ideas please!

[amcstay]

Hi All,

I am re purposing an old rabbit hutch into my new coop for 6 possibly 7 hens. I need some ideas and feedback. The structure is 99 inches long, 27 1/2 inches wide and 47" high. I have included photos but so far this is my proposed plan....

The whole thing, except the top left side, will be enclosed in either rabbit or chicken wire and probably a combo as ripping out the old usable wire does not make sense to me. Looking at the photos, on the left side, I will close in 2 sides with plywood and create a hinged opening on the side facing the viewer(longer side) on top only. On that side I will put a wood floor, but here is where I am debating.. should the whole side (27 x 47 be wood or only partly wood floor? That is where the nesting boxes will go btw.... how big should I make the nesting boxes, someone here mentioned using cat litter boxes which I like and might incorporate instead of doing non removable wood ones..... I think i will leave a door at that level so they can access their fenced bushy area (10ft x 40ft). I am also thinking of putting a door to the great out doors on the lower level, but that might be overkill don't you think? Maybe something so I can have access to the bottom level in case of emergencies?

This coop is really only for while they are little and to nest in and get out of any weather... being in the caribbean we have sunny days 95% of the time so I don't think they will be in it too much, but I just need some ideas as to if these are good ideas on my part and what else you might do with this.

Thanks!

 

[Judy]

One kitty litter box for 6 or 7 would be ample; they will probably lay 2 at a time in it, at least.

You need to consider hardware cloth if you will have a problem with predators; I know chicken wire won't do it, not sure how strong rabbit wire is. But I know how strong coons are.... Some people raise chickens on wire; there are pro's and con's. Depending what kind of wire you have, you may not need plywood. I wouldn't bother with it under the litter box, for sure.

If I didn't want my chickens walking on the wire, I'd think seriously about a scrap of linoleum for the floor that I could pull out and hose off now and then. Plywood is going to be much harder to clean, and expensive, even if you paint it well as they will scratch it. Even if you mount the linoleum so it's not removable, it will be a lot easier to clean... and cheaper. You'd probably have to keep bedding material on it to prevent slipping, but you'd probably have to do that with plywood, too.

 

[amcstay]

Never thought about linoleum for the flooring..... don't have any idea how to use it either - i mean does it go over the ply? I don't want then walking on wire, so i had thought of some sort of solid floor, but I guess if the are roosting, then they wouldn't need a floor right?

We don't have any predators here except feral cats, but I would close the girls up at night and the wire would be sufficient to keep the cats out.

Anybody else have any ideas as to what to do with this structure?

Thanks!

 

[gryeyes]

I simply stapled linoleum to the plywood on the floor of the coop. Even when chickens roost, they still use the floor in the coop.

 

[Judy]

Most linoleum -- or vinyl flooring maybe I should say, I don't even know the correct name -- is fairly stiff and I would think could just be laid over the wire.