how would YOU turn this into a coop

[aart]

Here's 2 good articles that should be read before designing a coop and run:


Great article on VENTILATION, one of THE MOST IMPORTANT aspects of coop design.
Fantastic treatise to help decide how much space your chickens need.

 

[sue121507]

If my guestimations are correct, my roost will have about 25 square feet of floor space, and the run will be about 50', plus they will be free ranging whenever possible. I am only planning on 4-5 chickens so I'm pretty sure that will be plenty of space. I read over the ventilation article and will be providing plenty of that.
Do you guys think I could add actual windows on the coop or would that disturb the chickens? I don't see why it would be a problem, but this would be my first time owning chickens.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I built my own windows for mine. You can see them in this pic.


My chickens will argue over who gets a window seat.
I simply took some smoked lexan we had on hand and cut it a bit smaller than the window opening. I framed it with 1x3 so the 1x3 overlaps the outside trim by 1". I have a few that are just the siding I cut out framed the same way. Light of course wont go in those but they are weather tight.

I think you may find the plan hard to clean. It is hard to lean over the angled portion to reach the far back.
What about doing a bump out and making one side flat? This would increase your square footage and give you easier access.
Hard to describe what I am thinking......
If you make the back wall straight, even with where the legs of the swingset are, you would need perhaps 3 4x4's for support. Your run would be the same but the coop would almost double in size and you could clean it out much easier.

 

[sue121507]

It would be pretty difficult to change the shape, I'd pretty much have to tear the whole thing down and start from scratch. I don't really think it would be difficult to clean if the whole long side opens up, the 2nd floor will only be 3 feet off the ground. I think it would be pretty easy just to take a broom and sweep it out.

 

[aart]

Give it a go...if you find it is too small, it would make a good broody pen or grow out pen for chicks.

 

[Cheep N Peep]

So in a few weeks I will be moving to a place where I can have some chickens. At my new place a swing set will be left behind and I thought it would be perfect to turn into a coop. I am looking for some ideas on how I should convert it. I only want 4-5 chickens so i believe it will be the perfect size. It is about 5 feet wide, 6 feet tall, and 8-10 feet long (I don't know the exact measurements, but I believe this is close). At first I thought about turning the area under the slide into the coop part and making the swing area a run (they will also be free ranging), but then I saw plans for an A frame coop where the coop was on top and the run on bottom. I am worried that having it that way would be more difficult to clean though. How would you personally build it? Pictures and ideas would be great, I have a month or so before I can start building.

Thanks everyone!



What if you moved the platform up to the top of that slide section for a roof, walled in the sides, and used that slide section/slide box for the coop, and the swing area for a run? Or you could wall up the whole thing and to make a walk in coop, use the slide part for nest boxes and food storage, and build a large run on the side that isn't 100% predator proof, but keeps the chickens in during the day?

 

[sue121507]

That was my original idea, to use the slide part as a coop and the swing part as a run, but i feel it would be too small that way. If I put the coop on top and run on bottom, there would be a lot more room.

 

[TalkALittle]

How will you clean it? Even if you make it so the whole long side opens up, because of the slope of the sides, you won't be able to stand close enough to clean it easily. You could use a broom or rake but the dirty litter would just fall down onto the wire side below.

If it were me, I'd dismantle it and use the lumber to build a coop.

 

[sue121507]

Shouldn't be too difficult to sweep into a garbage bag.

 

[TalkALittle]

Given the somewhat woodsy setting I wouldn't expect that you would be bagging the used litter, but if that is how you are disposing of it and you don't think it will be difficult then go for it. I wouldn't like to have to have to lean over to reach into the coop part to grab a sick bird at the back though. If you're going to do it that way, I think you're almost better making it open on both long sides. That way you can access any given part of the coop without having to lean and reach across the whole width. I'd make each side open in two sections otherwise the chickens will try and make a break for it every time you open the side. I'd also recommend a good sized lip on the floor to keep the bedding from falling out when you open the side.