Treehouse Chicken Coop

[countryladyNH]

Personally, I think you are darn lucky to have that to start with. I would not whine, and would think about how cute it would be when I was finished, and get stuck in! I would think long term and deal with the limitations (ie lumber is too expensive, etc.). We would get a bunch of guy friends over and cut off the posts at the top. Have the guys then lift it off and onto the ground. (Feed them some pizza and beer and I'm sure they'll be glad to help). This is going to take some planning and be a little hard, but once done you're golden. Then we would cut off the posts maybe 2 feet high from the ground and replace the structure on top, leaving that space under the new coop. We'd enclose that space with some hardware cloth leaving a side open if you were ever to attach to a run. We would then start working on the coop; We salvaged pallets in April and made a cool, 3 bay compost setup in one day---You could get some for a bit of lumber to make trimwork around windows, etc. (I got cute windows for a coop on Ebay (new) for a song). With what you have to start with, you really could make this into an adorable coop but I would be realistic and see that leaving it up high is not real practical for the long run.
Invest some hard work and time (rather than $), and you would really have something you can be so proud of and that would be pretty and practical for years to come!
You do it on the weekends like most of us.
Believe me, I have been in situations alone, no money, and yet managed to restore a little 18thc. house with almost no tools---and the ones I did have were pretty crappy, lol!
I had no hubby and did this alone for 8 years before I met my sweetie. Good luck! With effort and ingenuity your hens will have a little dream coop!

 

[goldenyears]

Yes! We are actually planning that our now

I’ve made enclosed walkways for the chickens to travel between the different runs. Very little lumber, pvc roof with hardware cloth sides and floor. Keeps chickens in and predators out.

 

[K_UU]

A little late to the discussion, and I didn’t read any of the responses lol. Here’s ours. It’s 8 feet off the ground. We took the slide off and put a ramp up. The first ramp goes to a platform (that they love to sun on in the cooler months) then another ramp to the top. No issues with them going up. EDIT - I did have a little panic attack when momma took her week old chicks up the ramp the first time ha ha. But everyone is up and down it with no problem.
I just snapped a couple pics but was getting eaten alive by mosquitoes, I can take more for you if you’d like.
We live in Ontario, Canada and had no issues through the winter. I did put clear tarps around the bottom of the run for a wind break, and as long as I swept the ramp off, they came down and spent time in the run most days.

 

[chickmamato7]

Beautiful coop & not too high off the ground to be practical! Love it!!

 

[aart]

I can take more for you if you’d like.

Would love to see more, inside too.
Did you add the porch around the 2 sides?

This would be a good article/coop page.
Especially if you have before ad build pics.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

Have you decided on a plan yet? I’m interested to know how you make it work for yourself! Good luck!

 

[Padfoot22]

We converted my son’s treehouse into my current coop and worked great! My husband sawed the legs and lowered the house down to 4 feet high off the ground. We did have to put better plywood walls so we could cut the nesting box doors and put good vent windows. He put a tin roof on top also with a gutter. If it has good bones and a floor, it’s definitely something that can be repurposed.
Wood is incredibly expensive right now! Good luck

 

[Vicker]

My neighbors have one with the ladder going up from underneath. The underside is enclosed in wire down to the ground. A larger run can be added at ground level. Yours does look like it's higher though. You might zig-zag a ladder at different levels so they don't have to go straight up the long one.

 

[MissE]

Cutting the legs off.....

How would one support the structure while cutting and then lower it without getting crushed??

Seems sketchy and scary to try that.

Meh, hold my beer and watch this!

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

easier said than done

Well if one thinks outside the box... Where I live I can get a crane with operator for about $350
So strap it up, crane it up, cut off the legs and set it in place. A good opportunity to move it if there is a better location for the OP.