How to set this up?

[farmer mctonn]

So, we are having chickens for the first time this year. The people who owned our house previously had beagles, so there are dog kennels in our pole barn. They are about 3 feet tall and maybe 2 feet deep. Can these be used as a coop or a place for them to roost? We are going to fence in the lean-to and some of the grassy area outside of it.

Just trying to figure out if I need to build anything else for them to roost/nest in.

 

[nuthatched]

Maybe nesting boxes? They'd be a pain in the rump to clean and gather though.

 

[mowin]

The kennel themselves I wouldn't use. I don't see the chickens using them. No ventilation, no where to roost.
The second picture however has potential. You obviously are in a cold climate, so I'd take part of that and close it n for a coop, then close the rest of it for a run.

Does the second pic have concrete floors?

 

[farmer mctonn]

T

 

[farmer mctonn]

The kennel themselves I wouldn't use. I don't see the chickens using them. No ventilation, no where to roost.
The second picture however has potential. You obviously are in a cold climate, so I'd take part of that and close it n for a coop, then close the rest of it for a run.

Does the second pic have concrete floors?

So, I need to clarify my pictures. The first picture is from in the barn looking at the kennels. The second pic is one of the kennels opened up. There is a little door that they covered up to go out to the lean-to.

 

[mowin]

So, I need to clarify my pictures. The first picture is from in the barn looking at the kennels. The second pic is one of the kennels opened up. There is a little door that they covered up to go out to the lean-to.

IMO, the kennels are not good for chicken's. I'd remove them from what I can see because they don't add any value except for storage. Not seeing the entire barn, I'd keep that for toys.. I mean equipment. Plenty of room in the lean-to for birds

I'd enclosed part of the lean-to (last pic with the boat) into a coop. I'd then use part of the lean-to for a run, but definitely add more run outside of the lean-to so they have dirt to scratch up.

 

[Nodakj]

If it was me i would dismantle the kennels. ( good wood) and build a coop under the overhang. Then enclose the overhang + extra as a run.

 

[aart]

If it was me i would dismantle the kennels. ( good wood)

This^^^
They're kinda small and dark for even keeping dogs in.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've stared at that for about 15 minutes and can't come up with any way to make those into something I'd want to use. 2' wide and 3' high does not sound good for chickens, that's not enough room for them to move around in there without getting in each other's face. Plus one of my criteria is that it needs to be something convenient for me to use. I'm not going to fix something that I think would make my life miserable. You need to be able to access all of it. I think my old body would hurt trying to access it.

How many chickens are you thinking about? I could see the appeal of building your coop under that lean-to but I'd consider building it inside the pole barn. You already have the pop door. I don't know what that pole barn looks like inside or how well it stops wind or how ventilated it is, but a coop against that wall could be easy to build and could give you all that you need. Or if it has stalls use one of them to make your coop.

 

[SourRoses]

I'm having trouble with the "kennels", mainly Who would put a dog in that? How were they breathing? How did they clean them out? They look like a dark pit.

But anyway, like others have said the rest of the space offers some good options.
If the coop portion was inside as @Ridgerunner suggested you could do the interior wall in hardware cloth for ventilation and to sit in the barn watching your birds out of that cold stuff.
Just remember that chickens prefer to roost "up", so it feels like being in trees, and if you don't offer "up" they will find places to sleep you don't like.