Turning this playhouse into a chicken coop. Idea's/ recommendations?

[CountryChic85]

I'm turning this playhouse into a chicken coop for 4 chickens. This coop will be inside a protected run. Thank you in advance for any ideas! I want to make this a chicken haven. I'm planning on having a poo board. To help with draft should I put plywood on the inside walls? I'll do anything to make it the best for the chicks that i want to get soon, (we're moving back here mid May)I just need a step-by-step guide for dummies .

 

[Stumpy]

I think the first thing I would do is put it on stilts, so to speak. In other words, build a sort of table for it, something like this:


Then put plywood on top and attach the coop with lots of screws. This would serve two purposes, the most important being that it would get it up to a convenient level for cleaning. It would also create a nice shady place for the chickens.

I can't tell from the photo how much ventilation there is. If that is bare wood floor, it would help to put down some linoleum or paint it with a good exterior paint. This will help in future cleaning. It might also help to put a board across the entrance to keep shavings inside. You could cover all of the windows with hardware cloth and perhaps build nest boxes to the outside so as not to take up interior space.

You didn't mention a budget -- depending on what it is, you could use a variety of materials on the interior walls, that shower stall board, plywood or even linoleum for easy cleaning.

I think it will look great when you're finished, whatever you decide to do.

 

[4 the Birds]

+1

Raised up on a frame will keep you off your knees to clean or gather eggs. Plywood would be good if you are in a cold climate area and the playhouse has drafty openings in the walls.

 

[CountryChic85]

Thank you so much for all the great ideas. I wish I could lift it, but it is ridiculously heavy. I think i'll just have to put up some sort of shade canopy until I can plant some trees for shade (surrounded my chicken wire of course). It has 3 windows and the door. I was thinking of making an actual door, with a chicken door at the bottom that I can securely close and lock at night. I'm thinking of adding a nesting box to the window across from the door, so the other two windows still allow for a breeze in the summer to keep it well ventilated. I'm planning on making a poop board using sweet PDZ. Do you have any ideas where that should go? could I put it by one of the side windows? I'll have hardwire cloth over the windows. So linoleum on the floors, or some other equivalent sounds great for keeping it clean. How about the walls? If I put plywood up to help with the draft from the cracks, do I need to paint it, or put linoleum up on it too? I'm so excited to redo this playhouse!! Thank you for all your help!

 

[BertandMary]

Lifting is a good idea, but if you can't, you can still work with it. In that case, I would remove the front and extend the sides with plywood out to where the porch area supports are. I would then add a big double door to the front and add a chicken door to one of those. That will make cleaning a lot easier. I would add a nesting box on the outside where the back window can be seen in the photo. The floor would need to be covered as previously mentioned. Add some venting and a roost too. It helps to keep the roost higher than the nesting box so that they will use it instead of the boxes. Best of luck.