Problem with shed to coop conversion

[Jego]

Hey, y'all. I am new here. I have been reading up on quail and lurking for a couple of years. I have finally decided to pull the trigger and get a coop ready!

We have a shed that is unused. It has a nice concrete floor and two rows of deep, sturdy wood shelving. It has electricity ran for a light switch but no outlets. I think it would be great, but I have two problems with it.

First, the slab is right at ground level (obviously) and it is built on a slope. The ground slopes toward the door side, so there is deterioration along the bottom edge of the door where runoff sat against the wood. The door would need to be reinforced or changed. I am digging a diversion ditch to a swale for several reasons not related to quail. (Although a quail swale is fun to say!) The drainage issue should be resovled. I am wondering if it would be a stupid idea to simply build a lip up from the ground at the door opening and doing a deep littler on the concrete floor. So I could keep the original (custom sized) door. Would it be too hard to clean out with the lip??

I looked through the coop photos and threads, but I didn't happen to see anything like what I am talking about. I am wondering if that is because it is a terrible idea!

The second problem is that there is no natural light. I know that they will have a lightbulb, but I am wondering if I should put in a small window or replace the corrugated steel roof with corrugated clear roofing. (The roof is flat and sloped away from the southern exposure with a fairly heavy tree canopy. I don't think the clear roof would create too much of a greenhouse effect, but I could cover it with an extra shade cloth from our greenhouse if need be!)

Any thoughts or guidance would be so appreciated!

 

[eHuman]

Place a 2x6 on it's edge inside the doorway creating your ledge, one screw each side just to hold it in place between cleanouts.

 

[Jego]

That is such a great idea! Thank you!

 

[eHuman]

I'm glad I could actually help, you're welcome!

 

[lomine]

Just a few things... The DLM works best on bare dirt. It needs to be able to breathe too. I tried it in an elevated coop with a half trex half hardware cloth floor. It didn't work well at all. I believe some have used DLM on concrete but it may just require a little extra work to get it going and the balances right. Oh and you'll want to put that lip in anyway to keep everything in when you open the door.

You'll want to make sure you have enough ventilation. Good air flow is essential for the health of the birds. You'll probably need to add something, whether it be windows, vents, or just a bunch of holes. Here's a good article. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

If you are planning on housing the quail in the coop full time without access to a run then you are differently going to want to make sure you let light in. The hens will need it to lay but it also makes for healthier/happier birds overall. You could just provide light from a bulb but over time that might be more expensive than making modifications. Your clear roof idea sounds good.

What kind of quail are you looking to get?

 

[Jego]

Ah, thanks! I am a little nervous about how all of this is going to work. I still feel like I have SO much to learn.

Thank you for the article. I hadn't read that one and it is exactly what needed! I think I am going to have to go out and stare at the shed for awhile to figure this vetilation thing out.

I am hoping to get coturnix. There is a lady a few houses down that has bobwhite, but I don't know her well. I think I need to befriend her so I can snoop!

 

[lomine]

Yeah, it is a never ending learning process. At least that's how it feels. I think there is a lot to be said for just going forward even if you don't feel 100% prepared. Don't get me wrong, it is really important to do research beforehand and have the major stuff figured out. But there are just some things you have to figure out as you go.

This site has been a wonderful source of information for me. I only just started with Cots myself and I'm glad I did. I'll be doing my first butchering this week actually. Not looking forward to that but they should make a tasty Father's Day dinner for my dad.

I read that Bobwhites are a little harder than Cots but the snowflake (or something like that) coloring of the Bobwhite is really pretty.

 

[Jego]

I will have a hard time butchering them. I keep trying to remind myself that someone is butchering the meat I eat and if I can't take it, maybe I should be a vegetarian! But I am sure the first time will be hard.

I am kind of at that point now, I think. There's a lot you can learn from reading, but I think I just need to jump in! I definitely have changed my window plans based on that article, though.

 

[lomine]

I was actually a vegetarian for a while back in high school. Then one day my mom and I went to the mall and stopped at a Subway in the food court. Not something we would normally do. Without even thinking I ordered a BLT. I ate half of it before I realized what I was doing. Whoops. The power of bacon was too much for me.

I've eaten meat since but significantly less. I do have a better understanding of my dietary needs now and know other sources of protein. I would love to buy more organic/humanely raised meat but it is just so expensive. That's one of the reasons I decided to get quail for meat. I know I'll hate butchering them but I also know they had a great life and will have a quick (and hopefully painless) death. Plus I can have a group of breeders legally. I can't have roosters where I live now so I wouldn't be able to raise a flock of sustainable meat chickens. I could breed ducks for meat but I've become really attached to my three ducks and I'm not sure I could butcher a duck. Maybe it's something I could work my way up to in the future if I can handle the quail. I'd love to move someday to a piece of land and set up my own mini homestead.

Glad the article was helpful. It definitely helped me when I was designing my coop. I added a lot more vents then I initially thought I needed that's for such.

Keep me updated on when you get your quail. Would love to see pictures of your set-up too.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I think that it would be easier on you and more healthy & safer for your quail if you got some hardware cloth and some 2x4's and built wire bottom cages instead of remodeling the shed.