Semi temporary coop

[Pinklink5]

So to start. I have 23 chickens and need to build a semi temporary coop that will be easy to disassemble and use the parts for other projects. I am in the Seattle area. This year I am replacing my chickens ugly coop that is a major eyesore for my neighbors (though they won’t ever say that to me). So for the meantime I want to put them in my fenced garden area to kill off the grass rotor I’ll the dirt and basically do my prep work for redoing my garden layout and give them a nice big area to run that isn’t my yard and under my deck. My Permanent coop will have more space for the girls and a better run than they have now. But in the meantime i need something that will be cheap and hopefully hold up until at least February or March.

 

[aart]

So for the meantime I want to put them in my fenced garden area to kill off the grass rotor I’ll the dirt and basically do my prep work for redoing my garden layout

6' 2x4 fencing attached to old coop for now?
23 birds is a lot for a temp coop.
Buy a large(8x10) shed?

 

[21hens-incharge]

How big is the garden?
What part of the world are you in?
Are you considering predator protection?

 

[Pinklink5]

How big is the garden?
What part of the world are you in?
Are you considering predator protection?
The garden is 26’x36’. Plenty of room for them. Plus free ranging in the yard occasionally. Only predators I have to really worry about are hawks. I’m in the suburbs of the PNW and don’t have a lot of predator issues. Seen one raccoon and one opossum but after getting smacked with a 2x4 they haven’t came back. There is easier prey elsewhere.

6' 2x4 fencing attached to old coop for now?
23 birds is a lot for a temp coop.
Buy a large(8x10) shed?

Unfortunately i don’t have a lot of money for a temporary shelter. The money I have is mostly going towards a custom permanent coop. The garden is on the other side of a large yard and since I am going to be tearing the current coop down and repurposing some of the materials they will need a temp house no matter what.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I would suggest a hoop coop that gets moved a couple times in the garden, at least a couple times.

When you are done with the new coop the hoop coop can be a greenhouse or taken apart and used for trellis in the garden.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=Hoop coop&tab=620

 

[aart]

What part of the world are you in?

Yes.
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!

 

[NatJ]

Hoop coop is a good idea.

Or you could consider a dog kennel, the kind that comes in big panels. You might be able to find a used one (they can be expensive to buy new.)

Dog kennels are good for keeping out dog-sized predators, and the panels can be re-arranged later, or just taken apart and stacked together along a wall.

The holes in the sides will probably be too large, so you will need to cover them with hardware cloth to keep out small things (like the hands of raccoons.)

You will need some kind of a roof--maybe plywood, maybe more panels of kennel with with a tarp over it. The amount of snow and rain you get will make a big difference in how strong the roof needs to be.

If you have any amount of wind blowing through, you can fasten tarps to several sides to block it. But depending on how close it is to what kinds of buildings and fences, that might not be necessary.

Of course, you will need to add roosts (boards running across), feed & water containers, and nests (boxes or crates).

I like dog kennels, the chain link kind or the ones with rectangular holes, because they are sturdy enough to be a good basic frame, but can come apart just by taking out a few bolts. The same kennel can keep chickens safe inside, then another year can protect a garden or a young tree from hungry deer, then another year be a safe space for a broody hen raising a batch of chicks.

For 23 chickens, you probably want something about 8 x 12 feet, or 10 x 10, or a similar size, unless a lot of those chickens are bantams.