Repurposed for a Coop

[Flybum]

We bought our place a couple of years ago and have a few structures that are pretty dilapidated, including this one room “mother-in-law” cabin. Looked like there was a small electrical fire at one time (electrical is gone now), concrete floor is buckled from root growth, roof needs some minor repair. There was a shower, sink, toilet, and washer/dryer hookups and a septic tank that is still in the ground. Well, I turned it into a coop. It now houses 8 guineas, three (soon to be more) chickens and three Muscovy ducks. There is a four bucket nesting “condo” for the chickens and three nesting tires for the ducks and guineas. My ducks just started laying. I’ve pulled a couple of duck eggs from the tire nest and a couple from a duck made nest on the ground just inside the door. At least they are laying in the coop. My guineas started laying mid-summer and just picked places on the ground. 16 baby guineas were hatched but no survivors. They all fell prey to predation. At the time the guineas were roosting in a tree by the carport but now they’ve moved into the coop. Hoping they decide to lay in the coop this year instead of all over the darn place. There are some changes I would like to make but it does the job for the time being.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Looks like a great start for a coop! Fingers crossed that the guineas decide to lay their eggs in there!

 

[aart]

Nice sized structure!
Appears to be all concrete block walls?
What mods do you have planned?


Welcome to BYC! @Flybum
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, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!

 

[Flybum]

Nice sized structure!
Appears to be all concrete block walls?
What mods do you have planned?


Welcome to BYC! @Flybum
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, (laptop version shown), then it's always there!
View attachment 2015523

Yes, concrete block walls. I want to add a ladder to the interior so the chicken door will be useful. Also make a duck door in the main door and tear out the ceiling panels to get rid of the yellow jacket nests before spring hits. I also want to open up the sections above the brick with some hinged doors for more ventilation in the summer. New windows, I have some more wooden frame windows in the barn. Tear out the concrete floor or at least break it up and pour another over it. Redo the electrical and add solar. Seal up some cracks. Fix a section of the roof. “Just the basics.” Lol.

 

[aart]

“Just the basics.” Lol.

Ha! Our lists were about the same!
Was going to add... open eave soffits for ventilation and add ridge and gable vents.
Is the roof in good shape?
Blocks are a bear, but might be good to block(haha!) your heat in the summer.

I want to add a ladder to the interior so the chicken door will be useful.

Isn't that whole panel(operable door?) wood down the ground,
so could put poultry door down lower?

 

[Flybum]

Ha! Our lists were about the same!
Was going to add... open eave soffits for ventilation and add ridge and gable vents.
Is the roof in good shape?
Blocks are a bear, but might be good to block(haha!) your heat in the summer.


Isn't that whole panel(operable door?) wood down the ground,
so could put poultry door down lower?
View attachment 2015551

That door doesn’t open because the whole “house” is lopsided because of the jacked up foundation. But yes I could put that door at the bottom. I didn’t at the time because I thought it would look so “cool” for the birds to come out in the morning from up top. And that window opening was already there. Just need a roost rail to the door or ramp from the floor up to the door. The roof is in “decent” shape. Missing some shingles on about a 2’ section on the northwest corner. There are a couple of trim boards(?) on that same side that have rotted a bit as well. And a tree that needs to come down. It’s not horrible. I need to get some welded wire and mortar for one corner as well. And yes the blocks do actually keep it cooler in the coop during the summer and warmer in the winter.

 

[aart]

I thought it would look so “cool” for the birds to come out in the morning from up top.

Do the ducks navigate the high rise pop door OK?
I don't know much about ducks.

 

[Flybum]

Do the ducks navigate the high rise pop door OK?
I don't know much about ducks.

That was before I got the ducks. I just open the main door and everyone comes out. The ducks do roost up with the chickens sometimes. So I imagine they could if I gave them a gangplank wide enough. I should probably just make a an all access door at ground level. At this point it’s irrelevant because I don’t have and enclosed run and walk my happy but out in the mornings to let them out. I would love to be lazy about it and have a solar powered door for them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Nice reuse of a structure that clearly shouldn't have anyone's mother-in-law in it (well, unless you hate them that much!)