Converting existing shed to a coop

[TonyBYC]

We decided to re-purpose a former doghouse in our shed to a chicken coop. That section of the shed is already insulated by foam board; dimensions are 6'x4' with height of 3.5'. There is about 10" clearance below the shed floor. The run is 20'x12', is enclosed by 5' chainlink fence and has a large tree in the middle. We will use the rest of the shed space for garden supplies.

We will only have 6 chickens, who will free range during the day on the 1-acre property. We are in New York State.

Here is what I plan to do:

1. leave the opening in the back as is (24"x15") for chickens to come in and out, just add a door and a ventilation window
2. lay some hardware cloth on the floor and cover it with linoleum for easier cleanup (we plan to use deep litter method with straw). Or pour some cement instead?
3. build a removable roosting bar 18" off the floor
4. reinforce the large access door in the front with hardwire cloth, cut out a ventilation window near the top
5. cover the run from above and secure the unfenced side of the shed with hardware cloth.

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

- What's the best way to access nest boxes in this setup? Is it ok to open and close the large access door in the front or should i cut out access hatches to pull them out?

- How difficult is hardware cloth to work with for overhead installation, given (i) tree in the middle, (ii) having to attach to the shed and (iii) adding a foot of height so I don't have to crawl? Alternative is bird netting but then I'd have to lock the coop religiously every night...

- The ground beneath the fence is all rocks, so it will be hard for predators (and even harder for me) to dig... Would it help to pour some cement over it?

 

[black_cat]

We decided to re-purpose a former doghouse in our shed to a chicken coop. That section of the shed is already insulated by foam board; dimensions are 6'x4' with height of 3.5'. There is about 10" clearance below the shed floor. The run is 20'x12', is enclosed by 5' chainlink fence and has a large tree in the middle. We will use the rest of the shed space for garden supplies.

We will only have 6 chickens, who will free range during the day on the 1-acre property. We are in New York State.

Here is what I plan to do:

1. leave the opening in the back as is (24"x15") for chickens to come in and out, just add a door and a ventilation window

Add a door with a latch- you don't want predators to get into your run and have nothing between them and the roosting chickens.

2. lay some hardware cloth on the floor and cover it with linoleum for easier cleanup (we plan to use deep litter method with straw). Or pour some cement instead?

HC and linoleum sounds great!

3. build a removable roosting bar 18" off the floor

Why removable?

4. reinforce the large access door in the front with hardwire cloth, cut out a ventilation window near the top

Yes.

5. cover the run from above and secure the unfenced side of the shed with hardware cloth.

Sounds great!!

Please let me know if I'm missing something.

You want to make sure that your ventilation is all high up, and you should have 1 square foot of ventilation per bird.

- What's the best way to access nest boxes in this setup? Is it ok to open and close the large access door in the front or should i cut out access hatches to pull them out?

- How difficult is hardware cloth to work with for overhead installation, given (i) tree in the middle, (ii) having to attach to the shed and (iii) adding a foot of height so I don't have to crawl? Alternative is bird netting but then I'd have to lock the coop religiously every night...

hardware cloth is RIDICULOUS to work with, and I wouldn't recommend it for roofing unless you are attaching it to framework, not just the walls of the run.

- The ground beneath the fence is all rocks, so it will be hard for predators (and even harder for me) to dig... Would it help to pour some cement over it?

I'd just do a hardware cloth apron around the edge.

 

[CluckerFamily]

You may want to building the nesting boxes coming out of the shed for easy access and then you will still have enough space for 6 chickens.
Hardware cloth is easy to work with, use screws and fender washers to install the hardware cloth.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. You can add your location to your profile for easy reference.

You don't need hardware cloth and linoleum on the floor -- dirt under Deep Bedding is just fine. However a wire anti-dig apron outside the building is a good idea.

You need plenty of ventilation up high because heat and ammonia both rise and need to be vented at roof-peak level. Counter-intuitively, your cold climate requires just as much permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation as my hot climate does because getting rid of warm, moisture-laden air is the key to avoiding frostbite. (Chickens tolerate dry cold very well).

Putting up hardware cloth overhead with a tree to work around isn't likely to be easy, but it is possible. Think of it like building a gazebo or picnic pavillion but with a wire roof. However, in your location you'll need to consider snow load because snow won't just pass through the wire. Have you considered an automatic pop door?

It might actually be easier to roof at least part of the run than use wire (again, remember snow load).

 

[saysfaa]

I think your plan will work.
Are you planning to put hardware cloth around the run too? The sides and anti-dig extensions..horizontal apron is easier than vertical skirt even in less rocky soil.

Hardware cloth on the floor and sides of the shed usually isn't necessary if they are well built and still solid.

Are you planning ventilation windows to be left open in the winter also? Ventilation is at least as important in winter as in summer.

I am not sure where you are considering concrete. Is it the shed or the run? I'm not seeing either being the best option but I'm also don't think I see all your reasons.

I've never covered a run with wire but I think it would be hard to do the hardware cloth over those spans, even with the tree to help. And shouldn't be necessary... hardware cloth is needed on low places because raccoons can reach through larger openings; it won't matter if they reach down from 5' up, they still won't reach the chickens. Snakes couldn't climb up to it. Weasels and rats maybe could but they don't like wide open spaces very much, and don't climb as much as raccoons even it it wasn't as open and difficult (maybe check that).

 

[TonyBYC]

Welcome to BYC. You can add your location to your profile for easy reference.

You don't need hardware cloth and linoleum on the floor -- dirt under Deep Bedding is just fine. However a wire anti-dig apron outside the building is a good idea.

You need plenty of ventilation up high because heat and ammonia both rise and need to be vented at roof-peak level. Counter-intuitively, your cold climate requires just as much permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation as my hot climate does because getting rid of warm, moisture-laden air is the key to avoiding frostbite. (Chickens tolerate dry cold very well).

Putting up hardware cloth overhead with a tree to work around isn't likely to be easy, but it is possible. Think of it like building a gazebo or picnic pavillion but with a wire roof. However, in your location you'll need to consider snow load because snow won't just pass through the wire. Have you considered an automatic pop door?

It might actually be easier to roof at least part of the run than use wire (again, remember snow load).

Thank you! Automatic door is a great idea, i hadn't thought of that. And they aren't that expensive, i see a few options around $100

 

[TonyBYC]

I think your plan will work.
Are you planning to put hardware cloth around the run too? The sides and anti-dig extensions..horizontal apron is easier than vertical skirt even in less rocky soil.

I like the horizontal apron approach, vertical just wouldn't be doable in my case!

Hardware cloth on the floor and sides of the shed usually isn't necessary if they are well built and still solid.

Are you planning ventilation windows to be left open in the winter also? Ventilation is at least as important in winter as in summer.

What I'm thinking now is to remove the whole top panel of the coop inside the shed and replace with wire, and then cut out wire-covered ventilation holes high up in the shed way above the coop area. That way I can also raise the coop area by another foot to give them more room as 3.5 feet is a bit tight. And maybe add another "ventilation hole above the back door for light and more air. Do I need actual windows (i.e. smth that can be opened or closed)?

I am not sure where you are considering concrete. Is it the shed or the run? I'm not seeing either being the best option but I'm also don't think I see all your reasons.

If I can do horizontal apron, that makes much sense that concrete

I've never covered a run with wire but I think it would be hard to do the hardware cloth over those spans, even with the tree to help. And shouldn't be necessary... hardware cloth is needed on low places because raccoons can reach through larger openings; it won't matter if they reach down from 5' up, they still won't reach the chickens. Snakes couldn't climb up to it. Weasels and rats maybe could but they don't like wide open spaces very much, and don't climb as much as raccoons even it it wasn't as open and difficult (maybe check that).

My main concern with just using bird netting was that raccoons would climb up the chainlink fence and chew through the net to get inside. But with an automated coop door that should be less of an issue.

Many thanks for the comments!

 

[3KillerBs]

What I'm thinking now is to remove the whole top panel of the coop inside the shed and replace with wire, and then cut out wire-covered ventilation holes high up in the shed way above the coop area. That way I can also raise the coop area by another foot to give them more room as 3.5 feet is a bit tight. And maybe add another "ventilation hole above the back door for light and more air. Do I need actual windows (i.e. smth that can be opened or closed)?

You don't need window-windows like in a house, but you need some means of protecting the openings from blowing rain and snow. Sometimes that's extensive roof overhangs, sometimes that's awnings, sometimes that's louvers, sometimes that's a top-hinged window that can be opened to different degrees in different weather conditions.

 

[saysfaa]

My main concern with just using bird netting was that raccoons would climb up the chainlink fence and chew through the net to get inside. But with an automated coop door that should be less of an issue.

I think they could get through bird netting but 2"x4" garden fence wire might work. If you have eletricity for the automatic door opener, do you have it for a fence charger? A strand or two of electric fence would be a whole lot easier than covering the run. Using the automatic door works too.

I agree with 3killerbs about the windows. Soffit vents are usually among the easiest, although maybe not with the dutch style roof like yours. Ridge vents are sometimes designed to be added to older buildings. A monitor or cupola is best and I think it could be added but it is a lot harder to build. And would look funny. Opening the top of the inside compartment will help a lot, whatever else you do. I would take a serious look at ridge vent and louvered end and side vents, given my poor building skills.

 

[Alaskan]

Welcome to BYC. You can add your location to your profile for easy reference.

You don't need hardware cloth and linoleum on the floor -- dirt under Deep Bedding is just fine. However a wire anti-dig apron outside the building is a good idea.

You need plenty of ventilation up high because heat and ammonia both rise and need to be vented at roof-peak level. Counter-intuitively, your cold climate requires just as much permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation as my hot climate does because getting rid of warm, moisture-laden air is the key to avoiding frostbite. (Chickens tolerate dry cold very well).

Putting up hardware cloth overhead with a tree to work around isn't likely to be easy, but it is possible. Think of it like building a gazebo or picnic pavillion but with a wire roof. However, in your location you'll need to consider snow load because snow won't just pass through the wire. Have you considered an automatic pop door?

It might actually be easier to roof at least part of the run than use wire (again, remember snow load).

X2 all of this.

And I would STRONGLY recommend roofing as much of the run as possible.

If you have over a month of winter with snow and wind and nasty, chickens stuck in a coop at 4 Square feet per chicken will start to eat each other. It can get nasty.

A roofed run will help with the coop crowding.