turned lean-to into coop

[chkinut]

well, i did it....i turned the lean-to into a coop! i have a very small coop, can fit 4 girls comfortably, but by the rules, should only fit 3. i am also an illegal chicken owner....not that it matters about the coop, but just a lil' info about me. anyway, my girls have been doing GREAT free-ranging in my back yard and being quiet! so i really wanted to get MORE chickens this spring. so i cleaned out the lean-to and made about a 3rd of it designated to the chickens.....it's got 2 long roosts that are about 8 ft long. BUT, i worry a lil about the make-up of the walls. it's made with that lattice stuff. it's the "closer-knit" lattice, but still. they do have one solid brick wall, which is our house. we live in NC so we don't get TOO cold over the winter, but it's still cold. i'm wondering if anyone else has a coop without solid walls? the girls seem to love it in there though. and it must be a BIT warmer in there cuz their water hasn't frozen in there (yet) whereas the outside water HAS frozen. still, i think i'll staple some plastic over their portion of the "coop" just to get them through winter. but the good news is, 6 more chickens are comin' in the spring!!! yea!!!!

 

[shadowman]

I think you should go with the plastic idea. Mind you, I'm in Canada and it gets pretty cold here in the winter!

 

[chkinut]

i agree.....it's not TOO bad here, it's shocking if we even get snow. but i've lived in ND for about 4 years! so i can only imagine how ur winters are! i remember when i lived in ND, how HAPPY we all were when it hit 0 degrees! we felt that spring was coming!! lol! and the winters were also very long!!!

 

[lleighmay]

If it's made out of the standard 4x8 sheets of treated lattice available at the home improvement stores I would be really worried that something (dog, raccoon, whatever) could rip or chew right through the lattice. The stuff I've seen is pretty flimsy. I would also check the distance between bracing on the lattice (I wouldn't think any further apart than 2 feet) and would seriously consider adding some hardware cloth to protect your birds from an animal breaking in or even reaching in through the holes and killing the birds. If you take care of these issues I don't see why you can't use plastic over top of the lattice for a windbreak on one or more of the sides- just be sure to leave plenty of ventilation!

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
well, hubby was a carpenter for over 10 years....(wish i could get him to build me an actual coop!!) so it's pretty sturdy etc. yes, the animal thing was definitely a concern, and still is. i don't know what to do about that, except pray. we DO live the "city" i guess you could say, suburbs.....and we have a privacy fence etc...but i know, they can dig under it. i've never seen any coons or possums around...but that doesn't mean they arn't. we have an outside cat that stays outside 24/7....so maybe he could help? i AM worried though. has anyone else experienced animal problems if you live in the suburbs?

 

[lleighmay]

Hi- predators should definitely be a priority, even in suburbia. I used to work nights as a police officer and you would be amazed at the amount and variety of wildlife that is out and about, even in urban areas. I knew of a bobcat that lived for years under someone's tool shed in their backyard in a high-density planned neighborhood; she raised a litter of babies each year. The homeowners had absolutely no idea she was there. Opossums and coons will definitely be in the area, and any of these can climb right over your privacy fence (and will once they realize there is a buffet nearby). Dogs and coyotes can dig under the fence. The only thing your cat may deter (or at least eliminate) is rodents. If it were me I would shore up the lattice and add wire over the outside or inside of it. These are things you can do yourself, even if hubby is not inclined to assist. If nothing else I bet he has power tools you can borrow! One other thing to consider is the type of flooring in your newly-annexed area. Even a dirt floor is fine but if it is I would also take some wire and bend it out from the walls so it creates a skirt around the bottom of your structure. Attach it to the support posts for the structure. There's no need to dig it down into the ground; just lay it on top of the ground and try to go out about 2 feet from your structure. Tack it down on the outside edge with landscape pins (available at any home improvement store). You can then put gravel over it for a decorative drip line or just let the grass grow up through it. Most digging animals will try it close to the upright wall; they're usually not smart enough to start that far out and tunnel.
Good luck with your venture!

 

[chkinut]

great ideas! and ones that i will implement! i also just ordered a Nite Guard. it sounded fishy to me, but i read the reviews, and also did a search on this forum and people say it works! but if i ALSO lay some fencing up the walls and out onto the ground, they should be pretty safe.

 

[Rare Feathers Farm]

Where are the pics?

 

[chkinut]

hubby lost both our camera and camcorder when he was on a business trip. So.......we are in the process of getting a new camera. well, one thing about him traveling is that he earns Marriot points and it turns out we can get a new camera for free...and a pretty nice one too! hey! i wonder if he MEANT to lose the camera? Lol!!