Polycarbonate shed retrofit for coop

[Kendc0]

Hi everyone!

I think I got SUPER lucky the other day when the storms brew through GA. The wind picked up and blew away one of Home Depot's model sheds and I was the first to pick it clean (with permission of course). I was able to salvage all of the polycarbonate panels, roof tiles, two fully in tact doors and several aluminum rails. I immediately thought "wow, this is a whole chicken coop right here!"

Here's the listing for the shed: https://www.homedepot.com/p/CANOPIA...kv0VNONtn_8aArDFEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds#overlay

So I've been doing my research on the best way to build this and what could go wrong. My biggest concern will be the greenhouse effect. The panels are darker and the listing for the shed states it's UV resistant but I definitely don't want to cook my chickens or eggs. Has anyone else built with these types of panels before? They are semi transparent and let in a good deal of light. I want to make a medium sized coop, enough for about 6-8 chickens with an attached run. Here's the general look and functionality I'm looking to achieve: https://www.greenwillowhomestead.co...6bHNaVXhUaUhYMFVCRmRkWjlVZyZ0PUFBQUFBR0xMV0xF

I was thinking perhaps I could even paint the outside of the panels with reflective roof coating. I live in GA about an hour south of the foot hills so our summers get pretty hot and muggy (I live right off a Lake Lanier). I want to leave the bottom of the coop open with just some wire fencing as the floor to allow droppings to fall through but in the winter, I plan on putting one of these poly panels down to keep the air warmer and I figure the corrugated nature of the panels will make for some ok insulation.

Id love y'all's thoughts on this! If you know of any examples of someone building with similar materials, please feel free to link them~

 

[3KillerBs]

Score!

Welcome to BYC. from the NC Sandhills.

I'm not familiar with those sheds, but this article might be of some help to you: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-scoop-on-a-rubbermaid-big-max-coop.76444/

Are there any structural supports for the panels or do they lock together and support themselves?

Ventilation is going to be the big thing for this -- for any coop here in the Steamy Southeast, really.

Here is my article on hot climate chickenkeeping: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hot-climate-chicken-housing-and-care.77263/

And my article on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

My first inclination would be to hybridize these panels with some additional structure to serve as the sheltered end of an Open Air coop -- but anyone here could tell you that I always recommend an Open Air coop in a hot climate build.

 

[Kendc0]

Oh goodness, thank you so much for this wealth of knowledge! This is exactly the kind of stuff I want to know before building my coop and run. I too reside in the steamy south and man, it's been steamy these past few weeks.

I'll get to building a design using the elements you showed in your ventilation guide and definitely post it for critique before moving on to the build! Thank you so much!

 

[3KillerBs]

Oh goodness, thank you so much for this wealth of knowledge! This is exactly the kind of stuff I want to know before building my coop and run. I too reside in the steamy south and man, it's been steamy these past few weeks.

I'll get to building a design using the elements you showed in your ventilation guide and definitely post it for critique before moving on to the build! Thank you so much!

How many chickens are you planning on?

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

 

[Kendc0]

We plan on having 6-8 hens but I want a coop and run that can accommodate a minimum of 12 while still being easy to move around (Another reason I love these panels cause they're SUPER light.) I planning on building my frame out with cheaper timber, likely fence planks/pallet wood and putting in plenty of ventilation. Perhaps I can make a hybrid of an open air style and closed in one so I can convert it in the fall/winter. Maybe the removal of the whole front and bottom in the summer and replace the panels in the winter to capitalize on the greenhouse effect would be beneficial

 

[3KillerBs]

12 hens

• 48 square feet in the coop. 6'x8' is more practical than 4'x12' since a long, skinny coop like that would be difficult to work inside.
• 12 feet of roost
• 120 square feet in the run. 10'x12' or 8'x15' -- 8'x16' means fewer odd cuts than either of those. 6'x20' is possible, especially if your run is an open-topped, fenced area instead of fully-enclosed with a solid and/or wire roof but risks social problems because subordinate hens need to be able to pass the dominant hens at a respectful distance.
• 12 square feet of ventilation.
• 3 nest boxes.

What we did with our coop was to build the frame solidly, enclose the entire thing with wire, then use inexpensive fence boards to make the shelter. (I think DH is genetically incapable of failing to over-engineer anything).

For winter I ziptied a tarp to part of the 4th wall because our storms can come from any direction.

I don't have a coop page yet, but this is my build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/#post-23969601

And these are my birds in the snow last winter: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/open-air-coop-in-the-snow.1508695/#post-25324962

 

[Kendc0]

12 hens

• 48 square feet in the coop. 6'x8' is more practical than 4'x12' since a long, skinny coop like that would be difficult to work inside.
• 12 feet of roost
• 120 square feet in the run. 10'x12' or 8'x15' -- 8'x16' means fewer odd cuts than either of those. 6'x20' is possible, especially if your run is an open-topped, fenced area instead of fully-enclosed with a solid and/or wire roof but risks social problems because subordinate hens need to be able to pass the dominant hens at a respectful distance.
• 12 square feet of ventilation.
• 3 nest boxes.

What we did with our coop was to build the frame solidly, enclose the entire thing with wire, then use inexpensive fence boards to make the shelter. (I think DH is genetically incapable of failing to over-engineer anything).

For winter I ziptied a tarp to part of the 4th wall because our storms can come from any direction.

I don't have a coop page yet, but this is my build thread: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-open-air-coop-in-central-nc.1443812/#post-23969601

And these are my birds in the snow last winter: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/open-air-coop-in-the-snow.1508695/#post-25324962

Can I get your opinion on this design's ventilation? This model still has a way to go but I'm using it so I don't make these mistakes in the large scale (model is exactly 1:8th scale of all of the materials I plan on using or have on hand, the standee is exactly my height in 1:8th scale as well- 5'5")

It might be hard to tell and I plan on putting this together more tonight but instead of a solid wall, I step the roof tiles out a bit so it is capable of catching a bit of air and keeping the drafts above their heads. There's going to be a wire floor and open front in the summer to keep it more of an open air concept with a removable front wall for winter.

 

[3KillerBs]

Can I get your opinion on this design's ventilation? This model still has a way to go but I'm using it so I don't make these mistakes in the large scale (model is exactly 1:8th scale of all of the materials I plan on using or have on hand, the standee is exactly my height in 1:8th scale as well- 5'5")

It might be hard to tell and I plan on putting this together more tonight but instead of a solid wall, I step the roof tiles out a bit so it is capable of catching a bit of air and keeping the drafts above their heads. There's going to be a wire floor and open front in the summer to keep it more of an open air concept with a removable front wall for winter.

I'm not a fan of A-Frames, because you lose the usefulness of the narrow space at the top and the low spaces on the sides of the bottom, but that looks like it should be well-ventilated and have the vents well-sheltered.

What do you mean by wire floor? Wire on the ground as an anti-dig measure or an elevated wire floor?

Anti-dig predator protection is better provided by using an apron around the outside, because the hens will try to dig on the wire and could hurt their feet as well as having their natural behavior disrupted.

Raised wire floors are drafty:

People often install them in hope that the poop will drop down into a handy place for easy removal. This works with chicks and 1/2" hardware cloth but fails with adults because the poop can be up to the size of an egg and thus any wire mesh large enough to let the poop through will let weasels, snakes, and rats in.

 

[Kendc0]

I'm not a fan of A-Frames, because you lose the usefulness of the narrow space at the top and the low spaces on the sides of the bottom, but that looks like it should be well-ventilated and have the vents well-sheltered.

What do you mean by wire floor? Wire on the ground as an anti-dig measure or an elevated wire floor?

Anti-dig predator protection is better provided by using an apron around the outside, because the hens will try to dig on the wire and could hurt their feet as well as having their natural behavior disrupted.

Raised wire floors are drafty:

View attachment 3190899

People often install them in hope that the poop will drop down into a handy place for easy removal. This works with chicks and 1/2" hardware cloth but fails with adults because the poop can be up to the size of an egg and thus any wire mesh large enough to let the poop through will let weasels, snakes, and rats in.

Gotcha! Unfortunately, I think I'm tied to the A-frame design with my current material being those large panels.

I'll go back to the drawing board with a more complete model using your suggestions :3 thank you!

 

[aart]

Can I get your opinion on this design's ventilation?

The ventilation you have mocked up might work OK.
BUt...
I have to agree that Aframes are not a good design for chickens.

I think I'm tied to the A-frame design with my current material being those large panels

Might be time to rethink the whole thing.
Those panels could be good sheet material to attach to a standard framed structure.

for winter.

Maybe I missed it in earlier posts, but....
Where in this world are you located?
Climate, and time of year, is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!