Has anyone ever tried using a Rubbermaid shed for a coop?

[4kidslotsapets]

Hi,

Has anyone ever tried using one of those plastic Rubbermaid sheds as a coop? We are in Georgia, so extreme cold for long periods isn't so much of an issue.

Thanks,

Kim

 

[Naughty]

Prairiepearls - a poster from Kansas has used a rubbermaid shed - and it looks awesome from her pics. She has a pic here - hope she doesnt mind me posting it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=46454

 

[Harris5]

My VERY handy-man husband has tried to talk me into converting one in to a coop many times! If he thinks it's a good idea...it probably is!

Installation of good ventilation would be important.

 

[annie3001]

sounds very interesting. my concern would be the heat that is accumlated inside. ventlation would def have to be properly done. would also have to know what kind of climate you live in etc. I would also make sure that its held down to the ground really good and secure.

 

[ranchhand]

Make sure the base is really, REALLY stable! Mine is about to be retired because it gets cattywampus with the constantly shifting sand here. And yes, add ventilation, it doesn't have enough as it is. Have fun, it'll work if the ground is stabilised!

 

[abhaya]

It will work fine but you need to ventalate it or you will have a chicky-bake-oven.

 

[Imp]

I use one here in the Seattle area. Heat has not been a problem, but it is located in a mostly shady area.

See my page for pictures.

Imp

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

1. I have a Rubbermaid Big Max shed that I use for other things. Be aware that when I first installed it, it was hot. The shed outgassed enormously. It smelled SO bad that I couldn't stand it. I would not close animals up inside it with it smelling like that. Now that the weather is cold, it is fine. I look forward to next summer so that I can see if the outgassing has gone away.

2. Some people down the road have taken a plastic small shed that looks almost like a locker but short, and connected it up to a dog run (chain link). They move the whole thing around their yard. I think it's great but watch out for a hot shed in summer!!!

3. I have a metal shed that I use for one of my coops, and I love it. It is my favorite coop. It gets hot in summer but is cooled down enough by nightfall that it's ok. And it doesn't outgas.

4. Be aware that to put together my Big Max shed, the two skilled men doing it were complaining about how HORRIBLE it was, and forbade me to ever buy another plastic shed again. The roof especially- it took 3 people holding it at various angles to get it to stay long enough to get the screws in.

5. The ground under it must be completely level. And I'm not kidding. You can barely get it screwed together with a perfectly level surface. If there is anything crooked, it won't screw together. We used a tractor and 4 people to dig it out. Then plywood and concrete blocks for the foundation.

 

[Chicken Chat]

The only concern I would have is if you get a lot of wind. I would not be able to use one as a coop around here, we get terrible downdrafts and gusts every time it storms. A storm last year picked my rubbermaid shed up and tossed it into the next field, luckily it just had garden stuff stored in it. If you used it, I would just suggest securing it to the ground really well.