I was surfing craigslist this morning and found this dog house. I think it has potential to be converted into a coop. What do you think? http://denver.craigslist.org/fuo/1003702992.html I may also get the fence because it would be good for seperating chickens if need be. I'm waiting on dimensions on the dog house, but I could get both for $50. Sonja
A) That's a good deal for both. B) The house looks to be about 3 to 4 feet x 3 to 4 feet. C) That would work for a few hens, but I would use the fence on top of a run for them otherwise you will have to use hardware cloth around the bottom to keep them from sticking their heads through the open spaces in it. Wish I could find a deal like that around here.
I was thinking of using the fence for juveniles that need to seperated within our existing run or to stick my roo in there to give the girls a break. I was planning on building a secondary coop and extending the run this spring. Thanks for your advice!! The dog house looks like it's in really good shape. Sonja
Sonja, this is just an opinion since I've not done it but a lot of coops/tractors look like doghouses to me and seem to work well for their owners. The ones that look the most useful are set up off the ground on legs. Bringing your "house" (let's call it that ) up - so the floor is at about 30" - will make access easier. It looks like the house may be even bigger than 3' by 4' and I hope that doesn't mean that you will need to reach entirely across the floor. Garden beds are often 4 feet wide because that's a comfortable width to reach - from both sides. I can't figure out the framing on the inside of that house . . . (one of the pictures is even side-ways ) but it may make sense to convert the dog door to a chicken door and cut another door for your use on the opposite side of the house. That would also situate the roof so that run-off is not into the pen. (Of course, that means that it is down your neck when you are at your door. But, better that than a muddy, mucky mess in the chicken pen . Gutter would help .) Steve
Thanks Steve! My plan is to raise it up and add a wooden floor, that's what I've done in my existing coop. I wanted to convert the dog door to a chicken door and then either in one side or the back cut another door for clean and to collect eggs. The house looks very sturdy and I like the fact that it has venting in it. It almost looks like it 4'x4' or 4'x5'. Either way it'll work perfectly for what I need. Sonja
Sonja, Do a search on doghouse coops. Quite a few people have done it and posted pictures. Good luck.
Looks like it would make a good coop to me. My concern because it gets hot here in the summer is that they would cook at night when they need to be locked up. May need to put a window in it and cover with coon proof hardware cloth.
