Turning a Rabbit Hutch into a Chicken Coop? UPDATED WITH PICTURES

[iBoodle]

Got a hold of a camera!

Front view of the coop

Every good coop needs some decoration!

Inside view of roost

Food and water

View of the top

Little "roost" that they have yet to use

Right side of coop with crappy plywood

Back of coop

Left side of coop

The top comes off

View of top

Future coop/run area

They like to hang out in this fort!

Peep and Malachi

Whew. That took a long time. Keep the tips coming!

 

[kerroppi76]

I am still new at having chicks so please bear with me, is it ok for them to ahve a screen bottom in their coop?

 

[iBoodle]

I am fairly new too, but I know (now..) to have most of the screen bottom covered. Animals (mainly raccoons) will reach in and grab whatever they can, in my instance, my chickens toes! I keep part of it uncovered for easier cleaning.

Becca

 

[flowergirl60]

Part of my coop is hardware cloth on the bottom and is about a foot off the ground. But I also have chicken wire and hardware cloth buried around the perimeter so nothing can get underneath. I put some hay in there so its easier on their feet.

 

[iBoodle]

Smart! I need to figure out the run layout; like if I should cut a hole in the wire bottom of the coop and then build a ramp, etc.

 

[WestKnollAmy]

I use my old rabbit hutch in numerous way but right now I just have a dog X-pen wrapped around it for a temp pen for non flying birds. In another month I will have it somewhere else using it for something else.

It would be easy to work on yours and put a run out in front.

Oh, I have a LGD that helps protect these birds. Otherwise I would not have them this exposed!

 

[smallzoo]

I used a rabbit hutch also and it has a wire bottom but has a pull out metal tray that slides in underneath for cleaning. With this in place, I would think it would keep animals out but would the wire bug the chicken feet?

 

[iBoodle]

WestKnollAmy, that looks awesome! I need to get some chicken wire, then I will wrap it around the future chicken area site, and still add a run on it for during the night/when I am not home to let them out. I also need to add a ramp.

smallzoo, I would still put a board down for them, since they have such long, grippy feet.

 

[fleabag3]

i am also going to use a rabbit house for my coop...
question is do you have to cover all the wire for protection of their feet? or can you leave some open? mine too have the drawers to collect the poop...
thanks

 

[iBoodle]

I left a little tiny portion of the wire uncovered, but not much. They don't even poop near the uncovered part, but they do everywhere else!