I bought a small, used shed the other day (see pic below) thinking it will make an easy-to-convert temporary coop for my 4-week-old Silkies. I'm trying to figure out how to accomplish this by tomorrow since these kids needed to be out of my bathroom like yesterday!
We're about a week away from finishing our 6' x 8' tractor coop then will get started on the run, but I'm also wondering if this shed might be suitable for a breeding trio of bantams...either Ameraucana or Cochin...that I'm getting next week. So when not using it as a temp coop, I would also like to make it useable for that purpose if you think that would work. I could use some suggestions and/or opinions from fellow BYC'ers since most of you are far more experienced than I am.
The outer dimensions of the shed are 4-1/2' wide x 2-1/2' deep x 5' high. There are 2 recesses in the side walls (the widest part of the shed) that are two different heights that I can set dowel rods into for roosting perches. I can also hang water/food feeders from one of them. I'm not sure what diameter is best for either of these bantam breeds or if I should use something else (2x4 etc).
The floor is very lightly recessed with grooves. I don't know if I should use pine shavings, put a painted board on the floor and pine shavings, or if there is something else I could/should do, etc. The floor isn't as slippery as linoleum, but traction could still be an issue along with the uneven-ness of the floor.
As far as light and ventilation goes, the shed is not air-tight, but probably needs more ventilation. It's also dark in there with the doors closed. I don't plan on having it close enough to an electrical outlet for a light. We're putting four screened shed windows that open/close on our big coop, but those are expensive and I'm not sure I want to buy 2 more. Real windows are too heavy. Plexiglas allows for light but not ventilation. Hardware cloth would allow for both, but what about when it's extremely cold or stormy out (I'm in Central Ohio)? Regardless, where are the best places on this shed for these 2 windowed/screened areas?
For now, I plan on using hardware cloth in one of the door openings so the little ones will have light and air and still be safely contained during the day.
Then there's the matter of two nest boxes. I have two rectangular 10"x12" containers and some that are a little smaller...not sure what size these breeds need. I don't want to take up floor space with them, but was thinking about attaching some metal brackets to the inside walls to hold them and try not to place them directly under a perch.
Anyway, if you had this shed, what would you do? And if you had a breeding bantam trio, would you use it for their coop? Thank you in advance for any ideas, opinions, suggestions, changes to my ideas/plans, etc. I highly value your opinions!
We're about a week away from finishing our 6' x 8' tractor coop then will get started on the run, but I'm also wondering if this shed might be suitable for a breeding trio of bantams...either Ameraucana or Cochin...that I'm getting next week. So when not using it as a temp coop, I would also like to make it useable for that purpose if you think that would work. I could use some suggestions and/or opinions from fellow BYC'ers since most of you are far more experienced than I am.
The outer dimensions of the shed are 4-1/2' wide x 2-1/2' deep x 5' high. There are 2 recesses in the side walls (the widest part of the shed) that are two different heights that I can set dowel rods into for roosting perches. I can also hang water/food feeders from one of them. I'm not sure what diameter is best for either of these bantam breeds or if I should use something else (2x4 etc).
The floor is very lightly recessed with grooves. I don't know if I should use pine shavings, put a painted board on the floor and pine shavings, or if there is something else I could/should do, etc. The floor isn't as slippery as linoleum, but traction could still be an issue along with the uneven-ness of the floor.
As far as light and ventilation goes, the shed is not air-tight, but probably needs more ventilation. It's also dark in there with the doors closed. I don't plan on having it close enough to an electrical outlet for a light. We're putting four screened shed windows that open/close on our big coop, but those are expensive and I'm not sure I want to buy 2 more. Real windows are too heavy. Plexiglas allows for light but not ventilation. Hardware cloth would allow for both, but what about when it's extremely cold or stormy out (I'm in Central Ohio)? Regardless, where are the best places on this shed for these 2 windowed/screened areas?
For now, I plan on using hardware cloth in one of the door openings so the little ones will have light and air and still be safely contained during the day.
Then there's the matter of two nest boxes. I have two rectangular 10"x12" containers and some that are a little smaller...not sure what size these breeds need. I don't want to take up floor space with them, but was thinking about attaching some metal brackets to the inside walls to hold them and try not to place them directly under a perch.
Anyway, if you had this shed, what would you do? And if you had a breeding bantam trio, would you use it for their coop? Thank you in advance for any ideas, opinions, suggestions, changes to my ideas/plans, etc. I highly value your opinions!
