Need advice on converting shed to coop

[Korzak]

Okay so we have three hens and are moving house. The new place has an old shed that's in need of rehab and could make a great coop. We have bobcats, coyotes, foxes, etc. in the area.

If I repair the holes and missing boards and roof, can I just staple 1/4" hardware cloth all over the interior and set out an apron of the same and be good to go?

What recommendations do you all have for predator-proofing and design of nest boxes and roosting?

Thank you!!


Front

Interior 1

Interior 2

Interior 3

 

[aart]

If I repair the holes and missing boards and roof, can I just staple 1/4" hardware cloth all over the interior and set out an apron of the same and be good to go?

You could do that....after you make the shed water tight.
I basically made a 1/2" HC 'box' inside large shed for a coop.

What recommendations do you all have for predator-proofing and design of nest boxes and roosting?

Here's some tips on heights:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/coop-stack-up-how-high-stuff-works-well.73427/

Good examples of anti-dig apron installation:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wire-around-coop.1110498/#post-17093528
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/new-coop-project.1169916/page-2#post-18481208

 

[Korzak]

Holy cow, that is a wealth of information! Thank you!

I suspect that underneath the wood planks is a dirt floor. Now the planks are a good 1.5" to 2" thick, and I think there are two layers. Do I need to pull that all up and put something else down, or just replace the rotted boards, and cover with a sheet of vinyl, then do deep litter over that? Basically I want it to be clean, dry, and make sure nothing can dig up from underneath to get our hens.

Thanks!

 

[aart]

Holy cow, that is a wealth of information! Thank you!

I suspect that underneath the wood planks is a dirt floor. Now the planks are a good 1.5" to 2" thick, and I think there are two layers. Do I need to pull that all up and put something else down, or just replace the rotted boards, and cover with a sheet of vinyl, then do deep litter over that? Basically I want it to be clean, dry, and make sure nothing can dig up from underneath to get our hens.

Thanks!

Hard to say what's under that floor, would be a lot of work to tear it all out...the anti-dig apron should keep anything from getting under and in....whether you want to remove the floor or not.

Is building on a concrete block foundation?
Any signs of digging all around it on the outside?

How far you want to go to make building better is up to you, I was under the impression that you just wanted to put HC up all over and go for that approach.
If you want to do a true deep litter, taking up the floor would be the way to go.

 

[SueT]

It looks like there might be termite damage in that old floor? I'd get it all out and make sure the walls are sound......a lot of work, but this will eventually make a nice coop!

 

[Nardo]

Okay so we have three hens and are moving house. The new place has an old shed that's in need of rehab and could make a great coop.


Wow what a nice bonus

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Isn't it? I'm following this thread just because I'm jealous and want to see any progress.

 

[Korzak]

Okay so we haven't been able to do much on it yet, but have tarp over it now so no more rain is getting in. What looks like termite damage is really wood rot from where the rain was getting in for years and years.

For the floor, we are going to pull up the old 2x6 boards that are too fa gone to keep, and replace them.

Under the boards is just dirt and in some places gravel. There is no sign of digging around the shed. The walls are all supported on well-set concrete blocks.

After we replace the damaged boards, Can we put down hardware cloth and then vinyl, and do deep litter over that? I am thinking the hardware cloth would help keep anything from chewing it's way up into the coop from below, and the vinyl will help keep the litter clean and dry.

 

[Korzak]

I'm also thinking of doing dropping boards under the roosts.

 

[aart]

Can we put down hardware cloth and then vinyl, and do deep litter over that?

I used HC(very carefully installed so no 'pokies' sticking up) then vinyl, it's held up well for 5 years now. BUT I used a very good, heavy duty foam backed vinyl, the cheaper stuff could easily fail and would be a mess to replace.
It would might be better(cheaper and easier) to add 1/2" HC anti-dig aprons around coop foundation to deter rodents and other intruders.

'Deep Litter' is such a loaded, misused, and misunderstood term.

I'm also thinking of doing dropping boards under the roosts.

If you're using poop boards a moderate layer of pine shavings(2" to start adding as needed to about 4") on the floor should last a year.
At least that's been my experience.

But first....

Okay so we haven't been able to do much on it yet, but have tarp over it now so no more rain is getting in.

Fix the roof!