Out of room in my coop!

[toddntiff]

So I didn't anticipate that I would get addicted to chickens and didn't plan for much more than 6 birds. I now have 3 full growns, 5 eight week olds and am brooding about 12 more...YIKES! So...I have a couple of options and was hoping you could help me make the best decision. The place in my yard where I have the coop and run is very shady so the heat and direct sun is very minimal, that being said, I have a metal shed that's 5x10 that I could convert into a big coop and everyone would fit nicely in it. I would probably leave one door to the shed open all the time so they had access to the run. In the coop I have now, which is a playhouse converted into a coop, I could move it and create a yard/run for the younger chicks until they graduate to the adult coop. What do you think??? Will the metal shed work? I plan to line the floor with DE and shavings and then put in the roosts and nest boxes so they are easy to get to. I just don't want it to get too cold in there in the winter, especially leaving the door open, even cracked for them to still get to the yard.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I think it would be fine. PLUS after the wee ones are all done brooding, you could get BANTAMS and put THEM in the little coop

Bantams are SOOO CUTE! Especially the little bantam cochins. OH boy are they ever! See here! This is Beauty and the Beast

I love them! They only stand about 4-5 inches tall and they are full grown here.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

OH by the way...that baby in your avatar is SOO SWEET! That is about the cutest smile I have EVER seen on one baby!

 

[sweetcorn]

I hope it works cuz there is a metal shed being assembled in backyard for my chicks as we speak

 

[toddntiff]

I do have the sweetest baby...she is getting 8 teeth at one time right now and it's about to do me in!!! After I give her tylenol I take some myself!
So...I've read some past threads about people insulating the roof, how do I do this?

 

[Cetawin]

I think the metal would be fine in a shady spot with good ventilation holes cut into it. And it would give them room and give you room for more babies in the existing coop.

Tiffany, the roof of Eggtopia is insulated. There is a special insulation for metal roofing that has a watertight vinyl on one side and the insulation on the other. You put it up with insulation against the roofing and the vinyl either exposed inside or you can cover it with a false ceiling. If the shed is tall enough, you can leave the vinyl exposed and they should not bother it.

Here is a link to my recent post update on construction...you can see the insulation in the roof area. I am just waiting for my metal roof to be completed and delivered.

Just scroll down to my post from today.

Eggtopia Pics

 

[crzychicken]

I was going to use a metal shed because of price, but my dad ended up cutting me some lumber at the saw mill. On the metal shed I was going to use a ridge vent sceens and put them all round the top of the walls. They are round and come in all sizes and they don't coast to much, also there are some bigger rectangle mybe 4"X6" shaped one's I got some for my bigger coop I paid $1.99 for them the only thing with the rectangled ones.. the metal is filmsy when cut, so I thoutht more round ones would work better. I'm not a builder or an expert this is just what I was going to use. Hope it helps.
Jody