Shed --> Coop Conversion Build Thread

[alleyboballey]

littlecritters- I did see a thread about using PDZ! I loved the idea of it! How big does the poop board have to be for 7 ladies?

trefoil- Coons are so ruthless! Do they go for the chickens during the day? and for ventilation, we have 2 smaller sized vents towards the roof. Is that enough?

 

[littlecritters]

I have a 2 foot wide by 6 foot long poop board for 10 fat and happy hens. It is the perfect size. They tend to snuggle up next to each other and they leave room for even more chickens. We could probably get 2-3 more girls up there.

 

[littlecritters]

Two more things to consider are hanging, heated nipple waterers and gravity fed PVC pipe feeders. These are incredible time savers. I dont have links handy right now, but I believe the Chicken Chick blog has directions for the PVC feeder and Avian Mister might have the nipple bucket directions. These following pics are not mine, but look very similar to what my husband has made.

 

[canesisters]

littlecritters- I did see a thread about using PDZ! I loved the idea of it! How big does the poop board have to be for 7 ladies?

trefoil- Coons are so ruthless! Do they go for the chickens during the day? and for ventilation, we have 2 smaller sized vents towards the roof. Is that enough?

I think that the general thought is that you can't have too much ventilation. Your big concern is moisture building up in there - from poo and from their breathing. You need some way for fresh (cool) air to come in low and 'stale' (warm) air to leave up high, taking amonia and moisture with it. And during the winter, you don't want a direct breeze to blow on them while they're roosting.
I don't believe I've read a single post about adult chickens freezing to death. Frostbite from too much moisture, respitory problems form a buildup of amonia, but they seem to tolerate cold pretty well.

 

[alleyboballey]

Awesome! I'll probably install some more ventilation then! Geez, I'm so glad I started this thread otherwise my ladies would be hot and sweaty.

They're getting so big it's crazy!!

 

[alleyboballey]

Update!

We did vinyl flooring today!

Along with our roof!

 

[alleyboballey]

Above is our nesting boxes with crafted with some milk crates given to us by a friend! I think they look awesome!!! We'll put cardboard on the bottoms and fill with straw.


^ Our roosts and poop board below them that we'll fill with DPZ or PDZ? That sand stuff haha






Here's the deck with the door almost done! We just need slider things so that the door won't move when it's closed or sway side to side when it's open. They move in next week or the week after!!

 

[PacasNChicks]

Nice home for chickens! How long is that roosting stick. I have read 10 inches per chicken is needed...

I might turn a shed into a coop now.... Thx for sharing!

 

[JackE]

Nice home for chickens! How long is that roosting stick. I have read 10 inches per chicken is needed...

I might turn a shed into a coop now.... Thx for sharing!

I don't know what the official measurement is supposed to be. But, on one 8' long roost in my coop, I have counted 15 birds on it. And those are full sized chubby hens.

 

[amyfitz100]

Hi! I am wanting to convert our shed to a coop and love what you did! I am curious if you've changed anything now that you've had your girls in it for a while? How is the poop board/roost thing going and did you add any predator proofing? You had so many great ideas -- I'm anxious to hear and get started on mine. Also, any idea how much your lumber cost?