Wooden Playset converted to coop - need suggestions

[huffchickens]

Hi. We are newbies to chicken raising. We just got 8 Red Sex Links and 3 Ameraucanas not sexed. We have a two level wooden playset that we would like to convert into a coop since our son no longer plays with it. Here is a photo. All suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Our thoughts were to make the swingset area (they have been taken down) into an A frame run area. There is an area on the bottom of the playset with a picnic table and an upper level that would be good for roosting. Obviously the slide needs to come off and we were going to put a metal roof on it.


Above is another view where I thought we could add the nesting boxes to the outside. You can also see the inside picnic table in this picture. Not sure what to do with it. We were going to put a metal roof on top and add a ladder going from the ground to the top of the picnic table and then from the top of the picnic table to the upper level. Obviously, parts of it need to be framed in more and then the entire coop enclosed in wire.

How much ventilation is needed? We are in central GA and our summers are HOT and winters fairly mild.
Also, do we put pine shavings on top floor and leave the bottom as natural ground or put shavings on the bottom as well?

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We paid $2000 for this about 5 years ago and hate for it to go to waste.

Thanks.

 

[ChickDrmr]

I think it's a great idea!

 

[animal boy]

I did this for my coop. It's awesome I spent about $300 to fix it up with wire, wood, nest boxes. I figured for that price I could get a small garden coop that could barley house 5 hens. We left one side open with wood up and plan on putting some kind of creeping vine to to still allow lots of ventilation. Our top level has shavings, 2 roost poles and 2 nest boxes. We don't have anything on their 2nd floor, beside a few shaving. This is where the nest boxes were supposed to be but I got plactic ones that attach to the walls so the little flip open door where the boxes where supposed to be our know just good for cleaning. Our bottom floor is just dirt ( old mulch) and in one area a big pile of shavings using the deep litter method. If I could figure out how to post pics I would. If you know I would love to know how so I can show you some pics

 

[huffchickens]

Hi Animal Boy,

Thanks for your response. To post pictures, simple hit the button on the toolbar when you reply to my post that looks like scenery. It is the second button to the left of the paper clip button and just to the right of the right arrow button. This will allow you to browse and select photos already on your computer.

I would love to see how you did this. Also, how many chickens do you have? What did you use for roosting poles and how do you get to the second level to clean it and collect your eggs. That was my concern. Did you have a picnic table to deal with at all? Not sure if we should take it out or use it as a platform for getting to the top level.

Finally, how much ventilation is on your top level? We live in Georgia where the summers are very hot and winters are mild, but do get below freezing sometimes. Thanks,

 

[animal boy]

Sorry it's taking so long to get pics. I've been away for a while. I will Likely get some by the weekend. Right now I have 5 chickens( 4 hens and a rooster) and (hopefully) babies on the way. For the roost pole I have some scarp wood ( I think 2x4 or 1x4 but not really sure). We had a picnic table and put it on the outside of the coop so it was easier to get to the top level. We added a side door for cleaning out the top part. I have one plastic nest box on the top level and a cut out card board box on the second level with a lifting door to get the eggs easy. However they prefer the plastic one and to get to that I have to go inside the coop. I also notice you have a ladder on the outside I had one and used it to access the top level from inside the coop and as outdoor roosting poles. In my top level I left the wood as it came and didn't fill any thing in. Though I will Likely get some kind of vine to grow on that side of the coop for protection. I have never had a Probelm with predators even though I see them around my house all the time. The occasinal squirrel or bird will get in but nothing really dangerous. I will post pics as soon as I can.

 

[animal boy]

I'm so sorry it's taking long. My coop isn't painted yet an looks pretty ugly with all the scrap wood. I can give you pics of the coop it just won't look very nice.

 

[huffchickens]

The Looks don't bother me at all. I'm just curious how you did it. Thanks!

 

[nova022]

I see a lot of potential with your play set. I would in close the top wood siding with a pop door, roosts, a couple windows and a ramp going into the A-frame run. I would enclose the bottom with wire and also have it open into the A-frame run. I would put the nest boxes on the outside so that you do not have to go into the coop to get your eggs.

 

[huffchickens]

I was wondering though. Do we take out the picnic table (right above the ground ) or leave it and make it a two story coop? My thoughts were the nesting boxes would be on the picnic table level(on the outside) and then a a ramp going up to the very top level with roosts up there as well. There would also be a ramp going up to the picnic table level from the ground level with that level enclosed in wire. We were going to take the picinic benches out and just make it flat. We have ten hens, so I was worried the playset would not be big enough. One more question. Is there a certain direction the nesting boxes should face? South?

 

[nova022]

I was wondering though. Do we take out the picnic table (right above the ground ) or leave it and make it a two story coop? My thoughts were the nesting boxes would be on the picnic table level(on the outside) and then a a ramp going up to the very top level with roosts up there as well. There would also be a ramp going up to the picnic table level from the ground level with that level enclosed in wire. We were going to take the picinic benches out and just make it flat. We have ten hens, so I was worried the playset would not be big enough. One more question. Is there a certain direction the nesting boxes should face? South?

The picnic table would be a nice addition. It would give them somewhere to get up higher as mine like to do, but would also leave the area under the table for shade and to scratch in the dirt, which mine really love to do. My nest boxes are on the east end of my coop, but that is really for my convenience in collecting the eggs.