Converting A Shed Into A Chicken Coop
When raising chickens, your goal is to get started without breaking the bank. Today I will share my tips on how to take what you already have and turn it into what you need. A chicken coop for your backyard.
Raising chickens is an addiction.
Sure, you may start out with two or three chicks, but before you know it, you have a whole flock running around your yard that rivals a poultry city.
If you want to let your hens free-range, you need to be careful where you put your coop.
Chickens poop, and it seems like they do it all the time. Chickens also poop anywhere they want without any concern for us barefoot walking people. If you are not careful, in no time at all, walking through the grass is like navigating a minefield. Because of this, you will want to choose carefully the location of your chicken coop.
Years ago, we used to house our pigs in a 10 x 13-foot shed but as we soon found out, raising pigs is an addiction as well and we outgrew that shed rather quickly.
The good news is most things on a homestead can be reused, and this was true for our pig shed. I knew right off that I could reuse that old shed as our new coop to raise our chickens in.
The bad news was it was in the wrong spot and needed to be moved to the other side of the property. That task alone was going to be a day-long event since our property is very wet and moving a large shed ran the risk of damaging our lawn.
All in all, the whole project took a week from pig shed to the finished hen house. One day to “de-pig” the shed (AKA, shovel, hose, scrape, hose, sweep and hose once more), one day to move it to its new location, one day to build the inside pen transforming it into a coop, two days to build the outside run.
Luckily the cost was minimal, just $25 in lumber and $15 in chicken wire. The rest of the materials we had on hand already.
I pride myself on repurposing anything and everything I can. I would much rather use up the scraps and supplies we have on hand rather than buy new.
Above all, for me at least, functionality is my number one goal rather than looks. This means I would rather have our flock of chickens in a safe and warm coop without putting all of my focus into if it will grace the covers of Better Homes and Gardens.
So back to the topic of actually converting our old shed into our new chicken coop. I like to do things in steps and I think it is easier to read them that way as well. Below you will find the exact steps we used to set up our backyard chicken coop for our chickens.
Converting a Shed Into a Chicken Coop
Use this guide to help you not only choose the best spot, but also create a chicken coop that will keep your chickens safe, warm, and dry. When learning how to raise chickens, keeping them healthy is easier than treated a sick bird. Your shed is meant to do just that,. keep your chickens healthy and safe.
Step #1. Pick a Location.
When choosing where to keep your chicken coop and run, location really does matter. Especially in our case, since moving a building this size was only going to happen once.
Before choosing the location for your coop there are a few things to remember.
- Chickens love to scratch, meaning they use their feet and nails to scrape at the ground like a rake. They do this to pull up any bugs and worms to the surface so they can eat them.
- Chickens have no regard for your plants. This includes flowers and vegetables and fruits. They are scratching and eating machines in a sense and they will pay absolutely no attention to what they may destroy in the process.
- They can be quite helpful in areas that you do want to be cleared out and cleaned up. They are like mini rototillers when they scratch with their feet, and if guided just a bit with net poultry fencing you can use their scratching as a benefit.
Remember, chickens can quickly and quite efficiently destroy a newly planted garden or flower bed in record time so taking precautions is advised if you plan to house your chickens near a flower bed or garden.
With that being said, chickens are a dream at breaking up a garden in the spring turning solid ground that sat all winter long into fine and wonderful soil that is perfect for spring planting.
As long as you have an efficient fence on your outside chicken run you will be fine housing your hens next to your garden. If you free-range your chickens, then you will want to change tactics a bit and instead fence your garden in to keep your hens out.
Step 2. Move the Shed
First, as I said, we needed to move the shed to the other side of the property. Not an easy task when you are talking about roughly 850 pounds.
To help we used heavy chains that we were able to attach to reinforcement boards that were underneath the shed. Those chains were then attached to the bucket of our tractor.
Next, we used logs as a sort of rolling bed to better help with the movement of the shed. This also helped to keep the damage to our yard to a minimum. As the shed progressed we would shift the back log to the front and so on.
This was a very slow process but it allowed us to move this heavy shed more easily.
Step #2. Stabilize the Base
Having a coop that is level is important not only for us but for the weather and upkeep as well.
First, you will want to use shovels to remove any hills in the ground along with any large roots, rocks, or stumps. You can then use sand to level the ground tamping it down for a more even base.
Concrete blocks placed where the corners of the shed will sit adding a few throughout the middle. Yes, this may allow predators to get below the coop, but it will also allow you to keep the underneath more intact as you will be protecting the floor and base from deteriorating on the moist ground.
SLCG PRO TIP: Be sure you have no holes or cracks in the floor of the chicken coop that may allow in predators.
If you do you can take scrap pieces of wood to cover them up and secure the hen house before you add in your chickens.
Step #2. Set Up the Interior
When you set up the inside of your coop you will need to make sure you have room for a roost, feeder, water, and nesting boxes.
As a guide, a hen needs 2-3 square feet inside of the coop and 8-10 square feet outside in the enclosed run. Keep this in mind when choosing the size of your coop for your flock’s size now and for any future growth, you may have as well.
If room allows I suggest an area for storage to make feeding time easier but this is not necessary. When our flock was smaller we housed the food in our coop inside of a steel barrel to keep out pests.
Now, however, we keep food for all of our animals in a feed room inside of our barn that is about 50 feet away. Yes, that means I need to bring all the supplies with me each time I do chores in both the winter and the summer. Again, something to keep in mind when choosing the location of your coop.
Winter chores are much easier to do with a utility sled and summer with a wagon.
Step #3. Construct a Wall and Door
Once the shed is leveled and settled into place you will want to customize the inside to help your chickens be more comfortable. This is crucial to ensure that your hens lay their eggs where you want them.
Lucky for me, my wonderful father who was visiting us on vacation at the time stepped in to do the interior renovations. He built a framed wall with a door that was all covered in chicken wire that we stapled into place.
When you build your coop it is important to make sure you have enough room for all your birds to prevent hen-pecking.
Step #4. Have Safe Access to Your Outside Chicken Run.
Next, you will need to have a door or other access to the outside run. One that you can close up at night to ensure your entire flock is safe inside.
Not only do you want to make sure your hens can’t get out unless you want them to, but you also want to be sure that nothing can get in that may harm them.
For us, an old doggie door was perfect, and we installed it in the back corner of the coop. This allows me to easily close things off at night keeping any nocturnal predators out and away from our precious flock.
The chickens took to that door right away and it has really worked well all these 8+ years. Easy to let the hens in and out and secure enough to keep them safe each evening.
It does let in a bit of cold air during the winter months, but we have since learned to insulate for the winter, and that has helped quite a bit.
HOW TO KEEP CHICKENS WARM IN THE WINTER WITHOUT ELECTRICITY
![I must say it works perfectly![spacer height="20px"]](https://simplelivingcountrygal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/shed-to-coop-dog-door.png)
Step #5. Nesting Boxes
I suggest adding these in first since your nesting boxes are going to be the biggest item inside of your coop.
What is a chicken nesting box?
A nesting box is where your chickens will go to lay their eggs. This can be a box, bucket, wash tub, or even an old milk crate. Hens prefer a bit of privacy when egg-laying so by having a few nesting boxes inside of your coop you will keep those eggs safe and protected until you can collect them.
You will want to have a slightly private area yet make it somewhat easy for your hens to get in and out of. Don’t worry too much about height, hens can fly surprisingly high and will easily be able to “jump” up to a box that is off the ground a bit.
When choosing the location for your nesting boxes try to place them in a spot that is free from drafts, rain, and snow. A corner may work for your setup or off to the side as we do in our own coop. Knowing the direction of the wind will help you to better choose a dry and warm area for your hens to lay their eggs.
![Once the boxes are in, it's ready to go! A little bit of hay for comfort is all you need. I just love this design, the plastic crates are very easy to clean, the frame is extremely light weight so I can move it in and out very easily by myself and the hens really love it as well and fit very comfortably. I have even found two hens in one crate together just as happy as can be![spacer height="20px"]](https://simplelivingcountrygal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/clean-nesting-boxes.jpg)
Step #6. Chicken Roosts
Next, you will want to add in a few roosts for your chickens to perch on.
What are chicken roosts?
A roost is a place for your hens to stand on so they can sleep safely at night. Chickens prefer to be up off of the ground while they sleep. It is their instinct to do so and helps them to feel safe after dark. For this reason, you will want a roost that is large enough to hold all of your hens.
You can use a multi-leveled roost if you have the room or one straight long roost if you are short on space.
Even a ladder in a corner or a cinder blog with a board slide through the middle will work. We built two separate roosts in our coop using scrap pieces of wood to build both. Our first roosts were ladder-shaped and held the girls quite well.
We used this ladder system for many years but have since moved to a one-leveled border-style run that frees up a lot more space in the chicken coop.
Overcrowding can cause hen pecking in a flock, something we try hard to avoid. By freeing up plenty of space in the coop we have cut down on aggression with our hens.
CHICKEN ROOST 101 – EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW
Step #7. Hang the Waterer and Feeder
I highly recommend hanging both your waterer and your feeder as this really cuts down on waste. You can also use a cinder block and water bowl.
This is a great option in the colder months as it is easier to clean out and reduces freezing.
Chickens like to scratch all the time and when they do they kick up bedding that can get tossed into their water or feed.
What is chicken scratching?
Scratching is how chickens forage for food in the ground both inside of the coop and outside. Chickens use their feet to rake at the ground to uncover bugs, worms, and bits of discarded food.
Scratching is also relaxing for the chicken. So if you see lots of scratching going on, odds are you have healthy and happy chickens.
Raising the height of your chicken’s feeder and waterer will help to keep both free of debris and dirt. Try to choose a height that is easy for them to reach without having to stretch too much. I like to keep things about 8-10 inches off the ground for full-grown hens.
In the summer I use a plastic hanging waterer but with the frigid cold temperatures of winter, I prefer to use a thick rubber water bowl.
Water freezes quite easily in the winter and the plastic waterers tend to crack easily when this happens. By using the thicker water bowls I can easily bend it to break up the ice and fill it with fresh water.
You can see why in How To Winterize Your Chicken Coop.
Step #9. Set up an Outdoor Run
Even if you plan to free-range your chickens I still highly suggest you build an outside chicken run as well. This will allow you to have an area where you know for sure your chickens will all be able to scratch and relax in safety.
Chickens still like to be outside at dusk when it is starting to get dark. They also like to be out first thing in the morning before the sun is up.
This can be a time when there are quite a few predators out at that time so having a safe outdoor chicken run for them to browse in is always a good idea.
Make sure to include access to the run from outside so you can get in and out as needed. Where we live, our chicken run needs maintenance quite often since we live in a very wet area.
A wet chicken run can be very muddy and messy so having easy access for us to get inside and do maintenance is key.
SLCG PRO TIP: When adding a door for you to use be sure it is a high door so your chickens can not fly up over it and get out. Ours was a waist-high gate like you see in the photo above.
We quickly learned that our chickens could very easily hop up and back down to freedom making them vulnerable to all sorts of hidden dangers.
Step #10. Bring in Your Chickens
Once you have everything set up inside you can then add in some bedding of your choice. I have tried many things over the years in our chicken coop.
This includes wood shaving, sawdust, straw, and even sand. For me, wood shavings by far work the best and do a great job keeping the dust down a bit without making it a heavy choice come spring when it is time to clean the coop out.
CONVERTING A SHED INTO A CHICKEN COOP SUPPLY LIST
- Chicken Wire – Be sure to get a good sturdy wire that will keep your chickens in and predators out.
- Plastic Chicken Waterer – This one works great if your weather is mild.
- Metal Chicken Waterer – Better for winter months.
- Chicken Feeder – This feeder works great and will last the longest.
- Bedding – I prefer wood shavings because it really soaks up the moisture.
- Doggie Door – A great way to let the chickens in and out quickly and easily.
And here is the final product. Little did I know 8 years ago when we bought this shed for our boy’s 4H projects that it would someday be a chicken house for our hens. It’s funny how things evolve on a farm. 🙂
Why is it so important to have a strong, sturdy, and safe home for raising chickens? So, you can leave knowing your animals will be safe while you are away.
Find out how you can Vacation When you Farm and enjoy the best of all sides of homesteading.
I hope you found this guide on converting a shed into a chicken coop helpful. Use it to create a safe and secure home to raise chickens in your own backyard.
Thank You So Much!!! This is just what I was looking for!! And hopefully soon will be able to start my flock!!
I am so glad this helped Karen, good luck. I hope you are able to get your chickens soon. 🙂
Tracy Lynn
Awesome article. I can’t see but am assuming there is a door to the run?
Hi Roger,
Yes there is on the back side. I went out and got a picture this morning so you can see. It was raining so the coop is a bit of a mucky mess! It is a half door with fencing above it. We need to duck down to get in, but this keeps the birds from getting out.
Tracy Lynn
This is great. What are you doing for water. Or did I miss it?
Hi, Beth!
For right now we use a rubber dish for water. I simply have it up on a cinder block. One in the coop and one or two outside in the run if it’s really hot. We find it so much easier to use the dishes. Simple to change the water (just dump and refill) and easy to clean plus 1/3 the cost. I water all 50 of my chickens this way!
Tracy Lynn
We are moving to an acreage in the coming weeks and so excited to start our chicken adventures! I love the design of your coopand run-just a question. Inthe picture under number 5, it looks like the gate and chicken wire interior wall are set into the shed with the nesting boxes outside the gate. But in the end picture, it looks like the gate/wall are right at the shed entrance and the nesting boxes are now inside. Am I looking at it wrong? Any help is appreciated as we prepare to build ours again, I love your design. Thanks!
Hi, Tanya!
Wow, you are observant! Yes, we needed to expand the coop when we increased our flock so there are two different pictures. I found early on to have MORE room than suggested for your hens. Hen pecking can be a terrible thing to break in a flock so try not to give them a reason to start. Plenty of room to roost is also important.
Thanks for stopping by, I will get those pictures updated. 🙂
Tracy Lynn
Hi Tracy,
I had a question it does not look like the very top of the yard where the chickens are is not covered? Do you have any problems
with Hawks or Owls? I really like the way you have things set up inside of the coop and hanging the food and water makes sense.
Hi, Michelle,
We do not have the top covered, and luckily we do not have problems with owls and hawks. We are just lucky I think, since we do have quite a few here. I am sure having a rooster helps with this since he alerts us(and our poor neighbors) to anything that is out of the ordinary.
Hanging the food and water really helps to keep things clean too. 🙂
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Hi Tracy!
It looks like you live some place that is warm. I live in Ohio. Did you, or would you recommend doing something to keep them warm in the winter?
Thank you,
Holly
Hi, Holly!
Actually, I live in Northwestern Pennsylvania! The only thing I do to keep them warm is make sure they are able to get out of the elements, shovel them a dry patch each morning in their run, and make sure they always have fresh water and food. Chickens are pretty durable if they are healthy and given time to adapt to the cold and I have not found the need to do more for them. Now, if the temps get really cold like negative 20’s like we can get at times, I will bring in some hay and put it in the coop so they can snuggle down in if they need to.
Hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Do you ever close off access to the chicken run? Or are they free to go back and forth from the Coupe to the Run as they please?
Hi, Sara,
I close them off the run from dusk until dawn. During the day they have access to the full run. There are too many predators that could hurt/kill our chickens so we lock them up at night to keep them safe.
Hope that helps!
Tracy Lynn
Thank you for this article. We are thinking of doing this! Do you close the main solid shed doors at night? Thanks for sharing!
Hello, Jennifer!
Yes, I do close things up and night. We have weasels and other predators that it is important that the girls are safe while they are sleeping. Even though the run is enclosed we still do not give our hens access after dark.
Tracy Lynn
I was wondering if the chickens would go into the shed at night by themselves?
Yes, they do! They are drawn to safety and for them, that is the coop. But you will still need to closet them in, at least we do. Because we have quite a few raccoons that need to be kept out.
Hope this helps!
Tracy
Just found your site: LOVE this article! I can’t wait to explore more!
Hello there Rachael!
So glad you stopped by, hope you find some help and inspiration 🙂
Tracy Lynn
How many chickens does an average wood shed house?
A chicken requires between 2-3 square feet inside of a coop and 1 square foot each on a roost. Our shed is pretty large, 8 x 10 feet so we can house about 20 hens. If you free range your birds you can get away with a bit more since they tend to be inside so little.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Hi there! This is a great setup. I was wondering how you deal with new chicks and older hens. Do you keep them separated until they are all the same size? I am trying to redesign our coop, which is about the same size as yours, to perhaps accommodate a separate area for chicks but can’t figure out a good design. Thanks for any suggestions!
Hello, Joanna,
I like to keep the chicks and hens separate until they are very close to the same size. I then add everyone at night. Just carry them out and put them on the roost. It’s almost funny how the chickens do not even realize that I added anyone new. They are silly!
Good Luck!
Tracy Lynn
Hi Tracy!
I just wanted to say I love your chicken coop. I’m in the process of designing one for my own Homestead. I’m in southern Ontario Canada and I think I’ve narrowed down my choice to having a flock of buff Brahma standard size chickens of 20 hens and one rooster. I want to house them all one them together so I guess what I’m asking is your coop design large enough for this size of group? I’ve really looked and studied your photos I think I want to give them a larger chicken run. I think they can handle our warmer winter days to go outside but they may need to stay inside coop on those really fridge cold days. Lots of questions and ideas lol any advice would be welcomed so I don’t make a terrible error? Thanks Sonya
Hello, Sonya!
My coop is 8 x 10 and I have 23 chickens inside. The rule of thumb is 2-3 square feet per chicken. I have a small run but it opens up into a large fenced in area of about 100 x 160. So they have plenty of room to run!
I like having the shed because there is lots of room for them and me when I go inside 🙂
I hope this helps a bit!
Tracy
Hi, thanks for the info in your article. I found it helpful. I was wondering how do you clean the inside of the coop? Is it a wooden shed? We’re thinking of using a shed as well but we aren’t sure how we would clean it if it’s wood. We’re pretty new at this and we want to learn as much as possible before getting the chickens. Thanks!
Cecilia L.
Hi,
I just use a shovel and a wheelbarrow to clean it out. That shed housed pigs for 8 years before we put chickens in and have never had to replace the floor. The key is to not let it stay wet. So I am continually adding bedding as needed, maybe a bucket of wood shavings 2 times a week just to keep it dryer, and that works just fine.
Then come spring, we use a large shovel and clean it all out, then sweep it hose it, let it dry and we are done. 🙂
You can read how we clean out the coop HERE.
Hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
I put down cheap linoleum over my plywood & put my pine shavings on it.
Hi, Tracy! I LOVE your coop! I stumbled upon your post by accident through Pinterest and it was nearly exactly what I am planning on doing! My shed is an 8×12, but I am putting up a wall to separate a “feed room” as I saw you had in yours before expanding. I plan to start with 5-10 birds, so hopefully I won’t outgrow this space too soon!
I have a question for you, though. When I decided to convert the shed to a coop, some well-meaning chicken enthusiasts really emphasized the importance of having good ventilation and now I’m a little worried that my shed won’t be ventilated enough to keep my girls healthy! So, since your size and setup is so similar to what I will have, I am wondering if you have had any ventilation problems, or how much ventilation you have? My shed has a vent at the top on each end, and also two windows that can open (which will be covered in hardware cloth, of course!).
Thanks for sharing your wonderful setup! I can’t wait to have my own flock!
Jess
Hello, Jess!!
I am so glad you like our coop set up! I have two vents just like you said your shed has, but no windows and my hens have been fine for years. With the windows, you will be fine too!
Good luck, let me know when you get your chickens!
Tracy Lynn
Hi, Tracy! I’m so glad I stumbled onto this site. Your renovation is exactly what I am looking for to convert our shed into a chicken coop. I was wondering, though, if I should put up wooden walls inside of our 10 x 14 shed since it’s a metal shed? I’m leaning towards doing it just bc we also live in Pennsylvania and I’m thinking of it as extra insulation.
If you live in Pennsylvania, then I would put the plywood on. Unless you live on the Easter side where the weather is a bit more mild. Where we live, in Northwestern PA, winters are rough and since I do not have insulation I put hay/straw bales around the inside, to help just a bit to keep things warmer. Adding plywood will definitely help to keep things just a bit warmer than the metal. But the metal will be much easier to clean than the wood.
You will want to weigh all the factors before adding the wood.
Cost
Weather
Ease of use
Then make your call.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Hi Tracy! I’m so glad I found this article! I just spend my entire day cleaning out and exterior room in my barn to house my chickens. I’m a first time chicken owner but work at a farm supply store that sells chickens for a few months out of each year. I consider myself knowledgeable about what they require care wise but boy is it difficult deciding how to set this coop up. Being in southern Vermont I worry about the cold as well as predatory animals especially because my barn is 150+ years old and there are a couple holes I found in the siding that I need to fix before my chicks move from their brooding tank into the coop. Do you have any suggestions on how to tell if the chicks are ready to be out of the brooder and in the coop?
Hi, Stephanie!
Welcome to chicken ownership, I am sure you have many days of fun ahead. I think chickens are funny and laugh at them (still) daily. 🙂
I like to keep chicks inside until I “feel” they are ready to be on their own. I know not the answer you want to hear but when it comes to safety it really doesn’t matter what their age is.
Just be sure your coop is secure, there is a roost so they can get up off the ground at night, you have secure and solid nesting boxes and enough of them, oh and there are enough water and feed options to deter bullying and you are good to go.
If the barn is close you can also put a cheap baby monitor out there so you are alerted to anything getting in (if you are truly worried).
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Great article and great questions from others. My first obstacle is moving the shed!! Thank you for all you posted
Hi Tracy! Thank you so much for sharing this! I am currently trying to find out if buying a coop or DIYing one is cheaper. I was wondering if you had an estimate of how much you spent on converting the shed?
Thanks,
Carolina
Hello, Caroline!
I believe we spent about $50 on wood and fencing. The rest we reused from what we had just lying around. Since then we have become much more resourceful and now spend even less when doing outdoor projects!
Hope this helps’
Tracy Lynn
We really like your design. We have a metal shed we are going to convert to a coop for our 8 chicks. I like the nesting boxes made from milk crates. I have about 30 right now ready to be used. For your nesting boxes, do you have access from the outside of the coop or do you go in and get the eggs?
Hello, Greg!
I go into the coop to collect my eggs since I need to do the feed, water, and scrape boards as well. I also like to take a look at my flock every day so I can catch anything that may be off early on.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
Hello! Thank you so much for taking the time to write this and respond to everyone’s questions! I too am considering converting my existing shed into the coop, and we are building the run. I’m trying to figure out your door situation, it looks like you added an additional door inside? Can you explain why? And is the new door covered in chicken wire? I’m a sponge for all the info right now
Thank you so much!
Hello, Shannon!!
Yes, that is a door we made, framed in with wood, and then covered in chicken wire. I used to store our chicken feed and bedding in that front area because our flock was small. As my lock grew I found I needed all the space I could get my hands on so we opened the inside up completely but still kept the door. That chicken wire wall/door allows me to open up the double doors and let that airflow in.
I hope that helps!
Tracy Lynn
Hi – my kids and I are raising chicks this spring. we lost hens2 yrs ago to an urban threat So we are converting a shed to try again. Question about your doggie door for night time: 1) it has a flap- how do you keep it open? 2) how do you secure it at night?
Thx!
Hello, Melynda!
It is a slide in doggie door. That way I can open it up in the morning and lock them in tight at night.
I hope this helps!
Tracy Lynn
We did this with our old shed. Concerting it into a chicken shed wired out very well for many years’.
Y our article was very helpful. I converted a metal lawn shed into a chicken coop. It has a cement floor covered with pine shaving and straw. There is a shelf and a roost. A ladder to get to the shelf. There are ventilation areas at peak of roof. I want to eventually put in window for light.and to let the heat out in hot weather. Still need to put in a poultry door for the birds. Put foam insulation around outside to stop water from getting in. Trying to line inside walls with cardboard and plywood. Could you tell me I need to do anything else to make it better for my chickens?
wow, you setup sounds amazing, Alanna!
Don’t forget nesting boxes for the amazing eggs!
also, a water source, food source, and maybe a toy or two just for fun.
Tracy Lynn