahrenheit, but if the moisture is held in they can get frostbite at just a little below freezing.

You’ll probably do OK with those two gable vents even if you leave the louver covers on to help keep out rain and snow. But if you ever see evidence of frostbite you will need to make other openings. The best ones are up high so any breezes generated are over their heads when they are sleeping on the roosts. A lot of us leave the top of the wall under the overhang on the sides open, especially when we build. That allows a lot of air movement and keeps rain and snow out. That lets in a lot of light too. I can’t tell how hard it would be for you to open up the top of your walls. Your siding may go all the way up to the roof.

 

[chickens really]

In my opinion....Do your Coop how ever you see fit...I never asked for help...My Husband transformed my 8x12 Shed into my Coop...Your Ideas are great...I have lino as my floor too...

Cheers!