Need ideas for using wooden shutters, got any?

[Noymira]

I've been given 9 wooden shutters from an old farmhouse, they are 18 inches wide and about 5 feet tall. They are slatted shutters, not solid panels.

How can I use these in my coop? I have two projects that I still need to figure out in my coop.

1- I want to build a drop ceiling over the roost area. We have 8' walls with a roof that peaks in the middle at about 12'. Will slatted shutters hold enough warm air below them to be of any use there? There are enough to create a drop ceiling covering half the coop.

2- I need to separate an area inside the coop to introduce my pullets to my hens, and eventually the chicks to the older girls. (I've got 3 different ages in chicken right now.) I've seen lots of great small brooders/playpens/runs using gates and other panels, I'm wondering if I can create something similar for our coop. We will have 2 different pop doors, going into two different runs.

Any other ideas or suggestions? Pictures would be great!

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I'm down in NC so I need lots of ventilation. For my "playhouse" coop similar to this one https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=16313-playhouse-chicken-coop I've made the entire front panel out of shutters. I'll get pics for you.

Also with plastic playhouses like this https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=62184 I lined the shutters with hardware cloth and put them over the windows. During the summer I could open the exterior shutters of the coop but still had the protection of the wire and internal shutters against critters. In the winter I would close up the exterior shutters to help keep the heat in. I don't have these coops anymore and can't get you photos

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
Thank you for the links and ideas. I'm not sure that using the shutters for actually blocking ventilation windows is suitable for our northern winter, since air could flow right through the slats. We get some pretty severe snow storms.

I am hoping to find some other way to re-purpose these in our build somewhere.

 

[BlueBetween]

I almost used an old shutter for my ramp, but then I decided it was too wide. I can't wait to see what you come up with, sounds like a fun challenge.

 

[BlueBetween]

an idea I've seen recently in magazines... landscape cloth on the back, fill in with dirt, plant stuff in the crevices.... stand up for a living wall. would the chickens totally destroy it? maybe.

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
I kind of like that idea! The slats could act as treads, I wonder if the chickens would go for it. I may consider that!

I was thinking about using some of the shutters and some chicken wire to build a grow out/transition area inside my coop for introducing chicks/pullets to the rest of the flock.

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
That would be interesting with some succulents, but I have a feeling the chickens would rip that apart pretty quickly.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Quote:
I did! Well I used part of one as a "Landing Board" for the tractor I'm working on.

3/4 of the way down. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1659

 

[Noymira]

Quote:
I did! Well I used part of one as a "Landing Board" for the tractor I'm working on.

3/4 of the way down. https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=1659

That is a good idea, I like your setup!