New coop from playhouse

[smacks]

Just getting into chickens after not having any for the past 10 years, even then, my knowledge was limited.

Here is the idea: Turn our older unused kids playhouse into a chicken coop.

Location SE Wisconsin;

Other notes:
1. Yard is 5 acres total; 1.5-2 acres house and grass, 3-4 partially wooded to wooded with ponds in back part.
2. We would let them wonder most days, but would like a run in case we are out for a day or two, we don't want to have those watching them worry about rounding them up. We rarely are out of town though.
3. Number/type of birds is open... thinking of starting with 4-6? Maybe adding a Rooster at some point.
4. Coyotes, foxes, skunks, raccoons (trash pandas), hawks and owls... we have them all.

Photo notes: photo of playhouse is attached. Just looking for some ideas in how to best transform this.
0. I think the playhouse is about 6'x6' and about 7' to the floor of house to lower ground.
1. Keep upper portion with windows for roosting? Fence cover windows, board them up in winter?
2. Build nesting area below current playhouse, then ramp up to roosting area?
3. Put run out to area of "A" frame on swingset
4. Would birds fly up to the open window to roost, or is that too high?
5. The bridge on left of playhouse goes to driveway.


Please give me your thoughts and ideas... Go big or go home I guess, right.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Trash Pandas ...hahahaha!...never heard that one before.

Good info you've given.
6 birds in a 6x6 would work ok in your climate.

You're going to need to study up on ventilation...
....good article linked in my signature to get you started(tho not all carved in stone).

I'd have roosts and nests in upper portion.
Enclosing lower framework for a run could work.
Getting them for ground to coop might be tricky, pics of other side of structure might offer some ideas.

Underlined link below might give some fodder for thought:
advanced search>titles only> playhouse coops