So I wrote before with questions about my new prefab coop (the Half-Flap Hen House). The consensus seemed to be that that the Half Flap was a full-scale flop and it would not be suitable for my chicks once they are grown. So I am trying again. I am considering whether eventually attach that coop to this new one, or if I will just go with the new one. Regardless, the new chicks (arriving around April 21) will need to be in the Half-Flap for a while. I am thinking eventually half flap is going to serve as a winter cold-frame!
Onto round two. I just purchased for $100 including delivery a gorgeous 4x4 (well, larger, counting the roof overhang) cedar-shingled doghouse that I hope to convert to a chicken coop. Now I have loads of questions.
Right now, said doghouse it is at the top of my driveway, which is as far as we could get it. Somehow I have to adapt it, and also take it apart sufficiently that we can carry it into the backyard. It is VERY solid and heavy -- I dare say overbuilt. We have been joking that my husband could sleep in there comfortably!
So my initial thought is to remove the back wall (the wall in the first picture), add hardware cloth to the upper part and then make a hinged door for cleaning. Even with that completely open, I don't think that will be enough ventilation. So I plan to remove a shingle or two from above the door on the other side and put venting there. But the big question concerns the roof. It is very thick and insulated. If you look inside the doghouse, the top is squared off with plywood, rather than going to a point all the way to the roof. I am thinking all that insulation is probably not necessary, and more headroom would be better. The insulation and plywood surround uses up a lot of the space -- e.g the house is 46" high not counting the roof, but the interior is only 32" high (some of that space is insulation in the floor). Right now, I am not sure where one could put roosts.
Do you have any thoughts on whether I should try to remove the plywood and raise the roof? Is that insulation there detrimental, or positive (it would probably keep things cool in the summer, but perhaps too hot and moist in the winter, even with an open front)
Also not sure where to attach a nest box with this setup. Maybe as an add-on to the back wall (which will have been removed anyway).
Onto round two. I just purchased for $100 including delivery a gorgeous 4x4 (well, larger, counting the roof overhang) cedar-shingled doghouse that I hope to convert to a chicken coop. Now I have loads of questions.
Right now, said doghouse it is at the top of my driveway, which is as far as we could get it. Somehow I have to adapt it, and also take it apart sufficiently that we can carry it into the backyard. It is VERY solid and heavy -- I dare say overbuilt. We have been joking that my husband could sleep in there comfortably!
So my initial thought is to remove the back wall (the wall in the first picture), add hardware cloth to the upper part and then make a hinged door for cleaning. Even with that completely open, I don't think that will be enough ventilation. So I plan to remove a shingle or two from above the door on the other side and put venting there. But the big question concerns the roof. It is very thick and insulated. If you look inside the doghouse, the top is squared off with plywood, rather than going to a point all the way to the roof. I am thinking all that insulation is probably not necessary, and more headroom would be better. The insulation and plywood surround uses up a lot of the space -- e.g the house is 46" high not counting the roof, but the interior is only 32" high (some of that space is insulation in the floor). Right now, I am not sure where one could put roosts.
Do you have any thoughts on whether I should try to remove the plywood and raise the roof? Is that insulation there detrimental, or positive (it would probably keep things cool in the summer, but perhaps too hot and moist in the winter, even with an open front)
Also not sure where to attach a nest box with this setup. Maybe as an add-on to the back wall (which will have been removed anyway).
True, glad you can have a bit of humor about it.
