is a rabbit hutch o.k. as a chicken coop?

[socks]

O.K. I have pictures and some measurements...sorry if there is a bunch of buckets in front but as a prospective buyer I didn't think I could clean up the site:/. As i realize now it is a rabbit nest in the back and attached covered run in the front. This means the back part is higher 33" from the floor at the highest and 29" at its lowest. oops! forgot to measure the height of the front but I am guessing (by looking at the side pic) that it is about 27" high.

The two spaces combined (front and back) are 90" by about 73"

The back has an attached flip up lid and the front has a lid that just sits on it.

This is a picture about 1/3 of the back 'living space' which is divided into sections that can lift up. the front is sectioned off too but they can be lifted out.
Originally I was assuming I could use the whole space as coop and then have an outside run including some covered area. Now I am wondering if the front space is too short or whatever and perhaps i should only be using the back as coop which would reduce the living space to 90" by 35" .

What do you think about that??
About appearances, it looks pretty dingy etc. but the paint job (marine) is solid and it looks like it just needs cleaning up. Still not too sure what keeps the front and back sections together but it doesn't seem penetrable. Hope this wasn't too image heavy a post.

LovinMyHensInNC! I think this is too short for the deep litter method??

Hope these pics and my explanation are relatively clear. I await your observations. (I have basically today to decide). Thanks

 

[socks]

just realized this might not be clear:

The back has an attached flip up lid and the front has a lid that just sits on it.

um...sorry, I mean that the front waterproof cover just sits on top and can be completely lifted off. I'm pretty sure the wired top lifts up the way the back one does so my plan would be to attach the front cover more securely....​

 

[ducks4you]

I think it'll work fine.

You're right, LovinMyHensInNC!, the hardware cloth was intended for round, rabbit "pellets" to fall through. Fanny's poo has to be cleaned up. BTW, I put some wood in on one side of HER cage to give her something to lay eggs on. Just a thought.

Did you know...that the best manure comes from rabbits and poultry? At least, it's the most coveted. I read that farmers used to house them together and have a spring cleaning, where they gathered up the winter manure and used it for fertilizer.

Yes, I KNOW about fresh manure burning out plants, but it only takes a few months of outside weather exposure to age it.

ANYWAY, socks, you just saved yourself a building project!

Just clean it with bleach and water before your birdies move in.

 

[socks]

ducks4you wrote:

Did you know...that the best manure comes from rabbits and poultry?

Yeah! ducks.., that is one of the important products I'm looking forward to, will have to raise the pen up some more to make getting the manure out easier I guess and have to figure out the bedding situation.
I have heard about rabbits that you can make the manure even better if you then feed it to a worm bin so that it comes out as primo worm castings. Don't want rabbits though, know I can't bop them over the head and am allergic to their dander so keeping them as pets is out.

ANYWAY, socks, you just saved yourself a building project!

Music to my ears!

 

[ducks4you]

Glad that I could play your favorite tune!!

 

[socks]

So now that I have said yes to the hutch it is just a matter of getting the owner and delivery guy coordinated and of course removing a swath of blackberries so they can get to the area we've chosen.

Nobody commented on whether I should only use the back portion of the hutch or try to turn it all into one coop so if anyone has any opinions on that I'd love to hear them. If I only use the back I'm sure I couldn't have more than 4 hens and did kind of want 6.....and have to decide on that really soon.
thanks

 

[imtc]

I use a rabbit hutch also and it works great. I didn't do much to it other than nail some old plastic roofing panels to the sides and painted them for rain protection & privacy for egg laying (I may take some off in the summer if it gets too hot). It has the original small wire on the bottom that I've never had a problem with and there is a side door they easily get in and out of (my largest is a barred rock). I placed the legs of the hutch in cinderblocks to keep my rabbits from chewing them (they also share the run...were in there first). For nesting boxes I use those thick cardboard boxes clemantine fruit comes in at my local grocery store. I have used wire rabbit nesting boxes too that also worked well.