Custom Chicken Coops – My Story

| April 5, 2010 | Uncategorized | 12 Comments

I’ve wanted to get chickens for a while now and my wonderful wife got me six baby Araucana chicks for my birthday. So now I had to figure out a way to house them once they were grown, and not go broke in the process.

This is the front of the old dog house with the sides abd back cut out.
The old dog house with the sides and back cut out.

I decided to take my dogs old dog house that she never uses and convert it to a chicken coop. I cut the sides and back out.

The old dog house with the sides and back cut out.
Back of the old dog house

Obviously the dog house by itself would be a little small for the six baby chicks so I made nesting boxes for the sides and back. Essentially double the square footage in the coop.

Back of the old dog house
Back of the old dog house

I made the nesting boxes with a hinged roof so I can gather eggs and clean the coop.

I used plywood that I sealed to protect it from moisture.
I reinforced the lid with a board that I screwed through to attach the hinges.
I reinforced the lid with a board that I screwed through to attach the hinges.
Another shot of the side nesting box. I used the same design for the back nesting box.

On the inside I’m using a old closet rod for a perch in the new coop.

This is the mount for the old closet rod that I’m using for a perch.

I then attached the sides and back.

This is the dog house with the side boxes attached. I also cut a door for the front.
This is the back.

After all this I painted it red.

This is the final coop. I added 3 tab shingles to the sides and back.

I still need to finalize the foundation.

Left side
This is the back.

So this is it. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Do you have a cleaver chicken coop design. Let us know.

12 Comments
  1. R M DeHaan

    Great idea and execution! The red barn look is cute.

  2. David Nichols

    Thanks, I didn’t realize how fun it would be until I had it together. As an extra plus, red is my wife’s favorite color. 🙂

  3. buffyroo

    I love what you did with your chicken. Very innovative! I love araucanas, too!

  4. buffyroo

    Oops. I meant to say chicken coop. 🙂

  5. Caalie

    Did you put perches in for them? I heard that their digestive systems don’t work properly if they don’t roost at night – I think they are slightly rocked forwards if they are standing. Could be an wives tale, but came from a pro chicken breeder & is a natural behaviour after all ..

  6. David Nichols

    Yes I put a roost in the coop. It’s fun seeing them all in the coop sleeping on it.
    The weird thing is that mosquitoes love the coop. I need to find something that will control them a little better.

  7. Nathan

    Way to go on the creative re-use of the shunned dog house! The small coop looks great and is an inspiration for me to build a small one to possible house a future flock.

  8. Morgan Madej

    I was impressed by the conversion from dog house to chicken coop! Just shows what some imagination and DIY skills can do!

    Are you planning to add a ladder to the coop when you complete the foundation?

    We keep horses, goats,cats and dogs, mostly abandoned and homeless. I may adopt your modifications to house 3 of our dogs a mother and her two puppied (9 months old but small) as they live and sleep together, but I can’t think where to put the perch?

    I’ll be back to see your coop again!

  9. Dorothy

    Hi!

    I am researching custom chicken coops for an article to be written by a journalist friend of mine. Where are you located? Are you near Pismo Beach, California? Hope to hear from you soon!

    Dorothy

  10. Jeanette

    I love this idea I have been scouring the web for ideas. My husband got us six chicks for Easter. Thanks again for shareing.

  11. Alison Fennell

    Wey hey! What a dudey little hen house – loved it in its early stages even – like an old house — but the red! Wow – excellent job!

  12. David Nichols

    Thanks Alison. It was a lot of fun to make. I’ve been using it for two years now and it’s still holding up. 🙂

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