Score! Lowes Playhouse Coop $80!

[BlueSky]

I’m so excited! I found one this morning!

Mine was $89.00. I’m going to pick it up tomorrow. If anyone is in the area there in ONE left in stock in Henderson NV. Here is the info

LOWE'S OF HENDERSON, NV, #1033
440 MARKS STREET
HENDERSON, NV 89014
(702) 458-5297

Thanks so much for posting the item number that was how I found it! Oh how I love a bargain

 

[criker99]

The only comment I would make is these are MUCH smaller than I expected. They are not even 4'x4' and are only 5'5" tall. Thank goodness I bought 4 so I can put them together! It looks like I'll have enough room now for 15-20 chickens!

 

[BlueSky]

Criker99,

That was my husbands only worry.

We'll see what we can do with it. He was thinking of building the bottom up to make it a little taller. We only want 4-6 hens so I think there will be enough room--what do you think? Also what did you do for the windows to weather proof them? From the pic they don't appear to have anything in them. With four of them you'll have a cute quad-plex

 

[criker99]

You should be ok with 4 hens; but I guess what I would do is buy the other one they have in stock just to make sure (and to accommodate what appears to be the inevitable increase in birds).

I have so many ideas running through my head I'm paralyzed with what to do and how to do it!

I do know that we are going to put them side by side with some shared interior walls (my very first thought had been to put one in each corner of the coop).

Questions still pending:
* if I'm going to put them off the ground and if so by how much.
* if I do put them off the ground, do I want the floor to be lower than the natural floor of the playhouse (ie make the playhouse taller) I don't "think" I'm going to do that - with the exception of building a lift up slot under the house where I can sweep out the litter into a wheelbarrow when I do the deep cleaning.
* how big of a yard to make - more yard, more fencing and more expense
* whether the yard should go under the raised houses (if raised) or the yard should start at the edge of the houses.
* whether said yard will be covered -- I believe I will cover it because I live in rain country and if it will be covered, with what?
* I believe I'm going to have the four buildings divided in half, so I can seclude one half from the other if needed in the future (just the house, not the yard - if this was needed I'd have to alternate "turn out" to the yard).

I believe I'm going to build exterior nest boxes on the two outside side walls on either end of the combined structure. I'm thinking I need 6 nest boxes, so that will put three on either end of the structure. I do realize that one end or the other will be more popular, but not sure what I can do about that.

So any input on these ideas is welcome!
I just really can't figure out what the optimum height is!

 

[sis]

Consider putting the nesting boxes in the windows, so they are exterier nesting boxes and they are also accessable from the outside.
The windows, we are going to wrap them repeatedly with the stuff uhaul sells , it like plastic wrap to hold things together. It comes on a stick for easy handling.
another idea is to clear plastic template material and screw it in to the window edges. In the spring you can take it off and put up screening.
putting the nesting boxes outside the windows will allow more floor space.
We raised our coop by putting it on ciderblocks. two high, I think one high would have been fine. there is a picture on page maybe 2 or 3 of this thread.
we made a 2by4 frame, put plywood on it, put vynal next and put hte coop on it.
we also put insulation on the underneat side of of the plywood.
We were going to put ciderblock all the way around, but the chickens liked the shade underneath it and instantly found a spot to dirt bathe.
Toys R US has a larger model playhouse by Belamy for about 250.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

i have a suggestion for the windows. on my big coop we stapled screen to the inside of the windows. we bought window sashes at a discount store. these are a single piece of glass in a wooden frame. you could also do this with plexiglass and a wooden frame. we mounted windows to the outside of the coop with 2 hinges on the left side. on the opposite side we put a s hook and an eye. this way we can latch the window shut or swing it open all the way. just remember to add an extra eye hook on the hinge side so when you open the window you can secure it so it will not blow shut. i open an close windows from outside so do not have to bother the girls.

 

[BlueSky]

1Chick Magnet ,

Very clever

I like the idea that it can be opened or closed without going inside. I get mine tomorrow and hope to have it together Sunday. I'll take pictures.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

blue sky , i would love to see pics. i have 3 and really like the townhouse idea. cricker99 if i do townhouse i would leave all walls but have sliding chicken doors between houses. that way i can open all or seperate some or all. close girls in one end for cleaning, sick in 1,rooster in 1, breeding pen, mom with eggs or chicks, place for newcomers, etc. i started with big girls and now also have bantams. i choose to seperate to keep the little guys safe. i currently have 3 different ages so have everybody seperate till they catch up size wise. i will raise off ground 3 feet make a plywood floor. you can make a pen and put the houses inside. we use a dog kennel. that way the girls can go under the raised houses when it rains or they need shade. we are going to put a roof on the kennel to protect from hawks etc.

 

[MichiganWoods]

Just thought I'd let you guys know about how I did in dealing with the company that makes these things. They are GREAT! I dropped my playhouse (same style house just the larger model with 2 extra roof and wall panels, and the little cupola thingie with the rooster weather vane) while trying to get it up onto the platform and ruined about 6 pieces of wood (1 of the roof panels, one of the single slim shingles and 4 of the roof rafter support bars). I fully expected to have to pay for the replacement pieces, but they sent them to me free of charge. And that was even after explaining it was my own fault! Make sure you send in your warranty cards! They registered my playhouse over the phone (however, I failed to mention it was for the chickens and not my kids!

). Also FYI, she recommended not placing the playhouses on top of cement blocks or foundations... I have mine raised on cement blocks, but I also built a foundation and floor out of 2x4's and plywood, so it's not sitting directly on the blocks. It was something to do with these playhouses being built out of cedar. Cedar and cement blocks don't mix? Also, as other folks have pointed out to me on the site, cedar is toxic to chickens.

I've been painting my big barn this week (just finished today) and started painting the playhouse with latex exterior house paint to seal the cedar up. I'll be painting latex semi-gloss floor paint on the inside, and possibly lining it with PVC paneling (as per suggested by another BYC member).

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Hmmm, i thought it smelled like cedar. i already bought a waterproof sealer for the outside. Do you all think if i paint the interior with a regular interior paint (low voc) that will be sufficient to seal out any possible toxic effects of the cedar? i must have missed the post about lining it with pvc panels. Are those the wumpily panels one uses on their patio cover?