My free soon to be coop

[Browning2013]

Got this rabbit hutch for free. Figure I'll try to make a coop out of it. Sides will need boarded up and I'll need to fix the hinges on the door. Also have some questions.








Right now 75% of the bottom is wire fencing. Little tighter than what is on the walls but I'm not sure if I can keep it or if I should put a board in it's place?

Can I leave the door wire? Thought about doing that then rigging a sliding door for winter.

Also, is there anything I can do to untreated plywood to be able to use it? I have wood sealer and plant to paint but will it be enough? I ask because I have some untreated plywood here already.

My plan is to add a nesting box to the outside on the side that has wire. Add a run underneath that extends out of the coop a little on the same as the nesting box and the entry from coop to run will be beside the nesting box. I also plan to rip those shingles off, hoping the wood can be kept and lay tar paper then some shingle on a roll I have already.

Any thoughts? Hoping to do this cheap as possible then paint it to not be such an eye sore lol. Oh yea, it was free only if I took the rabbit.

 

[loveourbirds]

your ideas sound pretty good. the wire on the floor appears to be 1/2x1, that is the common size for rabbits. for adult chickens, the manure probably wont fall through the floor very well. ive had ok luck with just painting untreated plywood, let the roof hang over and it will last a few years.

 

[Browning2013]

Glad to hear it. Rabbit is getting evicted today so once this rain moves out I can get started. Still need to get some wire for the run though. I might just do the run at a later date.