Old rabbit hutch as a coop for Silkies (pics) What do you think?

[cat1994]

I have a really big breeding rabbit hutch that I dont need any more. I want 2-4 Silkie hens to brood and be pets, I wanted to know if it would work as a coop for them. I would trun some of the wire floors to wood so they could rest their feet. I would also cut the wire that separates each room if the hutch so they could walk from room to room. I would use thw feeders that are all readt therer. Does any one think this could work or is it a bad idea? Has anyone done this before?

thanks

 

[S*T*A*R]

I think that would work very niecely

I have a rabbit hutch for my chickens, but we're going to upgrade soon

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I have my 11 Silkies in a large rabbit hutch. There are wood walls and a wire front that I put plexiglass to cover part of the window (so the wind blows over their heads, not directly on them.

I put clean pine shavings in there every week and a half or so. There are no roosts, and they seem quite content.

I did have them in a regular coop with roosts but they didn't use them. They DEFINITELY love pine shavings to snuggle into. They use a ramp to get in and out (reluctantly).

 

[Chicken Rich86]

I use a old rabbit hut as a growout pen when I hatch layer flock replacements. I put up to five chicks in it for three to four months. It works great don't put wood bottom.as wire allows droppings to fall to the ground. If your worried about your chickens cutting their feet use a thin layer of straw or hay it works great from experience.

 

[cat1994]

Thanks, I really want this to work so I don't have to make a whole new pen just for a few Silkie hens.

 

[redhen]

It would work as long as the chickens arent kept in it 24/7..
They'd need to be allowed on the ground to run around too..

 

[cat1994]

Quote:
Ya I was thinking about this too. The rabbit hutch is inside a covered run. So I would let them out in this run for the day and put the up at night, do you think that waould work?

 

[redhen]

Quote:
Ya I was thinking about this too. The rabbit hutch is indise a covered run. So I would let them out in this run for the day and put the up at night, do you think that waould work?

Yup! Good idea!

 

[cat1994]

How many feet per Silkie

 

[joebryant]

I'd put a wooden floor in and sides of one of the end sections. Then I'd add an exit in the bottom of the enclosed end where they could go/come to and from the ground. It'd be very little work/cost and well worth it; it's a pain in the neck trying to catch them to put them up every night if they can't return to the coop on their own when it starts getting dark.