Newbie looking for ideas (pics included)

[Clabbergirl]

I've seen a couple of posts like this so thought I'd give it a try. I've got an open shed on my property (approx 10x20') that I'd like to use for a coop, and a lot of miscellaneous materials that I hope I can somehow use. I don't need the entire shed, and am thinking to use maybe half or 1/3 of it. I've come up with a dozen ideas, then scrapped them all, then modifed, until I'm going around in circles and am doing nothing in the way of getting things done about it. I'd like to keep costs down as much as possible too. I throw myself on the mercy of any kind enthusiasts here who would be willing to share their expertise.

I need a coop and run for 6 layers. If it makes a difference, I'm in Nashville, TN, where we have humid summers and moderate to cold winters, not a lot of snow but a few inches some years.


Imagine, if you will, all the junk cleared out. Thinking about using that gardening bench on the left somehow as part of a base for the housing of the chickens, and cutting a hole for the walkway down to the ground. Possibilities?



I'm thinking to build a run extending out of the shed and maybe over the rock wall.



Considering attaching walls to this structure...


A better look at the bench.



There are approx. six 2x4s in 6' length, plus 2 grocery carts full of 2' to 4' long 2x4s available to me also.

I will have to buy chicken wire, nails, and a staple gun. Can I make something suitable from this? Opinions are welcome and encouraged.

 

[kcjones]

Seems like part of the shed, with a run, should be enough room for 6 birds. I would make sure you have enough ventilation in the housing for summertime. Might need bigger/deeper nesting boxes, some of mine will only lay eggs in deeper box.

 

[teach1rusl]

What are the dimensions of that bench and how sturdy/strong is it??
Having a raised AND a walk-in coop, I 10X prefer the walk-in. How wide is the shed? Maybe you could simply frame the back of the shed - since it'd already be enclosed by two walls plus a back wall - so you'd only have to frame in the front wall. Even if you only made it 4 ft. deep, as long as you had a people door on it, that would be enough space for you to get inside to clean and such.
My main advice at this point is to not rely on chicken wire as a predator barrier (unless your birds are shut inside a secure housing each evening) and to advise against mere staples to hold any kind of wire. The U shaped nails (might be called poultry staples??? not sure - but you hammer them in). The lattice is pretty useless too- at least against predators. It would contain chickens, but would do nothing against a raccoon or other predator.
You have a great set-up there to make building a coop easy - I'm envious!

 

[3forfree]

I would frame that opening in and either put an overhead door , or barn doors on it. Then I would have an entry door somewhere on one of the existing walls. A small raised coop would be built inside and a run outside somewhere in the back. Then you can use the shed to store things you want to store.

 

[Clabbergirl]

I like the ideas here so far. I'm not able to put a door on the side of the existing walls, however. I'm worried about ventilation if I build the coop too far inside it though. The bench is 2W x 5L and very sturdy. I didn't know about poultry nails - will look into them. I'm assuming I can get chicken wire at hardware stores in the area (Home Depot or Lowe's)? I found some sheets of 1/4" plywood too that I would use for the walls and maybe a floor or sorts.