Pump House to Designer Coop

Joan Hurst
by Joan Hurst
$2200.00
95 Days
Advanced
Hubby and I decided to raise chickens. Rather than build a small coop from scratch we decided to convert an unused pump house.
The pump house as we removed stored items.
We used the building to store outdoor holiday ornaments, skis, sleds and the like. The building is 8' wide by 10' deep.
North Wall - Door entrance to run.
The first thing hubby did was cut the opening into the run area. This opened up a whole can of worms. We discovered that the sill plates and floor joists were rotted out and had to be replaced.
New sill plates and floor joists installed.
As you can see, the building is floating over the foundation. Another problem. It is 2 feet longer than the foundation. We had to center the building over the opening and lower it onto the foundation, before we could lay the subflooring.
Building in place and subflooring installed.
Now to transform this into a coop. A new window was installed on the south wall. (Right side of the picture.) The walls were covered with random pieces of plywood and composition board to keep the cost down.
Ready for painting.
Ceiling, walls and trap door to attic have been installed and caulked to keep insects out. Now we can start making it homey.
First row of nesting boxes complete.
Moving right along, we started working on the interior. Storage areas to be established, linoleum floor to be installed. Perches, etc.
Completed nesting area with storage.
Nesting boxes and storage areas completed. Shingled roof and castle turret are storage areas. Door installed leading to run. Now to build the porch and run.
Porch, Sheltered Area and Run Complete
It would appear that the coop is finished. The chicks are living comfortably and enjoying their new home. Hubby and I continue adding improvements. A caged storage area for feed and hay. Ventilation between basement, living quarters and outside to control the moisture level in the basement.
Full view of coop and run area.
We are saying the coop is done, but there is always something that needs to be done. Next year we need to install a new roof. It was an expense we didn't want to have to deal with this year.
Front view of coop with new roof and porch.
We love this little spot. In the evening we sit here and play with the girls before we shut them in for the night. Raising chickens doesn't feel like work when you have them living in a fantasy world.
Completed living area with pullets.
Getting ready to settle down for the night. The black pipe is drawing fresh air into the basement. There is another pipe under the wired cage with a fan in it that draws the damp air up and outside. It's worked wonderfully keeping the moisture down during the summer. We shouldn't have to run it during the winter months.
Entrance to coop from pen area
Flower cut outs disguise the ugly vent pipes on the north and south walls. Cut out chicken families and grass were added to balance the walls off.
East wall - Living in Harmony
Originally this was going to be the focal point of the coop. We could have left it bare as it faces an empty wooded lot and our closest neighbor is 600 feet away. But, we are artists and any blank wall is open to our creativity.
Joan Hurst
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Joanne W Joanne W on Oct 06, 2014
    Came out beautiful and adorable. But if I was a chicken, I don't think I'd want to see a hawk, owl, fox, or bear near my home. LOLOL
    • Joan Hurst Joan Hurst on Oct 06, 2014
      @Joanne W LOL here everyone lives in harmony. We had a pack of coyote outside the coop last night howling up a storm, while my hubby and 6 dogs were out for their walk.
  • Oh my......if I were a chicken I would so want to live here......marvelous job!!

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