Need help converting old shed into a Chicken coop (with pictures)

TwistedSerpent · 08-07-2010, 04:53 PM

I apologise if this is the wrong section. We just recently bought a house in the country, there are several sheds on the property and one I am planning on converting into a chicken coop. It was built by the previous owner and a lot of the wood is old/rotting. The interior walls were just sheets of plywood and pressboard nailed together.

Here's the front of the shed -

And the back/side

The roof and back is tin.

The interior, the flooring is just made up of pallets

Now inside had an old skunky musty smell, there was a ton of garbage in it so I assumed it was just caused by that and stale air. Now I'm going to be keeping chickens in here so I dont need the floor, upon removal of the pallets I found to true source of the smell

Welcome to the country

TwistedSerpent · 08-07-2010, 05:01 PM

So I decided to remove the interior wall panels, many of them were really starting to rot plus the stench of the skunk was kind of infused into them. I'm probably not going to replace them, I would just prefer to fix up and paint what was behind them.

To the right of this shed is another shed, and between them it has been walled off and actually roofed too with tin however this small spaces is non-acessable. My first intentions was to leave the wall in this shed intact and make an opening to use this middle space as an enclosed run for the birds, however that was was so rotted out I figured I'd just take it out and make the coop that much larger. Turns out the tin roof started to collapse a bit over it leaving water to get in, expaining why that wall was in such bad shape. I'm not sure if its best I just make a new support for that corner of roof, or if its unsafe and needs to be reframed. Also a couple of the walls are not in the best condition, what do I need to do to be able to safely paint and prime them for them to at least last until next spring?

TwistedSerpent · 08-07-2010, 05:18 PM

The black stuff in the corners is actually bark still on the posts that the camera really turned black. I would also like to mention that I'm not looking for professional quaility building, I just want it doable and economic. There will be chickens in here who will be pooping all over the place so interior looks isnt high on my list to start with.

Just because - a few pictures of a couple of the beasties who will be calling it home

DangerMouse · 08-07-2010, 08:27 PM

Not sure if you're asking a question or not, but I would plan on a floor if you have any varmints in your (not shown) location.
Nothing worse than going to get eggs and finding dead hens.... they'll tunnel under the walls no problem. If it gets cold, plan on insulation and/or even heat if necessary or you'll have frostbit birds.

DM

TwistedSerpent · 08-07-2010, 08:49 PM

I was moreso wondering whats needed to prepare and paint this older wood? There does look like some moisture has hit some of it. The way this skunk got in was actually pulling a hole through the rotted wood, not too sure on the exact predator problem here but I'll deal with it when it happens. Frostbite happens moreso due to moist air then cold air, I will be adding vents to keep the air properly circulated. I prefer not to insulate so we will see how this winter goes, if I need to though I will add heat. How I'm planning on doing the floor/bedding will also help keep it warm, plus chickens can tolerate some fairly low temps.