Shipping Crate Coop

[Kacey Elle]

Hello,

I'm beginning a coop that will hopefully be done by April/May. I recently saw an ad for free wooden shipping crates but have the following questions/problems. Any advice welcome!

First, some background. I'm going to get three hens but will possibly get another two-three in a few more years. I can do a max of six layers in my city and want to space them out so that I get a few at max egg-laying potential (I get the logic of culling but just don't have the guts to do it). Yes, I realize that there can be difficulties with integrating new flock members. I'm in California so will have no snow and the chicken coop will be attached to a 5'x14' covered run. The chickens will be able to get out of the run in the afternoons/weekends. The main predator I'm worried about is a raccoon (I know they come into my yard occasionally) but there are also dogs in the neighborhood that could potentially get into my backyard.

I'm spending most of my available budget on the run. I've scavenged 2'x4's and 4'x4's, and some fence boards. I'm hoping to pay for only hardware, roofing, vents, and hardware cloth.

Problems:
1. I have no building skill. I have two friends willing to help me out but I want to make it as painless for them as possible.
2. Budget is about $200.
3. The opening for my backyard fence is 33" (see question #1).

Questions:
1. The ad posted says that most of the shipping crates are 3'x3' with a height of between 2' and 2.5'. There is one 4'x4'x3.5' but it wouldn't fit through my fence to get to my backyard. Keeping in mind that I live in California and the hens won't be in the coop except at night, will 9 square feet be acceptable for my eventual 6 chickens? 5? I know it isn't ideal (that it should be four square feet per chicken) but is it CRUEL under the circumstances of California weather?
2. If yes, I can try to get two 3'x3' shipping crates and attach them somehow. How would I/my friends do that? Is the easiest way to just buy a metal hinge/bracket and attach them? Would that be a "weak spot" for predators?
3. I'm planning to take one of the ad's smaller 2'x2' shipping crates for a separate nesting box. I know they are usually attached to the coop but is there any issue with keeping it separate (again, I'm going for the least amount of "building" work)? I was thinking of putting it on low legs to keep it off the floor but having it under the coop and accessible from the outside of the run.

 

[Percheron chick]

Don't waste your time with the crates. Too small. No good reason to build a traditional 4 sided plus roof chicken coop in California. Build more of an aviary. Basically ending up with a run that also has nesting boxes and roosts. Open on 2 or 3 sides, a roof, a solid wall to break the wind. 2 covered cat litter boxes (free on CL) make great nesting boxes. An old free swingset or trampoline frame can make a simple coop for the building challenged. Do some dumpster diving at construction sites and you should be able to come up with all the lumber you need so you can spend most of your budget on the hardware cloth. Cover it with a vine that the chickens won't eat and it will be an attractive addition.

 

[Kacey Elle]

Don't waste your time with the crates. Too small. No good reason to build a traditional 4 sided plus roof chicken coop in California. Build more of an aviary. Basically ending up with a run that also has nesting boxes and roosts. Open on 2 or 3 sides, a roof, a solid wall to break the wind. 2 covered cat litter boxes (free on CL) make great nesting boxes. An old free swingset or trampoline frame can make a simple coop for the building challenged. Do some dumpster diving at construction sites and you should be able to come up with all the lumber you need so you can spend most of your budget on the hardware cloth. Cover it with a vine that the chickens won't eat and it will be an attractive addition.

Interesting. Daytime weather here is pretty mild but nighttime temps can be in the 30s. That wouldn't be too cold for them? Also, my knee-jerk reaction is to worry about predators. What are the chances a raccoon would see them and feel more motivated to try to break in? What are the chances one COULD break in through hardware cloth or wood?

Thanks for the idea!

 

[Percheron chick]

A run needs to be raccoon proof irregardless. Daytime break ins are just as much a problem.
What are your summer temps? Tiny coops tend to be bake houses in the summer and are more apt to kill chickens or not be used. Egg production will suffer too.
30 might seem cold to you but it really is comfortable for them. My bachelor roosters are basically in a open dog pen and it's snowing. It has also kept then safe from coyotes and owls over the years.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Hello,

I'm beginning a coop that will hopefully be done by April/May. I recently saw an ad for free wooden shipping crates but have the following questions/problems. Any advice welcome!

First, some background. I'm going to get three hens but will possibly get another two-three in a few more years. I can do a max of six layers in my city and want to space them out so that I get a few at max egg-laying potential (I get the logic of culling but just don't have the guts to do it). Yes, I realize that there can be difficulties with integrating new flock members. I'm in California so will have no snow and the chicken coop will be attached to a 5'x14' covered run. The chickens will be able to get out of the run in the afternoons/weekends. The main predator I'm worried about is a raccoon (I know they come into my yard occasionally) but there are also dogs in the neighborhood that could potentially get into my backyard.

I'm spending most of my available budget on the run. I've scavenged 2'x4's and 4'x4's, and some fence boards. I'm hoping to pay for only hardware, roofing, vents, and hardware cloth.

Problems:
1. I have no building skill. I have two friends willing to help me out but I want to make it as painless for them as possible.
2. Budget is about $200.
3. The opening for my backyard fence is 33" (see question #1).

Questions:
1. The ad posted says that most of the shipping crates are 3'x3' with a height of between 2' and 2.5'. There is one 4'x4'x3.5' but it wouldn't fit through my fence to get to my backyard. Keeping in mind that I live in California and the hens won't be in the coop except at night, will 9 square feet be acceptable for my eventual 6 chickens? 5? I know it isn't ideal (that it should be four square feet per chicken) but is it CRUEL under the circumstances of California weather?
2. If yes, I can try to get two 3'x3' shipping crates and attach them somehow. How would I/my friends do that? Is the easiest way to just buy a metal hinge/bracket and attach them? Would that be a "weak spot" for predators?
3. I'm planning to take one of the ad's smaller 2'x2' shipping crates for a separate nesting box. I know they are usually attached to the coop but is there any issue with keeping it separate (again, I'm going for the least amount of "building" work)? I was thinking of putting it on low legs to keep it off the floor but having it under the coop and accessible from the outside of the run.

I have use a shipping crate to build a small coop have 4 silky pullets in it started with one then added a small room of another on

 

[AkChris]

I agree that in your warmer CA weather the chickens don't need a fully enclosed coop. They do still however need a place to get out of the wind and sleep in a protected area. So you need to consider space on the roost. Chickens need 8-12" of roost space per bird (depending upon their breed and size). If we say give each bird 10", then 6 chicken need about 60" or 5 ft of roost space. One shipping crate is only going to have enough space for one roost bar and so only 3 ft of roost length at most. So you'll need at least 2 for 6 chickens. The other consideration is that they need to have enough room to be able to jump up onto the roost and not be hitting their heads. I can't see a 2 ft tall box giving them enough height. So I'd put them on their side so that they have 3 ft of height. Which then only gives you 3ft by 2ft space. You could put two together to make a 3 ft by 4 ft space. Or you could but two together into more of an 'L' shape. That would make more of a 2-3 sided structure with the front open. I think this would actually be the best setup for you.

30 degrees is not that cold for a chicken. I live in Alaska and my chickens deal with much colder temps. My chicken area has a small fully enclosed coop with roosting bars and nest box. They only ever use this area to sleep. Then they have a attached covered run that has 3 solid sides and the 4th is hardware cloth. Even when it gets down to zero here the chickens are never in the enclosed coop if it's light out. They much prefer to be out in their 'yard' which is fenced but not covered or protected from the elements except for the spruce trees and bushes that are growing in that area. They will retreat back to the covered and 3-sided run when it is especially windy, snowy, or heavy rain. Chickens will be fine to be out in your climate.

 

[Kacey Elle]

A run needs to be raccoon proof irregardless. Daytime break ins are just as much a problem.
What are your summer temps? Tiny coops tend to be bake houses in the summer and are more apt to kill chickens or not be used. Egg production will suffer too.
30 might seem cold to you but it really is comfortable for them. My bachelor roosters are basically in a open dog pen and it's snowing. It has also kept then safe from coyotes and owls over the years.

- You're sure giving me lots to consider! Summer temps are normally high 80s/low 90s but occasionally go up into the 100s.

I agree that in your warmer CA weather the chickens don't need a fully enclosed coop. They do still however need a place to get out of the wind and sleep in a protected area. So you need to consider space on the roost. Chickens need 8-12" of roost space per bird (depending upon their breed and size). If we say give each bird 10", then 6 chicken need about 60" or 5 ft of roost space. One shipping crate is only going to have enough space for one roost bar and so only 3 ft of roost length at most. So you'll need at least 2 for 6 chickens. The other consideration is that they need to have enough room to be able to jump up onto the roost and not be hitting their heads. I can't see a 2 ft tall box giving them enough height. So I'd put them on their side so that they have 3 ft of height. Which then only gives you 3ft by 2ft space. You could put two together to make a 3 ft by 4 ft space. Or you could but two together into more of an 'L' shape. That would make more of a 2-3 sided structure with the front open. I think this would actually be the best setup for you.

30 degrees is not that cold for a chicken. I live in Alaska and my chickens deal with much colder temps. My chicken area has a small fully enclosed coop with roosting bars and nest box. They only ever use this area to sleep. Then they have a attached covered run that has 3 solid sides and the 4th is hardware cloth. Even when it gets down to zero here the chickens are never in the enclosed coop if it's light out. They much prefer to be out in their 'yard' which is fenced but not covered or protected from the elements except for the spruce trees and bushes that are growing in that area. They will retreat back to the covered and 3-sided run when it is especially windy, snowy, or heavy rain. Chickens will be fine to be out in your climate.

- Thanks for the ideas! Our weather is vastly different but your chicken knowledge is great.

 

[RUNuts]

search pallet coops. Maybe what you are looking for.

Can you lift the larger crates over the fence?
The smaller ones could be used as nesting boxes or storage boxes?
Could you stack the boxes for a structure? Knock the connecting sides off or out?
Sounds like building blocks, get creative! Free wood is a resource.
All you really need is a 3 sided box with a roof. My neighbor did that for his hens off the side of the backyard shed. Front of the "coop" is open and screened in with chicken wire and a door to limit access. They have the run of the yard normally.

 

[AkChris]

So I was bored and took on your shipping crate project to amuse myself. I used a few old kleenex boxes cut in half to roughly approximate a 3x3x2 shipping crate and then thought about how I'd make them into a coop. I came up with a simple version that just uses materials from 2 crates, a few 2x4s (two 5' long and two 4' long) plus a box of screws. Maybe a few hinges if you want for the roof. It is pretty well protected on three sides and has a open front so you'll have lots of ventilation to keep it cooler in the summer. The whole thing should fit in one end of your enclosed and covered run so you won't need to worry too much about the roof shedding water or enclosing the front to keep out predators. It also means you don't have to worry about building a door or other means to access. The open front is perfect for that.

Looking at this again I think I'd put the 2x4s that are holding the two crates together on the inside of the coop instead of the back and outside. That would give it more strength as two sides of the 2x4 would then be in contact with 2 sides of the crate. For example of the 2x4 on the bottom would then be in contact with the bottom of the coop and the back side. The top one would support the roof of the coop and the back side.

I like these type of small coops raised up off the ground. Having the floor higher makes cleaning them out much easier. Just take a wheelbarrow or garden wagon (or just a tote or large tub) and place it next to the coop opening. Then take a rack and just scrape all the soiled bedding right into your container. It takes me just a couple of mins to rake my coop floor clean and I don't have to shovel or fork up any heavy soiled bedding. I then just wheel the old bedding over to the compost heap and dump it. Super quick and easy and no back strain. Another nice feature of a raised coop is it opens up the space under the coop for the chickens to use. Its a nice area to put food and water. For you it will also provide a cool, shady area for them to use during hot summer weather. I also think chickens are just happier roosting higher up off the ground.

Think of the dominoes in the pic below as support posts. I'd use 4x4 posts. You would likely need 6-8 so that you could have support at each corner, the inside corner, and where the seam from the two crates come together. If you have access to cinder blocks you could also use those stacked together.




If you wanted or needed the roof to shed water you could likely come up with something using a sheet of plywood and a few more 2x4s. This might be getting into a bit more complicated building but shouldn't be too impossible.

 

[N F C]

So I was bored and took on your shipping crate project to amuse myself. I used a few old kleenex boxes cut in half to roughly approximate a 3x3x2 shipping crate and then thought about how I'd make them into a coop. I came up with a simple version that just uses materials from 2 crates, a few 2x4s (two 5' long and two 4' long) plus a box of screws. Maybe a few hinges if you want for the roof. It is pretty well protected on three sides and has a open front so you'll have lots of ventilation to keep it cooler in the summer. The whole thing should fit in one end of your enclosed and covered run so you won't need to worry too much about the roof shedding water or enclosing the front to keep out predators. It also means you don't have to worry about building a door or other means to access. The open front is perfect for that.

View attachment 1244394
View attachment 1244400

Looking at this again I think I'd put the 2x4s that are holding the two crates together on the inside of the coop instead of the back and outside. That would give it more strength as two sides of the 2x4 would then be in contact with 2 sides of the crate. For example of the 2x4 on the bottom would then be in contact with the bottom of the coop and the back side. The top one would support the roof of the coop and the back side.

I like these type of small coops raised up off the ground. Having the floor higher makes cleaning them out much easier. Just take a wheelbarrow or garden wagon (or just a tote or large tub) and place it next to the coop opening. Then take a rack and just scrape all the soiled bedding right into your container. It takes me just a couple of mins to rake my coop floor clean and I don't have to shovel or fork up any heavy soiled bedding. I then just wheel the old bedding over to the compost heap and dump it. Super quick and easy and no back strain. Another nice feature of a raised coop is it opens up the space under the coop for the chickens to use. Its a nice area to put food and water. For you it will also provide a cool, shady area for them to use during hot summer weather. I also think chickens are just happier roosting higher up off the ground.

Think of the dominoes in the pic below as support posts. I'd use 4x4 posts. You would likely need 6-8 so that you could have support at each corner, the inside corner, and where the seam from the two crates come together. If you have access to cinder blocks you could also use those stacked together.

View attachment 1244395


If you wanted or needed the roof to shed water you could likely come up with something using a sheet of plywood and a few more 2x4s. This might be getting into a bit more complicated building but shouldn't be too impossible.


View attachment 1244392

A picture is worth a thousand words! Good job modeling your idea