A DIY chicken coop is easier than you think. With some modifications, you can even turn a storage shed into a chicken coop! Here is how we converted our shed into a chicken coop.
Chickens truly don’t need much when it comes to living space. You can find ideas for homes all over social media.
And in some cases, like free-range chickens, you can train them to go into a small, mobile coop. All you have to do is move the coop to fresh grass every day.
For a permanent home, storage sheds are an incredible solution. They are also the ideal size for a larger flock.
If you are looking for a permanent solution, here is how we converted our storage shed into a chicken coop.
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How We Turned a Wood/Storage Shed into a Chicken Coop – The Back Story
When we hatched chicks in spring 2024 (read more about that process in this blog post), we doubled our flock.
The existing chicken coop we had immediately became too small for our total flock! We knew they didn’t need too much room to be comfortable at night. But we also knew we were going to hatch more chickens in the future.
The storage shed we have on our property was here when we bought our home. We have used it to store things like outdoor furniture, outdoor children’s toys, and wood.
But it makes the perfect chicken coop!
Even though the shed is old, the floor is sturdy and the basic frame is strong.
We also knew this was going to permanently change the future of this shed. We will never use it for storage, and there’s a good likelihood it will be torn down if we leave this property.
So knowing this was both the direction we were going with our flock and that this shed would be a stepping stone in a bigger plan, we felt comfortable moving on with the conversion.
Where to Start – Converting a Storage Shed into a Chicken Coop
The first step was obvious – clear out the shed.
Our shed was wired with electricity by the previous owners, so we also dealt with stray wires and other equipment that was attached to the shed.
When everything was cleared, my husband built a wall to act as an entryway for our coop. In the entryway, we store pest control items, feed, shavings, hay, and anything else the chickens may need.
The door to the coop itself is rigged to a pulley system. The weight at the end of the pulley keeps the door shut so no chickens can force their way out or leave.
This is important because our chickens aren’t free-range birds year-round. This also protects against predators. If for some reason a predator does find its way into the entryway, it has to be strong enough (and clever enough) to open a weighted door.
Next, we swept and vacuumed the floor of the shed to prepare for linoleum.
We used linoleum on the floor of our self-built coop and loved it. It protects the wood floor from chicken waste and wet shavings, thus prolonging the life of the floor.
Linoleum also makes for easy cleanup. With a push broom and a door we cut into the back of the coop, we can easily clear shavings out of the entire coop in less than 5 minutes.
After the linoleum was adhered to the floor of the shed, we built roosting bars and reinstalled a metal shelf that was already in the coop. As we double our flock, we know there will be quite a few hens joining us.
Because of the increase in hens, we subsequently needed to increase our nesting boxes. The metal shelf holds our nesting boxes.
Finally, we installed what we are calling an infirmary unit. This collapsible pen will house chicks that are not ready to fully integrate with the flock, broody hens, or mama hens with freshly hatched chicks.
We keep our baby chicks separate from our flock for safety reasons.
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We Aren’t Finished – The Exterior of the Chicken Coop
We have predator problems that have been getting worse with each passing season.
From foxes to opossums, we have lost several birds in the last two winters.
Our coop doesn’t sit level with the ground and acts as the perfect protection for critters small enough to crawl underneath.
Because of that, we installed cattle panel wire along the underside of the coop.
The steps to the original shed were also breaking under the weight of our using them. So using reclaimed wood from our old back porch, we built a new ramp that will serve us well into the future.
Finally, we attached dog panels to the sides of the shed to create our chicken run.
There are two small cutouts in our coop. The first is the door for the chickens. The second is the chute used for easy cleanup when it’s time to clean the chicken coop.
Chicken Shed Must Haves
We knew there were a few things we had to include in this renovation for the sake of our chickens.
An Air Vent for Adequate Ventilation
Summers in Arkansas can be brutal. We will see blistering heat waves that can kill outside animals.
To keep the chickens safe at night, we made sure to have an air vent.
Even the air vent will be upgraded. We will rerun the electricity to the coop and install a box fan. The fan will provide good ventilation by drawing air out of the coop.
This will drop the temperature in the coop and provide better conditions during the day when the chickens are laying.
I can’t stress to you how important air circulation is for a chicken coop. Especially in the warmer months!
When we read about health problems in chickens, we usually read about poor sanitary conditions or respiratory diseases that catch a flock completely by surprise. But we never truly consider the damage, and devastation, heat can cause.
Any animal is prone to heat stroke or heat exhaustion. And because chickens can produce their heat, they don’t need any help in keeping things warm.
So when you aren’t circulating air and giving their coop a chance to cool down, you are spiking their chances of becoming physically stressed.
Hot, humid summer days call for intervention from any farmer. Aside from proper air circulation, I talk about a few more tips in tips to keep your chickens cool during the summer.
Roost Bars
Our flock is hit or miss on roost bars.
While they have a love-hate relationship with them, we know they are a necessity in any chicken coop.
Nest Boxes
I have talked about nest boxes on the blog before. You can read more about that in this blog post.
There’s some math out there that calculates how many nest boxes you need for the number of hens you have.
We did what was best for our flock. Read this blog post to find out what that was.
Want To Build Your Chicken Coop?
When you take the time to write out, step by step, how we converted our storage/wood shed into a chicken coop, it sounds simple!
But it isn’t. This took almost a month to complete. That’s one con to homesteading when you work outside your property. You don’t have the time you need to devote three or four days to just one project!
That is one key piece of advice I would impart to you – give yourself more time than you think you will need.
An old shed can also pose problems. Be sure to inspect it thoroughly for signs of damage and weakness.
What Type of Flooring Should I Use for My Coop?
There are a few common options you can use in your chicken coop. Let’s look at the pros and cons of each.
Wood
Pro – Wood is a common material and you won’t have any issues trying to figure out how to use it. It’s also easily accessible.
Con – Wood is susceptible to damage. If you don’t change your litter frequently you can leak moisture into your wood and cause it to rot.
Linoleum
Pro – This is a cheap material that’s easy to install.
Con – Some say linoleum is harmful to chickens if they ingest it.
Peel-and-Stick Tile
Pro – Again, peel-and-stick tile is cheap and easy to install.
Con – Peel and stick tile can sometimes struggle to adhere to bare, untreated wood floors.
Sand
Pro – Sand doesn’t have to be changed as frequently as pine shavings because it acts like cat litter. However, that’s also it’s greatest con.
Con – Sand is a well-draining litter, which means it may cause the floor of a shed to rot. Sand may be a better option for a chicken coop built into the ground with no other subfloor.
Concrete
Pro – Concrete is very easy to clean and predators can’t dig into your coop.
Con – Concrete may be too heavy for an existing wood floor. Concrete would not make a good option for the floor of an existing shed.
Is An Automatic Door a Necessity?
Modern features of chicken coops are a wonderful thing. Especially because they allow us to homestead and tend to our outside commitments!
However, you don’t need all of the modern conveniences to give your chickens a comfortable place to live.
Remember – nature will take over and they will adapt. They were meant to be outdoor animals!
So things like an automatic door, a small window, and a light aren’t a necessity when building your coop.
Are You New to Raising Chickens?
Chickens are the perfect animal to kick off your homesteading adventures. They are very low maintenance, cheap, and easy to tend to.
Starting any new project can be intimidating, though.
Luckily, I have several blog posts already on the blog about keeping chickens! From general care to transportation, I touch on several topics under my chickens tab.
I even tackle controversial topics, like feeding your chickens pumpkin and using diatomaceous earth as a pest repellent (PSST – it’s great!)
Finally, I have an entire page dedicated to the products we use and love on our urban homestead. Check out my Resources Page for links and comments about all of our recommendations!
For more homesteading inspiration and chicken-keeping tips, follow me on Pinterest!
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