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Home | Homestead | How We Turned a Shed into a Chicken Coop

How We Turned a Shed into a Chicken Coop

Homestead

How we turned a shed into a chicken coop

When we bought our first flock of chicks, we jumped in with both feet (and no chicken coop!). We considered many options for building a coop, but this little shed on our property just kept looking so useable, that we finally came up with a plan to convert it into a chicken coop. (We actually just used half, and kept the other half for storage.)

It had no doors, and piles of storage tubs and boxes. But it is a great structure, so we decided to start with what we had.

shed turned chicken coop

We built a half-wall down the center out of corrugated tin (that was given to us) and made a screened wall on the top half with hardware cloth.

How we turned a shed into a chicken coop

Nathan (6) likes to help.

Helping to build a chicken coop

Pallets were laid for the base of the floor. We did this to prevent varmints from digging their way into the coop.

Pallet floor for chicken coop

Plywood was laid over the pallets for a floor. My husband and 8-year-old son are installing the door frame.

Building the floor of the chicken coop

About half-way in we created a screen door and screened-wall.

Installing a screen door in the chicken coop

We designed and built our screen door. My husband and 13-year old daughter are putting it up.Screen door in chicken coop

My hubby and me in the coop. : )

Finished door in the chicken coop

Inside the coop. These shelves were already in the shed. We used big branches for roosting perches.

Inside our shed turned chicken coop

The chickens were moved from our living room (!) to the coop at about 2 months old.

young chickens in the new coop

The finished doors. I love them! We would do a couple of things different in the future, but they still work great.

Chicken coop doors

We cut a window in the side and covered it with hardware cloth for light and air. On the outside, we made sliding doors to close up during bad weather.

Chicken coop interior with window

We started with 25 Buff Orpington chicks. At Easter, my daughters fell in love with baby chicks at the local feed store, so they moved into the house when the Buffs moved out. Once they were a few weeks old, we moved the 4 white chickens into the coop.

front interior of coop

Since we had the inside of the coop separated into two sections, the new babies could be “in” the coop to meet their mates without being thrown together too soon. We kept them like this for a couple of weeks. The white picket fence in the previous photo was moveable, but we typically just climbed over it to feed and water.

chicken coop interior

We cut an exit door in the side of the coop that goes out to their run.

coop door and window

This is the chicken run. I found this cool screen door at a yard sale and saved it for just the right project! We added solar lights on top of the posts.

chicken run

Roosting!

roosting in the coop

The complete coop and run. I love it. This is facing west so it’s always got a pretty Texas sunset behind it.

our shed turned chicken coop

They’re ready to go out and hunt for bugs!

chickens in the run

My 3-year-old daughter LOVES cuddling chickens!

cute little girl with chicken

Well, there you have it! We are not experienced builders in any sense, but our chicken coop and run have served us well for 2 years so far! Now our chickens are free range, so the run is mostly used for new babies, or mama hens with their little brood. We later built a “chick nursery” inside the front of this coop, which I will share soon. Check out my HOMESTEAD PAGE for more of the “simple life.”

If you like this, you might really like my series on The Simple Wisdom of Laura Ingalls Wilder!

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August 6, 2016 · 1 Comment

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  1. window Screens says

    February 22, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    love that chicken with little girl

    Reply

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I have two very different sons. One has been an extrovert since he could talk. The other has been an introvert for just as long. The thing about home education is that it doesn’t have to happen at home. What it really means is “not public school.” Not stuck in a classroom all day. Not confined to a government calendar. Not a slave to the system. 23 years ago I helped my aunt Kari start a homeschool co-op. At that time, I had one child and she was three years old. If you have a child that struggles to read, read to them. Read aloud every day. That’s the best advice I can give. New year. New house. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: How do I homeschool with babies and toddlers in the mix?? Don’t let people tell you that “you can’t shelter your children.” Yes, you can. And you absolutely should. Mothers have a crucial role to play in society, although their job doesn’t always feel very “crucial.” Wiping baby faces, repeating instructions, settling squabbles, and making food is repetitive and doesn’t always seem important. For 2023, I’ll be preaching the same ol’ message that I can’t stop saying: “education is discipleship,” and “you can do it” homeschooling encouragement. Not gonna make the message easier to swallow when the world is attacking children on a grander scale every day. I’m also not going to tell you that homeschooling is a breeze, but I will keep saying that it’s worth every minute.

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