Vanessa Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 Anyone have one? I think I have seen some pictures around here but not sure. Me and OH had another disscussion about our chicken housing last night. Unfortunatly me and OH do not agree on having a cube so now he has come up with the idea of an shed converted into chicken palace. He also wants to attach an run to it. What are the benefits and also what are the negatives? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I have as hubby suggested using our original shed You can see the pics from my signature link. We replaced the felted roof with coroline(sp?) I like it as you can walk into it and it's easy to clean. I am saving my egg money up for a cube though but only started last week so that will be a long while off yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stoice Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 I've converted part of my shed. (well, when i say I, i mean my OH and my dad! ) it means i have a dry section inside my shed for me and all their essentials (Plus the mower etc) they live under the shed shelf and have access through their pop-hole door. In the pic you can just make out some shredded paper in a bag and a plastic storage box for their pellets through the shed window. I really should take a more upto date pic as the girls are under corregated clear plastic instead of tarp. Inside their bit of the shed they have a shelf, perch and secluded section under the shelf for laying. I then access that through a set of doors built under the shed shelf. I fine cleaning fine although I'm often on my hands and knees. (I'm religious with the diatom and poultry sheild as wooden houses can be a bit easier for red mite to take hold. Omlet houses - you can jet wash easily. I've put lino on the floor of the whole shed and gloss painted part of the way up over some hardboard in their section as they projectile poo at times and this makes it easier to clean. I'd recommend a walk in run though, it's what I'm getting soon from my dad as a late crimbo pressie and early birthday pressie combined. It'll have an apex roof using the corregated plastic sheeting and will cover the area in front of the shed completely making it twice the size it is now plus extra levels for them the play in. I've decided the run area will be completely paved too. I've had a little ratty problem (They moved in under my shed and burrowed under the run walls into the girls run) Sheds can often harbour rats or mice whether you have chickens or not because of the low floor clearance. Something I had to put up with as I have quite a small garden. If you have room for a cube or eglu then it could be raised so Roland couldn't move in underneath. I'm happy with what I have, it's all the space my garden could afford. If it had the space I'd love a cube though! Good luck with your decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Ohhh I don't know what to do. Me and OH only agree on one thing and thats the walk in run - he is gonna ring around for a joiner to get an quote. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helsbels Posted February 17, 2009 Share Posted February 17, 2009 hi vanessa - I'd say go for it - I've converted a 6 x 10ft shed and the girls love it I'd have loved a cube but the finances werent there and I have to say now Ive done it I'm really pleased - and I'm about as duff at DIY as you can get ! i have room for two perches at different levels which are across the 6ft length. I can walk into it easy peasy for cleaning and doing bedding etc. Within the shed there is room for shelving for poultry spice, garlic etc and I have a big metal galvanised bin for keeping their pellets and grain in. I've even enough room to keep the bale of hemcore for the floor and the straw for their nest trays in one corner. (all stuff you'd have to find space for somewhere else). My neighbour 'jigsawed' a pop hole door into the side and I fixed up an inner mesh door with carabinas on it to clip it to the frame so on warmer days I can open the outer shed door and let air through knowing theyre still safe from ratty and foxy Also meshed over the window on the inside so that it can be opened but still secure. the walk in run is about 2.4m x 3m. tell OH no need to contact a joiner and get expensive stuff made up - I got 8 x 8ft fence posts from Scats - drove them in two feet then dug in wire mesh. two layers of mesh up the fence posts to about 7ft high (I got the 1.2m tall wire mesh so there was plenty of scope for the height). Made another very solid mesh door from recycled wood for getting in and out of the run. I havent roofed it yet - I may do in the summer with some plastic corrugated roof or similar. Its so big when the weather is rubbish the girls have no problem just being in the shed and pottering about while keeping out of the rain / snow ! and of course you've loads of space for expansion and the grand total - about £120 pounds (we had the shed already) - so a wee bit cheaper than the cube extra cash to buy some more chooks ! have fun and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanessa Posted February 17, 2009 Author Share Posted February 17, 2009 Helsbels - would I be cheeky to ask you to post some pics on here ??? Well hubby was thinking about a 6 x4ft shed and proberly a 6 x 9ft run attached to it. I am just not very sure about ratty chewing its way through the wooden shed, must say I am very paranoid about rats and mice in general. Put me in a room with spiders and allsorts - no bother. Rats and mice make me scream and jump! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenanne Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 I think rats can chew through plastic as easily as through a wooden shed (assuming the shed is reasonably robust); I'm sure I saw a post here a while ago about someone who had that problem. So longas you keep feed in rat-proof metal containers then really they'd have no more reason to chew into your shed than they would any other garden shed: think of all the people who store bird seed in sheds and how mcuh gets scattered under bird feeders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helsbels Posted February 18, 2009 Share Posted February 18, 2009 hi vanessa - I'll take some piccies tomorrow and post them up for you we're quite lucky in that the shed is old'ish' and the original owner must have spent a small fortune on it as the wood is thick and as hard as nails. rats would more likely live under it rather than chew through it so think about putting it on concrete or slabs (ours isnt though) I hate rats too but if you already have a compost bin or drains theyre probably lurking somewhere close by already !! my compost bin has given me far more problems with rats / mice than the dear chooks ever will I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helsbels Posted February 19, 2009 Share Posted February 19, 2009 hey vanessa - here are a few pics (hope this works - never done it before!) the roof isnt pretty but its what I had available at the time and its watertight and I didnt want the old roof felt on the roof - you could make a much better job with some unduline I think they call it, or plastic corrugated stuff. shed and run http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/3292042503_f00e475531.jpg side with mesh door http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3301/3292041731_109e0c5470.jpg front on - with daisy !!! http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3287/3292040933_ba577eca40.jpg I admit its relatively rustic - but then we do live in the middle of a field so I guess thats OK the posts took me an afternoon to do and the mesh, pophole and door took about a day.. cheers helsbels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
