Shed Made into Coop for our 14 Chickens!

[Sarah RN]

We bought this 8x10 or 8x12 (?) shed from Costco so that our hens and growing chicks would have enough space for the coming winter months. They have lots of space right now but the chicks we have been raising are getting big so fast! We are new to chickens and newbie chicken math syndrome totally took over us, we did not anticipate on doing this at all!! But these chickens have made our family so happy so we thought they deserve the best! They aren’t living there yet...not until better ventilation is installed. Our head hen is checking it out though.

The interior is still in the works, modifying as we go, and we are looking to add several things over the next few days-weeks. Currently we are using a solar powered lighting for the inside.
These are some things we are planning on:

1. Bigger window for better ventilation and natural lighting.
2. Some cute interior decor on the walls.
3. Automatic timed door.
4. More nesting boxes.

Please feel free to add any suggestions!


P.S. @aart finally got our shed! Thanks for all your flock advice when we started out!

 

[M-H-Fielding]

We bought this 8x10 or 8x12 (?) shed from Costco so that our hens and growing chicks would have enough space for the coming winter months. We are new to chickens and newbie chicken math syndrome totally took over us, we did not anticipate on doing this at all!! But these chickens have made our family so happy so we thought they deserve the best! They aren’t living there yet...not until better ventilation is installed. Our head hen is checking it out though.

The interior is still in the works, modifying as we go, and we are looking to add several things over the next few days-weeks. Currently we are using a solar powered lighting for the inside.

1. Bigger window for better ventilation and natural lighting.
2. Some cute interior decor on the walls.
3. Automatic timed door.
4. More nesting boxes.

Please feel free to add any suggestions!


P.S. @aart finally got our shed! Thanks for all your flock advice when we started out!

That's kind of like what I have!
I turned a lean-to into a coop, and my chickens just love it!

 

[CluckerFamily]

I love this! The chickens will love it too!!
For more nesting boxes, it all depends on how many hens you have. I use to have 6 nesting boxes for my 16 hens but they would only use 3 of the nesting boxes so I took out the three they don't use to have more space. I also have hens that don't lay every day.

 

[Sarah RN]

That's kind of like what I have!
I turned a lean-to into a coop, and my chickens just love it!

That’s awesome! Sometimes I wish we made those cute custom chicken coops I see on Pinterest and on this forum! Makes my heart so warm looking at them! But we have no time and still, I love how ours is turning into!

 

[Sarah RN]

I love this! The chickens will love it too!!
For more nesting boxes, it all depends on how many hens you have. I use to have 6 nesting boxes for my 16 hens but they would only use 3 of the nesting boxes so I took out the three they don't use to have more space. I also have hens that don't lay every day.

I have 4 laying hens right now, I have 3 nesting boxes....rarely 2nd is used, 3rd I think was used only once

 

[M-H-Fielding]

That’s awesome! Sometimes I wish we made those cute custom chicken coops I see on Pinterest and on this forum! Makes my heart so warm looking at them! But we have no time and still, I love how ours is turning into!

I feel that way too. I love the cute ones, but a friend told me when I was just starting "They don't stay cute for long. They get dirty and are harder to clean then the home made ones."
Once I heard this, I decided to stick with what I had, LOL! I don't have enough time to be constantly cleaning and repairing!

What I like most about the big coops is how easy they are to clean out!

 

[Sarah RN]

I feel that way too. I love the cute ones, but a friend told me when I was just starting "They don't stay cute for long. They get dirty and are harder to clean then the home made ones."
Once I heard this, I decided to stick with what I had, LOL! I don't have enough time to be constantly cleaning and repairing!

What I like most about the big coops is how easy they are to clean out!

Absolutely! Ease of cleaning was what we needed...and this was it!

 

[Yardfulla poopers]

Similar to my set up. I learned the hard way that they will just use the roosts you built to get up into those roof supports. I ended up moving roosts to roof support height and adding lots of ladders. Still haven't figured out a poop board set up for that height though

 

[aart]

What's it look like fro the outside?
Any eave vents?

 

[Sarah RN]

What's it look like fro the outside?
Any eave vents?

2 Small round ones on top! But we are planning to make a window made of hardware cloth for better ventilation and natural lighting. If you have other suggestions please let me know!