Shed Coop

[amyfitz100]

My Easter HAL chicks desperately needed a new home, so my husband suggested we convert our shed (which, of course, was full of junk) to a coop and build a run. Seeing that we are less than handy, I researched and drew a pic of what I wanted and it has been almost finished while we were out of town. These are the pics so far:

The bottom 2 feet are hardware cloth, the rest of the walls and the top are chicken wire. He's still got to line the floor with hardware cloth. I planned on him covering the roof with some metal roofing panels we already have, but am kind of undecided. Other suggestions?

Obviously I still have some stuff to get out of the shed before the new tenants move in! The shed has two vents opposite each other up under the highest point of the roof. For more ventilation I thought I'd add a small window (just a hole w/screen we already have) opposite the real window on the front. Something I haven't figured out is how to keep the girls from roosting on all the support beams running across the roof. I really want to put up a roost and poop board, but these beams are higher and more inconvenient, so I'm sure the ladies would go for them, lol. What would work?

Also I'm going to rig up a pulley so I can open the little door from the outside. Any other suggestions on how to do the inside?

 

[amyfitz100]

Forgot to show the front of the shed...

 

[iwiw60]

Well I think you've done a great job!! It looks great...except for one thing I noticed in this pic:



Have you used plain old "chicken wire" for your run? I can't tell what part of the country you're in (it doesn't show anything in your signature block thing) but any predator can rip through that chicken wire like it was butter....raccoon, fox, weasel, skunk, coyote, etc. No protection whatsoever. I think you might need to re-think your wire. I used 1/2" hardware cloth all around and buried it down and out 10-12" as an apron for the diggers..something like this:




I anchored mine with 1-1/2" deck screws with fender washers about every 12-14"....there ain't nothin' getting in my little Ft. Knox! Best of luck...just a suggestion...

 

[amyfitz100]

Thanks, the chicken wire is on the ceiling and upper parts of the walls -- the lower 2 feet is hardware cloth and it will cover the floor, too. It's so expensive!!! Hopefully this will do the trick. And I'll pass on the info on how you anchored the floor. Thanks!

 

[aart]

Instead of lining the floor of the run with hardware cloth use that hardware cloth to cover the windows and vents you need to cut into the shed for ventilation.
You'll need a lock for the pop door.

You could use chicken wire to make an anti dig apron on your run like the photo shows in iwiw60's post.

Run is not predator proof (except for hawks) because of the chicken wire, but it will slow down daytime predators if you're home to hear them...useless against night time predators tho.

I suggest 2x4 wide side up for roosts and look into roost boards with sand and PDZ, great for manure management and odor/fly control.

Nest boxes.....there's a ton of ways to do nest boxes.

Knowing your climate would really help folks make better suggestions...you can put your state in your profile......if you have heavy snow, the roof of the run may need to be more supported.

 

[iwiw60]

Quote:

Knowing your climate would really help folks make better suggestions...you can put your state in your profile......if you have heavy snow, the roof of the run may need to be more supported.

Yes! I'm always having to ask posters "what part of the country do you live in...I don't see it in your signature thing" ... drives me nutso. If they would even have a 'general location' those of us who reply to their questions, etc., can give better advice first time around instead of having to ask "where do you live?" ....

 

[Orpie]

This is our shed conversion to a coop.

We started with just what is right of the door there. Since then we've added both to the coop and built and additional run. In the new expanded coop we completely redid the interior.. Adding new roosts, nest boxes, and built in brooder box. And all of this cost is nothing. All materials were either picked up free from Craigslist, or left over from misc. roofing jobs.

 

[amyfitz100]

Okay, I fixed my profile to show that I live in South Carolina. Thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll reconsider the chicken wire I used for part of the walls. Sounds like I need to be sure and put the metal roof on, too. What kind of lock do you suggest for the pop door? It doesn't have anything on it yet, and I can barely open it. It has to be lined up juuuust right. Also, when I add my extra window, should I make it closeable/coverable? It gets cold in winter, but rarely does much snowing. It was cold enough this year for my roo to get frostbite on his comb...

 

[aart]

Okay, I fixed my profile to show that I live in South Carolina. Thanks for all the suggestions, and I'll reconsider the chicken wire I used for part of the walls. Sounds like I need to be sure and put the metal roof on, too. What kind of lock do you suggest for the pop door? It doesn't have anything on it yet, and I can barely open it. It has to be lined up juuuust right. Also, when I add my extra window, should I make it closeable/coverable? It gets cold in winter, but rarely does much snowing. It was cold enough this year for my roo to get frostbite on his comb...

Sounds like snow probably won't be an issue, but if you get a wet snow keep it knocked off the chicken wire run roof.

Locks/latches should be double action because coons have that dexterity thing going.........some kind of latch with a loop that a spring clip or caribineer can be put thru works pretty well.

Frostbite is caused by the humidity in near freezing temps, so ventilation and controlling humidity is key in preventing frostbite. Most your ventilation should be up high with some down low to bring in fresh air. Plan your ventilation with an eye to where your prevailing winds come from as you want to avoid drafts on the roost area in the winter. Lots of ventilation but no drafts can be confusing and difficult in smaller coops, but you have the height in your shed to accomplish it. Ventilation should be as high as possible over the roost area, roosts should be at least a foot above the nests to keep them from roosting in the nests and pooping them up.

Humidity can be kept lower by keeping everything as dry as possible...open waterers, spills, leaks you can control.....atmospheric humidity, the birds breathing and pooping you cannot control, but you can keep humidity down by using a roost board with sand and zeolite (Sweet PDZ in the horse section of farm stores) to help dry the poops and sift them out every couple days, this will also reduce odor and respiratory irritation in the coop. I like using kiln dried pine shavings on the floor of the coop because they help dry any poops there quickly. Nipple waterers rather than open waterers can help reduce humidity also.

In my signature line there is a link to a great article on ventilation.