- Jun 30, 2013
- 41
- 22
- 104
I am thinking of getting a plastic playhouse off craigslist to convert into a coop. Here is a front view of it:
View attachment 2203063
I could probably do something similar with most other playhouses, but this one is the easiest/biggest. It has windows on both sides that open with shutters, and another alcove-window thing in the back. I plan to:
-Add floor
-make better door
-convert front alcove into nesting boxes, accessible from outside
-Seal one window
-Cover remaining window in hardware cloth(with shutters still able to open and close
-Create ramp down into run from back alcove
-Seal off part of back alcove and add some ventilation as well
-add roost
The coop is 5x5, which if I'm correct, should be enough for 6 birds.
I'm planning to put this in an 8x8 run. Here is my plan (it's kinda confusing, but I'll explain)
View attachment 2203088
The pink is the outline of the run.
The blue is the outline of the playhouse/coop.
The red is doors and windows (shutters)
The purple is the direction that they swing to close.
The green is stuff that's inside the coop (you could see it if you took the roof off.
The South window that is in the run is going to be sealed. The nesting boxes will have dividers, and the hatches to open them swing up from the outside. The North window that is outside of the run will have hardware cloth, and the shutters could be adjusted depending on how much heat needs to be kept in or moving out.
The run will have a roof over most if not all of it.
Thoughts? Will the playhouse work as a coop? Do the modifications seem good? Is this overall enough space for 6 standard size chickens? They would be able to have some supervised free ranging time as well. I'm honestly probably forgetting something with this post but oh well. Sorry the plans are so confusing.
Oh goodness the plan I had written out before is complicated. here's a plan that I think uses space a lot better:
View attachment 2203228
I didn't really draw it out the whole way, but similar stuff applies:
-Front alcove becomes nesting boxes with outdoor access
-better door
-One window sealed, one window for adjustable ventilation
Benefits of this plan:
-more compact (even tho it has more square footage, it seems a lot less giant
-more space
-Walk in run
The hens that would be in either of these coop plans would be initially 3 barred rocks, then later adding an easter egger, silver laced cochin, and lavender orpington. Second flock could be (when we're down to 2 or 0 birds from the original flock) whichever 2 are left, a light brahma, and 2 of these breeds, depending on which 2 are left from the original flock:
-australorp
-easter egger
-white cochin
-red sex link
-olive egger
-barred rock