shed to chicken coop?

[MVchickens]

Has anyone ever converted an 8x16 shed into a chicken coop? I plan on using the shed as a coop come spring because it has good ventilation and electricity. I want to insulate it too so that it will be warm in winter too. has anyone ever done this? any sugestions?

 

[patandchickens]

Very easy to do, just make sure the floor is appropriate (if it's dirt digproof and possibly do what you can to discourage rats tunnelling in; if it's wood, prime and paint it well), add ventilation (as much as you can manage, making sure that there will be enough winter-type ventilation when the rest must be shut down), add nestboxes and roost and popdoor, and there ya go

Insulating never *hurts*, but the extent to which it matters a lot will depend on the details of your situation, especially in a largeish coop like that. If the floor is earthen it is certainly worth insulating; if the floor is raised wooden, I am not sure how worthwhile it is in Massachusetts unless you plan on some particular source of added heat like passive solar design (with ample thermal ballast) or electricity. Not that it would *hurt*, just that insulation does not warm a coop per se, it only reduces loss of whatever heat is already *in* the coop, you know?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[blaundee]

My big henhouse is an 8' tall, 10'x16' floor metal shed. My smaller one is 8' tall, 8'x10' metal shed. There is no insulation in them, and I don't intend to install any, but it has kept them very warm in these -10 and colder nights.