Playhouse to Coop...good deal or nah?

[Dach]

Great idea but too pricy! Look on Facebook marketplace for a playhouse, much cheaper! You could even try Craigslist. Then you’ll have plenty of money to fix it up the way you want!

 

[MissE]

I think it would make a great coop, and if it was in my area, the $600 would have been handed over yesterday. It should be easy to add ventilation and cedar stands up well to humidity. You could even paint the inside if you're worried about the oil in the wood, however with it being older, there shouldn't be any issue. Your birds will not complain about too much room. Actually, chickens complain about everything, but more room is good.

Sure, if you have the tools, time, and knowledge, you could build a pallet coop for less, but sometimes spending a little more money is worth not having a headache.

 

[Debnsync]

I’m wondering what you decided to do about the building you were considering using? It so reminds me of the condition our’s was in: solid with some soul to it yet in need of some work and predator-proofing. Now I’m onto researching and reading about winter-prep and how to safely warm the chicken house when the winter temperatures are known to hang below 40 degrees F and/or worse yet, freezing, 32 degrees F, for several or more consecutive days. Hoping there is a good discussion and advice around that here.
Back to the chicken house concept update: we are so grateful that renovating it has worked really well, 100%, protecting our little flock from all predators. Each evening I, or sometimes the guys, do the final head count once the girls & roosters head inside before tucking them in, i.e. locking the door. This is after they free-range all day, having released them in the a.m. once it’s bright out, safely past sunrise, (foxes` And owls though known to be shy and nocturnal apparently may stalk around for the early-release time so we wait a bit). We have not had any break ins or attempts to dig in by critters. They can’t since the preventative work was done alongside rebuilding the floor support beams/flooring and the one wall overhaul securing within it 2 old farmhouse windows & an existing door. The guys dug beneath and all around the exterior, putting the hardware mesh/wire under the entire building then extending it beyond it’s perimeter a few feet. Still, every night I walked around the exterior like a sleepless new mother searching for any possible breaches.
We are using the deep litter method btw and it’s worked really well in this old building! It’s good to do this on a solid water-proof floor. When I have discovered a wet area of the chips/hay due to the water containers tipping or rain blowing in the windows or the rare spot where the “pooty” wasn’t raked around enough yet, it’s just a matter of checking beneath and then raking it around, pulling the old “litter” out into the air/sun and putting drier materials around in it’s place. It was worth putting down the black stall matting down as a top surface that covers the real floor you want to keep from getting wet. Beneath our’s we also put downinexpensive vinyl floor-planking to then further protect the solid wood base that is the floor beneath it all. I encourage anyone debating the options around managing their chicken house to follow the experienced people who praise and successfully practice this technique. That is how I learned and continued to hold faith along the way.
Snakes: it’s worth the time covering the 1” and smaller openings that we also had throughout the old building because they probably can get in and like to eat eggs. Apparently at least our native black snakes do not normally harm or eat chickens. We haven’t noticed any sort of ongoing activity that indicated snakes’ presence though I have yet to see a mouse inside! I had not realized that there was one little gap over the ancient but sturdy single door when it’s closed is probably just large enough for one to get through. We recently attached a strip of the same hardware mesh/wire used around the house atop the door to block it, so when it’s closed it is completely tight and covered. This was done upon seeing one of the farm’s local black snakes sunning on the driveway that then was unfortunately scared by our antics attempting to guide him away which lead to him then quickly heading directly toward and up along the door of the chicken house! I learned a lot reading about black snakes that day discovering they definitely will eat eggs, baby chicks, and yes, these nonvenomous, farmers’ helpful snakes CAN climb straight up a tree or other surface. Best to you and all along with their chickens!

Oh wow! Your redo is amazing! Thank u for all the info and advice!

 

[DickMidnight]

You're not building a house for you to live in, its for chickens. Look for cull wood, shipping crates, pallets, etc. Most of it will be free and if you design and build it correctly, it will just as strong and durable.

yeah, but not everyone wants something in their yard that looks like crap.

even at the price of $0 i wouldn’t put a clapped together pallet box on my property

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

I’m wondering what you decided to do about the building you were considering using?

Funny u should ask! Let me just say my husband regrets not going with any of my ideas and research after I messed up NOT researching the first time n buying that pre-fab coop.
So I went with his suggestion rather than the cedar playhouse that would have been great! It's this...all metal framing and we wrapped it in hardware cloth. He said it didn't need to be level...so dealing with that now that winter is coming as well as we are building a larger coop on outside of it due to the ground staying so wet and me having silkies.
Definitely a work in progress! But coming along.

 

[Mamatomany123]

We currently had to make a bigger coop and did so with pallets that we got for free. I've since added hardware cloth along the vents up top but by scavenging wood I didn't pay thing for this

 

[cluckmecoop7]

There are some amazing coops that people have built out of pallets.
It truly depends on what you want and how much you are willing to spend on the coop and run. No matter what you decide on, your flock will enjoy it.

This coop is mostly built out of pallets

 

[Debnsync]

Funny u should ask! Let me just say my husband regrets not going with any of my ideas and research after I messed up NOT researching the first time n buying that pre-fab coop.
So I went with his suggestion rather than the cedar playhouse that would have been great! It's this...all metal framing and we wrapped it in hardware cloth. He said it didn't need to be level...so dealing with that now that winter is coming as well as we are building a larger coop on outside of it due to the ground staying so wet and me having silkies.
Definitely a work in progress! But coming along.View attachment 2895776View attachment 2895777

Hi, you guys have been busy! This looks like it would still make a great run if you do add on and build the wooden chicken house. I am going to do a separate post reaching out for ideas on how to best construct a predator-proof chicken run connected to their chicken house. We need an area where the chickens could be outside but not free ranging at times when we can’t keep an eye on where they are. Our neighbors’ farm bordering our’s is almost 200 acres with fields and woods backing up to the chickens favorite part of the yard.
No worries, I hear you, and I also have not always made great decisions nor do I ever feel that I have researched enough when it comes to our chickens. I love learning from people who share their experiences, giving guidance that is by the book yet tested out themselves for some time. Take care! Oh and wondering if you have read about how to build up the “nesting ground“ by adding particular sort of sand, along with perhaps chopped hay, peat, and various things. I am still learning about this and may continue using the deep litter method atop the grass for them to be comfy outdoors. I am a bit concerned about the cold weather coming this weekend before Thanksgiving though normally temperatures don’t stay below 32 F for many continuous days in the Piedmont of N.C. I still plan to get the safe, rectangular heater recommended for hanging over their roosting area for those freezing days!

 

[Gammas Bearded Babies]

Hi, you guys have been busy! This looks like it would still make a great run if you do add on and build the wooden chicken house. I am going to do a separate post reaching out for ideas on how to best construct a predator-proof chicken run connected to their chicken house. We need an area where the chickens could be outside but not free ranging at times when we can’t keep an eye on where they are. Our neighbors’ farm bordering our’s is almost 200 acres with fields and woods backing up to the chickens favorite part of the yard.
No worries, I hear you, and I also have not always made great decisions nor do I ever feel that I have researched enough when it comes to our chickens. I love learning from people who share their experiences, giving guidance that is by the book yet tested out themselves for some time. Take care! Oh and wondering if you have read about how to build up the “nesting ground“ by adding particular sort of sand, along with perhaps chopped hay, peat, and various things. I am still learning about this and may continue using the deep litter method atop the grass for them to be comfy outdoors. I am a bit concerned about the cold weather coming this weekend before Thanksgiving though normally temperatures don’t stay below 32 F for many continuous days in the Piedmont of N.C. I still plan to get the safe, rectangular heater recommended for hanging over their roosting area for those freezing days!

Yes...I sure pray it gets finished THIS weekend! Temps have dropped back in 20s at night and my Vanilli went broody on 6 eggs! So I desperately need the better and bigger coop for her in addition to draft free coop for all!
And I got 8 babies that are 4 days old now from incubator! Can't believe she went broody now! Guess I'll be giving silkies to everyone for Christmas!!!
Here's updated pic of new coop...don't look too close - my son-in-law is awesome but not a contractor! But he said it I study enough for him to hang on trying to get monitor roof up so should be more than safe enough for some silkies!

 

[Shezadandy]

Yes...I sure pray it gets finished THIS weekend! Temps have dropped back in 20s at night and my Vanilli went broody on 6 eggs! So I desperately need the better and bigger coop for her in addition to draft free coop for all!
And I got 8 babies that are 4 days old now from incubator! Can't believe she went broody now! Guess I'll be giving silkies to everyone for Christmas!!!
Here's updated pic of new coop...don't look too close - my son-in-law is awesome but not a contractor! But he said it I study enough for him to hang on trying to get monitor roof up so should be more than safe enough for some silkies!
View attachment 2902754

How much for the son-in-law?