Suncast Shed for Coop?

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Hello all,

i'm sure no one remembers me. i haven't posted much in the past 6 months, as we had to sell our house in Los Angeles and move up to Northern California. Very hard 400 mile move, what with four cats, two aquariums, 12 chickens and 5 baby chicks. But, we are finally here and have a nice house with a larger backyard.

So this time, i want to make a decent coop for the girls. Right now they go into an existing shed (which my husband has claimed as his tool shed) at night. Then i carry them one by one out to the temporary kennels i have set up for them during the day.

Anyhow, long story short, has anyone used one of those Suncast sheds as a coop? i am leaning towards this type, as my husband and i are not handy at all, and these sheds just snap together. Any thoughts about pros and cons? Here is a link to the one i'm looking at:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=6435912

Thanks for any advice! Colleen

 

[dangerouschicken]

I have something similar. It is a triple-thick plastic 8' x 10' shed with a ply-wood floor. Because ours had no windows, we used a Saws-all to make some, and screwed screens over the top. You just have to cover the windows with thick plastic sheeting in the wintertime. The chicken door was also created by using the Saws-all. It has been GREAT for our flock (24 chickens). It keeps them warm all winter (coldest temps here are about 10 degrees F) and we have never used a heater or artificial lighting with them. Inside we use a thick bedding of straw or pine shavings, to keep the floors dry. Personally, I think it would work nicely for your girls

Here's a pic of our coop and run just before we cut out and installed the screened windows:

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Hey, thanks for the post. Very nice shed/coop you have. i was a little concerned about cutting a doorway into the shed without shattering the plastic/resin. i'll have to look into getting one of those saws-all.

Colleen

 

[lilchick]

I am new here on the forum.. I have been raising chickens for several years here in Indiana. Love the banties ( hence my name)....
My poor hubby built me 2 barns and then said if I wanted anymore to just go buy them!
If you go to Lowes check out their demo sheds. In the fall (if you can wait) they usually clearance them out for half off or more.. Not Lowes but the company that owns them..
I got a 10 x 12 red barn for 1,350.00. It had all the features like treated floor, shelves, workbench, loft, windows with shutters, cupola with chicken weather vane and 2 sky lights! I only paid half off for regular shed, the features were thrown in so to speak!
Ask Lowes associates and they can give you company names and you can check their websites.. And the names of haulers who will pick it up from Lowes and deliver it for you.
A wooden barn might be better as it would not get as hot as a plastic one. The moisture might be a problem also...
And for less money you could even get the wooden kits and put it together yourself. Or ask your family or friends to lend a hand...... hope this helps... lilchick

 

[Chirpy]

My thought is that California = heat! Plastic sheds get very, very hot inside. You would want to make sure you had multiple windows cut out and covered with hardware cloth for cross ventilation. I would even suggest putting a turbine on top to help.

 

[EweSheep]

I've got a Royal Outdoor shed that worked just great! Hubby made a window and doggy door for the chickens and screen wired people door for me to get in there and gather up eggs. It is a little over four years old and it has done well!
I lined the floor with horse rubber mats.

I dont have any problems with it being wet or too hot or too cold. However you need to be mindful about ventilation becasue if you keep the people door shut, it would make the walls wet and not good for the chickens to be in that!

 

[Jolyn]

Hi airheart.....Hey you're not related to the older couple that does Airheart CPR are you?

I'm in the Sac area too.

Have you tried looking on Craigslist in the Sacramento area? I always see sheds like that on there. You could probably get something for cheaper. Just an idea.

 

[bwalden3]

I had on of these sheds, and there are some concerns to account for.

1. the area must be perfectly level or the building parts won't lock together (and come apart in strong winds)

2. if you have bear in your area, don't use this shed. we Had a bear get in (it took down a whole wall). Once one these sheds are breached they won't go back together well again.

3. If you do get this shed, beef up the roof, there should be brackets in the gable ends that will accept a 2x6. any load on the roof will collapse the roof.

As was mentioned before they do heat up quickly, and in winter no matter how tight I would get the shed, I always found snow inside it. For as much as it cost, I don't think you get a good product. How about a prebuilt shed from home depot or lowes. For the increase in price you will get more space. With chickens you always have a need for more space

 

[lovethechickens]

Hey, I also have something very similar. Check out my post. I think its title My Setup pic heavy. Check it out!

 

[lovethechickens]

Oh yeah,,,,, Not that easy to put together. I am eventually going to make my plastic shed, a dirtbike, 4 wheeler, storage device. I find the plastic gets a little hot. If it doesnt get past 90 where you live, Id say go for it!