With record breaking, sky high egg prices and a general trend toward homesteading-inspired hobbies, many people who never would have expected to be interested in raising chickens are looking into adding a coop to their property. If building a chicken coop sounds a little daunting, consider ordering a small garden shed that can be transformed into a coop rather than starting from scratch.
Our garden sheds can be a great solution. Delivered ready to be assembled, all you will have to do is transform the interior and add a couple of features to make it into a luxury chicken coop your hens will love. Contact us any time to learn more about the types of sheds we build and how you can customize one to suit your plans.
Flooring
Chicken coops should have a solid floor to protect them from predators, but the basic flooring that is standard with our garden sheds should be sufficient. If you want to add another type of flooring on top, you can, but there is no reason to unless you prefer the aesthetic.
Chicken Door
You will need a small entrance low to the ground for the chickens to enter and exit, either attached to a chicken run or to allow them to free range on your property. A small hole will suffice, but you will want to make sure you can securely cover it at night to protect from foxes, raccoons, and other predators. Some people prefer the look of a ramp and small latching door on the outside, which is both attractive and practical.
Human Door
Being able to enter the coop yourself is helpful for collecting eggs, cleaning, or addressing any problems with the hens. While not essential to have a chicken coop that is large enough to walk in, a garden shed provides this convenient perk. The door should fully latch in a way that predators, especially raccoons with their opposable thumbs, cannot open. A spring loaded eye hook latch or deadbolt secured with a carabiner should do the trick.
Nesting Boxes
Now that the basic entrances have been established, it’s time to plan out the chicken’s amenities. Nesting boxes should be about 12″ x 12″ and be filled with soft bedding, comfortable enough for each hen to relax in and lay their eggs. These nesting boxes can be set on the ground, or lifted to make gathering eggs easier. Faux eggs can be placed inside each one, on top of soft bedding like pine shavings or straw, to entice the hens to lay theirs in the same place.
Roosting Bars
To avoid having your chickens sleep in their nesting boxes (which can result in a variety of problems), install roosting bars. Chickens naturally sleep on the highest surface available, so installing shelves around the top of the garden shed will entice them to roost there instead of in the nesting boxes. Install the roosting bars in a staggered design, or even build them as a ladder, so that the chickens can easily hop form one of the next and find their own space.
Vents
Adequate ventilation is essential in a chicken coop so that fresh air can carry ammonia fumes from the chicken coop out rather than trapping them in with the birds. Open windows and vents in the shed are enough to keep things fresh.
Ready to order your garden shed? Contact us any time.
