Metal Shed as Temporary Coop?

[ticker9400]

Hey Hey,

Like I said in earlier post I have a metal coop and love it.. It is fort knox for preditors... That is a great idea about the vents at lowes.. we cut squares out under roof line and glued hardware cloth for ventilation.. and of course I open the double doors all the way in the morning so it doesnt get to hot and put a tarp over part of our run so they have shade besides going into the coop during really hot weather... good luck

 

[tenderkat]

UPDATE:

Thanks so much for all your input!! The girls are doing great. I have emptied everything out of the shed, so they have the entire 8x12 area for their house. The run I attached to the front of the shed is about 4x6, which I know is less than ideal, but I figure they are fine along with the large shed. As soon as I get all the debris and crap picked up from the numerous storms we have had, I will let them out to scratch in the yard periodically. I close the shed doors every night to keep out the cool drafts, and open them early every morning. I just placed a 2 bar perch made out of 2x4's in the shed, with a ramp, that stands about 3 feet tall. They are very curious about this, and I'm sure I will find more than one using it in the next few days. They all seem very content, and seem to enjoy and be very comfortable in their space. As soon as we get our roof replaced and all the other misc repairs done from the hail storm, we will build their permanent coop.

To address a few things mentioned and suggested by you all:

The shed does have a plywood floor kit installed, and the shed seems pretty well secured to the ground. It is set on a recycled asphalt pad, which is fairly difficult to get a shovel into, so I'm pretty sure the shed itself is as close as I'm gonna get to predator proof. So far, the nights have been pretty cool, so I keep the doors closed, and the girls seem to still have plenty of ventilation. But I will look into the vents mentioned above if they need to remain in the shed for longer than expected. The run is covered on all sides and on the roof with two layers of chicken wire, and an outer layer of 2x4 welded wire. I also screwed some wood lattice on the roof of the run for some added shade. I also placed cinder blocks on their sides around the entire perimeter of the run. I think I've taken a fair amount of precautions to keep my chicks safe and secure in their temp home.

p.s. I am so in love with my girls. They have just started exhibiting some sparring behaviors, which is a bit hilarious and frightening to watch at the same time. One of my RIR, named Aunt Francie, seems to be a bit more affectionate than the rest, and one of my BR, Margaret, has the most beautiful purring sound that she makes. Has anyone else noticed how soothing and calming they are to be around? I hope to figure out how to post pictures soon, so that I can show them off to everyone!!

 

[Rockpile99]

Been really crazy trying to get anything done this spring huh? Did you get the crazy hail today? Not too big but lasted for 20 min.
Seems like we are in a "normal" summer weather pattern for the next week. If you don't get your outside stuff done by 1-3pm, you aint gonna!

I think it's taken me over a month of trying to get my coops & run finished, while I'm working on that the weeds have grown 3'!

I just can't win.

Good luck on finishing your project. Where are you at west of Denver?

 

[tenderkat]

We are up in Kittredge, just down the canyon from Evergreen. No, I didn't get the hail yesterday, but I was pretty sure if a tornado was ever going to hit the mountains it was going to be yesterday afternoon. Crazy weather!! We did get hit Memorial Day weekend with a violent hailstorm lasting about 45 minutes. So far, we've put out 15 trashbins of debris, and we're not even close to getting everything cleaned up. Then theres gonna be the roof tearoff, deck and fence repair, siding...............lets not forget the garden that needs planting!! So, my girls are happy and content until we can build. Oh well, they don't seem too concerned.

 

[Chickenmaven]

tenderkat:
Sounds like you are on top of things. Glad to hear that you got them settled in. There are alot of *perfect* and lovely coops on BYC. It is nice when people can swing that, but it is certainly not mandatory.

 

[dixygirl]

Personally I don't see a wooden shed as being any more perfect than a metal shed provided both are properly vented/insulated, sealed and adorned. It is simply a matter of personal preference. Nowadays a lot of open space homes, office buildings, churches etc are constructed of metal and then clad with EFIS (dryvit stucco insulation board), cement blocks and even bricks. Many steel buildings are palatial large open spaces in fact.
Steel Buildings:

You can adorn them in siding, stone veneer, paint, whatever you can put on top of a wooden shed. And you can put the same drywall and marble on the walls inside as you would with a stick made building. I see no significant benefits of wood shell over steel shell. In fact, I think steel and masonry buildings can potentially last much longer than wood. It is all in what you put in it. Only thing is, a lot more people know how to work with wood than with metal. But both can be used in the same way if you know what you're doing. If you take either shed off the shelf and don't adorn it any more then it will be basic. But with imagination and creativity, either structure can be gorgeous and long lasting. I see no reason to speak down of one material or the other provided you know how to use both appropriately for best results.