Playhouse Coop Conversion

[quietlyscheming]

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That's what I'm hoping for!! I purchased the posts I need for the south fence and I start putting it up tomorrow. It's good to hear from numerous people that I may very well be worrying over nothing but I tend to play on the cautious side of things. I have a black lab that may find chickens delicious. My neighbor also has a dog as well so going over the fence is probably not a good option.

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I don't think they're hostas but I could be wrong. I know the wife told me at one point but I'll be darn if I remember what they are. They're very long leaves and I know she's used the leaves in the past to steam veggies inside. I'm happy so long as I don't have to hunt for eggs in them so stay they will.

Tomorrow I'm digging post holes and putting in the new support beams on the playhouse since the rails are knocked out now. Pictures will come shortly as well.

Thanks for all the help everyone!

 

[bluebird]

This is our refurbished playhouse. It is 8'x8' and I have three banty hens in there. I let them free range the yard when I am home and funny....they never go over our fence! I also have hostas and they never bother them. Just depends on the bird I guess.

 

[turbodog]

Nice and shady. I think I would be inclined to extend the roof line and add a screened "porch" run for those rainy days, like bluebird's design. They could at least get out of the coop and scratch around.
And of course, it would then be easy to wall in for the expanding coop when chicken math strikes.

Seeing how high mine fly up to roost, I would tend to worry about getting over the fence. The thing with chickens is, they may not do something for awhile, but once one figures something out, eventually they all want to do it. Whether you want them to or not. But you plan on clipping wings anyway so you'll probably be OK.

Those look like Ironplants along your house to me, if so, shouldn't be a problem with the chickens. Those things are tough. You probably don't have to worry about them nesting in them. Course, if one gets it into her little chicken brain, you never know, but if you get them in each night and provide nest boxes, they'll get the idea of where to lay. Do you intend to let them range in the yard a bit? Just let them out a couple of hours before sunset and you can teach them to go back into the coop at dusk. If they've then been in the coop most of the day, they'll lay in their nest boxes ( you won't need more than a couple for 6 chickens).

As for breeds, check the "Breeds" chart on this site (look on the HOME page) for a great listing of breeds and their traits.

Good luck with your project!

 

[quietlyscheming]

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Wow, that's awesome!! I don't think my wife would be willing to give up our storage shed (yet!) for chickens so I'll have to stick to our old playhouse. I won't really be able to let them roam the rest of the yard (pic 1, pic 2, & pic 3 ) since I do have a dog in the yard.

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I like the way you think. I'm hoping the wife will take to having fresh eggs. So long as I'm the only one who has to care for them, I think I'll be able to convince her later to let me get a few more and extend the playhouse. The yard is actually pretty shady already with a few small trees in the run plus some rather massive ones that over hang into it. I'm going to need to be diligent about locking them up at night with possums and raccoons in the neighborhood. The run does get some pretty sunny spots too though.

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I think you're right. My wife said a friend of hers told her they were some sort of tea plant but I just googled tea plants and they really don't look anything like them. They do look dead on for cast iron plant however.

As for breeds, I figure I'm going to get the fence and coop prepared before I start looking on the breeds page. I tend to be an obsessive person and know looking that now will only sidetrack me.

Well, off to dig some post holes for the south fence!

 

[quietlyscheming]

Just thought I'd stop by and post my progress!



1. Porch shortened and the 1 inch gap in the floorboards removed
2. Roof has new support beams
3. Windows added to both sides so it isn't so dark inside
4. Gap between roof and walls screened in
5. Coop doors assembled (not yet hung)
6. Fence posts cemented and gate hung



I still need to make my nests, add the auto water system and make the auto feeder. I'm hoping to be done this weekend and grab some chics on Monday!
I also got around to making My Page and added it in my signature. Thanks for all the help everyone and I'll be sure to post the finished results.

 

[Impress]

It's looking great! I'm too embarrassed to post pictures of my coop, I'm a thrifty gal and it is hard to make a scrap from former porch/bedroom/pool coop and run look glamorous. My chickens like it fine, but it isn't beautiful by any stretch of the imagination.

 

[Hawkeye95]

You got that pulled together pretty quickly! Good job! I think it's going to be adorable! Post pics when you get it finished AND when you get your chicks. We're all suckers for baby photos.

 

[quietlyscheming]

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Hey thrifty is where it's at!! I don't think my woman would have given me a green light if I asked to build a chicken coop from scratch in the yard. For the most part, I'm using every scrap of lumber in my garage I can get my hands on. So far I've only had to buy a few 2x4's and the 4x4 posts! Everything from nails to scrap window screen has been reused.

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Thank you! I can't wait to paint and see the end product myself. We even went around our local feed stores to do some window shopping for chicks but nobody has any in town right now. I'll definitely post finished pics of both the coop and the chicks.

O M G Hawkeye95
I just took a look at your BYC Page and drooled over your coop for a good ten minutes. Man I wish I had a little stretch of land to do something like that. It's coming along BEAUTIFULLY! Is it done yet? Anyone reading this should really go over to Haweye95's BYC Page and check it out.

One of these days I'm going to convince the wife we need to sell the house and move out of town. A few horses for us (we love to ride!), a place for our dog to run and lots of room for me and my crazy ideas like chickens in the yard! You're livin the life Hawkeye!