Converting metal shed to chicken coop help

[Coastal Farm Girl]

A friend gave me their metal shed for our chicken coop. We haven't set it in place and I need help on figuring out what would be best for the base and securing it. Then adding windows and ventilation. Eventually, I would love to replace the doors for dutch doors. I have attached pictures of the metal shed exterior and interior while it's on dolly's until we come up with the base solution. I have also attached an idea of how we will use it from another picture but not the same for obvious reasons with the structure of this shed. I am looking for any helpful ideas on this modification. I am open to all ideas. Thank you in advance.

 

[Debbie292d]

Pretty awesome! You'll have a great coop when done!

Just a couple points to ponder:

Is that double door going to be your entrance and theirs? If so, could you make a chicken door with a locking door on one side, so that you can open up the other side when you go in?

Did you want rolling nest boxes or a door on the opposite side that you could open to fetch eggs? Or, you could put the nest boxes toward the front so you're not walking into roosts to get the eggs.

You'll have to consider where you're going to put vents/ventilation. If you could find some used eaves or could design something the same, you could put that on the lower side and install ventilation and maybe a window under that.

Here's a thread on ventilating metal sheds.

Hopefully someone else comes along that's done this as I know many have! Good luck!!

 

[Coastal Farm Girl]

Is that double door going to be your entrance and theirs? If so, could you make a chicken door with a locking door on one side, so that you can open up the other side when you go in?

Did you want rolling nest boxes or a door on the opposite side that you could open to fetch eggs? Or, you could put the nest boxes toward the front so you're not walking into roosts to get the eggs.

You'll have to consider where you're going to put vents/ventilation. If you could find some used eaves or could design something the same, you could put that on the lower side and install ventilation and maybe a window under that.

Here's a thread on ventilating metal sheds.

Hopefully someone else comes along that's done this as I know many have! Good luck!!

Thank you for your response and bringing up things to think about.

The double door - I was thinking of turning that into a dutch door with screens, since it will be the main entrance in the coop. Depending on placement because as of current planning, that back wall will be facing West and getting afternoon heat. I have an automatic door to open to the run. I attached a picture of the dutch door (won't be that nice but it's the idea). It's such a small opening and hoping to use it for light and during the day ventilation.

I haven't figured out on the nesting boxes. I assumed I would walk in to get the eggs. I do have a portable 4-5 metal nesting boxes that are rolling nest boxes - they have avoided this like the plague. That's something I need to consider and good point. I wanted to have boxes and a roosting nest (similar to the attached).

I have been looking at the threads on the ventilating and will have to use narrow vents with the support inside the shed. Especially being in SC and the heat, I will need to make sure this is well ventilated.

Like many on here - I tend to overthink all of my planning when I am hoping it could be really simple.

Biggest need for help is what to do for the base to put this on and to secure it!

 

[Sassy07]

Placed vertical vents in mine as the panels run vertical to keep the structure as intact as possible. I had to cut across one of those ridges for the pop door and it definitely takes away from the stability of the wall.

For our base we framed out a floor like you would for any shed with untreated 2x4s and 3/4" plywood and painted it. The base sits on 2 4x4 pressure treated rails.

 

[saysfaa]

A friend gave me their metal shed for our chicken coop. We haven't set it in place and I need help on figuring out what would be best for the base and securing it. ...

Awesome friend! Very nice start to a coop!

Metal on cement tends to rust pretty fast. I would look into putting it on treated wood sills. Probably 2x10 or so, if it will be on the cement slab. Check that it doesn't interrupt water flow from the building or around the buulding.

It is very tall for how wide it is so is more vulnerable to blowing over. Do the pictures show it about where you want it? If so, the building will block a lot of wind. It may also funnel the wind when the wind is from certain directions. I don't know how to anchor it; I'm sure that information is not too hard to find.

South Carolina is warm enough that you are likely to have a lot of trouble with heat building up inside the coop. You might consider removing the entire tallest wall. The studs of that side would needs some reinforcement - or remove them too, using the fence posts I see in the picture for wall support. It would need a beam then, I think. You might be able to use the metal from the removed wall to extend (and roof) the end walls.

Until you replace the doors (if you don't before the chickens arrive), the insulation on them should be removed or covered. Chickens will eat that insulation if they can reach it.

 

[Coastal Farm Girl]

Placed vertical vents in mine as the panels run vertical to keep the structure as intact as possible. I had to cut across one of those ridges for the pop door and it definitely takes away from the stability of the wall.

For our base we framed out a floor like you would for any shed with untreated 2x4s and 3/4" plywood and painted it. The base sits on 2 4x4 pressure treated rails.

My husband is like, "Told you so" on framing out the base with wood. Ha! Ha! That's why it's still a planned project and need it sooner than later.

 

[Coastal Farm Girl]

Awesome friend! Very nice start to a coop!

Metal on cement tends to rust pretty fast. I would look into putting it on treated wood sills. Probably 2x10 or so, if it will be on the cement slab. Check that it doesn't interrupt water flow from the building or around the buulding.

It is very tall for how wide it is so is more vulnerable to blowing over. Do the pictures show it about where you want it? If so, the building will block a lot of wind. It may also funnel the wind when the wind is from certain directions. I don't know how to anchor it; I'm sure that information is not too hard to find.

South Carolina is warm enough that you are likely to have a lot of trouble with heat building up inside the coop. You might consider removing the entire tallest wall. The studs of that side would needs some reinforcement - or remove them too, using the fence posts I see in the picture for wall support. It would need a beam then, I think. You might be able to use the metal from the removed wall to extend (and roof) the end walls.

Until you replace the doors (if you don't before the chickens arrive), the insulation on them should be removed or covered. Chickens will eat that insulation if they can reach it.

Love your input.

It's not staying on the concrete, just there until we can move it on the other side of the hitching post, less than a foot but it needs to be leveled out. I am worried about it being so tall because we live between two lakes and the summer storms are worse than the tropical storms we can get with wind speeds. The only way we can anchor it, will be to frame the bottom out.

Good point on removing the insulation! We have chickens now, in a tractor coop and they are free roam. They are avoiding the metal shed like it's going to eat them. My husband has bet me that the chickens will not go in the shed, once we fix it up for them. I'm willing to gamble on his bragging rights for many years. Help me now!

 

[saysfaa]

... My husband has bet me that the chickens will not go in the shed, once we fix it up for them. I'm willing to gamble on his bragging rights for many years. Help me now!

They may not without some intervention. I see two good ways to do it; there are probably more.

One way is to carry each one in and lock them in for several days until it becomes their home.

The other way to get it set up, then leave it for several days to a few weeks - so it can become part of the normal background- then put their feed (feeder or treats if you do treats) about as close to it as they are comfortable going and leave them alone. It should not be long until "about as close" is inside it.

I recommend NOT trying to chase them in. Even after they have accepted it but especially before they have accepted it.

 

[saysfaa]

Or, after they go to roost, move them into the new coop each night until they are used to being in it in the mornings.

Many people say it is easiest to move chickens at night. I haven't thought so but have seldom tried it and mine a pretty used to being moved in other ways.

 

[Sassy07]

I would also make sure to seal the bottom up well when mounting it to the base. We neglected that and now I'm fighting moisture issues in the bottom. Waiting for the weather to clear up and then I'm going to have to empty it out, clean it and seal it.