Approaching a significant renovation

[Ridgerunner]

As long as it stays dry my personal preference is a dirt floor. People mention that critters can live in walls with insulation, they can live under a wooden floor too. If you are taking that floor out anyway you might consider it. I added a couple of inches of dirt to the floor to raise it enough to keep rainwater out and covered that with wood shavings for bedding.

Where are you located? My main interest is your climate and weather. That could play a part in different things.

Is that a pipe in there for a roost? I don't like metal roosts. In cold weather they may lead to frostbite. (one place climate comes into play) I much prefer wooden roosts. Wood is easier to grip and are great insulators for the feet.

Does that have a ridge vent? If it does you are probably OK with ventilation. I understand it worked for chickens and rabbits before so you are probably OK but ventilation is always a concern for me.

 

[PoppasGrill]

Looks like a good starter project.
I would pull out all the rabbit hutches as planned and put some roosting bars in.
Sorry, I didn’t check your location.
We would recommend more vents or a small fan, not blowing directly at the chickens, for keeping air flow going.
We are in Florida, so our coop isn’t fully closed off , and we have dirt/sand floors.
Will they be free ranging at all or in a run?

 

[HowIsItDone]

At the time I purchased it was ~$20, do not know current price.

I was liberal in mixing and knew that I would freshen up the coop interior in the future so I put the bag inside a HD green garbage bag. As long as it does not get wet it can be mixed up and used. Easier the 2nd time.

Pretty sure it is not the same lime that is used in gardens and in animal enclosures but confirm. There will be other uses I guess, Google is your friend.

I used the hydrated lime too. It was caustic when it splattered on me a few times.

The 50lb bag was $25.00.
I was hoping that some one had a brilliant plan for the 45 lbs. I have left, lol.
I'll bag it, and put it aside.

 

[Ted Brown]

@HowIsItDone I was wrong.

Hydrated lime is used for paint AND gardening ("...generally applied to increase the soil pH level, making it more alkaline"). Test your soil to determine if you need it.

 

[HowIsItDone]

Hydrated lime is used for paint AND gardening ("...generally applied to increase the soil pH level, making it more alkaline"). Test your soil to determine if you need it.

Good idea. I'll check.

Thanks Ted.

 

[Kp805]

Photos of the coop. It’s sectioned into two halves, as I mentioned. We plan to gut it and pull out all the rabbit hutches and see if anything on the chicken side is salvageable.

That's going to be an awesome coop after renovation. It just looks worn down but not that bad. Good luck.

 

[BlueEcho]

As long as it stays dry my personal preference is a dirt floor. People mention that critters can live in walls with insulation, they can live under a wooden floor too. If you are taking that floor out anyway you might consider it. I added a couple of inches of dirt to the floor to raise it enough to keep rainwater out and covered that with wood shavings for bedding.

Where are you located? My main interest is your climate and weather. That could play a part in different things.

Is that a pipe in there for a roost? I don't like metal roosts. In cold weather they may lead to frostbite. (one place climate comes into play) I much prefer wooden roosts. Wood is easier to grip and are great insulators for the feet.

Does that have a ridge vent? If it does you are probably OK with ventilation. I understand it worked for chickens and rabbits before so you are probably OK but ventilation is always a concern for me.

Thanks for the replying and sorry for delayed reply. We've been doing a lot of work lol.

We ripped everything old out (including the metal pipe) and sorted out what we can repurpose vs what needs rotted pieces to be trimmed vs un-salvageable. I'm in New Jersey - so while we don't get too cold we do have parts of winter at/below freezing. I'm not in a flood zone but more severe hurricanes/rainstorms have been the norm lately.

I'll have to take a second look but I do not think there is a ridge vent. Still trying to balance the discussion with my partner about making this "the most secured thing ever" and proper ventilation.