Ibc tote chicken coop

[sarahhanssens]

Hi! I'm new here and I actually live in Belgium but since plastic coops are not yet used by many, I'm trying to get some more information here.

Because this summer we have had many red mites, so much that we had to decommission one of the wooden coops we had. Which means that I have now six chickens in a coop that's not meant for so many chickens. That chicken coop has also given the best of itself in two years and is litterally just falling apart. So I needed a fast replacement, large enough for my chickens that I currently have + a bit more for some natural breed.

We have these two IBC totes that we are currently rebuilding to a chicken coop. But I'm wondering about the ventilation. We have placed the tanks next to two walls in the back of our yard, in the shade. Unfortunately we only have shade there so there isn't really another option.

The chickens run around freely in the garden, but we need to close the coop during nighttime for foxes and possible other predators. But for ventilation this can be done with mesh.

How big should I make the ventilation holes? The doors, do I also make them in mesh? Do I put these tanks under a roof?

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. Would it be possible for you to include some photos? It may help other members to provide the best input.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC.

Not sure the totes will be big enough....they are about 4'x4'(122cm x 122cm)?
How many birds do you have?

Any ventilation will need to be protected from rain/snow/wind/predators...
....so a roof over all would help and for more shade too.

Attaching things(roosts, vents, etc) will be tricky with plastic.
Thru holes and nuts/bolts I suppose.

 

[eggbert420]

Welcome to BYC.

Not sure the totes will be big enough....they are about 4'x4'(122cm x 122cm)?
How many birds do you have?

Any ventilation will need to be protected from rain/snow/wind/predators...
....so a roof over all would help and for more shade too.

Attaching things(roosts, vents, etc) will be tricky with plastic.
Thru holes and nuts/bolts I suppose.

I agree also it seems like they would cook in there. Plastic don't breathe well.

 

[sarahhanssens]

 

[sarahhanssens]

The pictures are in my reply above. We have made ventilation wholes on the side, two big doors on the front that we still need to attach.

On the doors, my boyfriend and I are not yet sure on how to do it. I would like to create a door with mesh for ventilation, but we need to take into account the many rainy days here in Belgium.

On the top we have also made some kind of "chimney" with ventilation.

I would like to attach a roof over the wole thing, but not yet sure which material is best to keep the warmt out.

Would drilling some wholes on the front panel be helpfull (top of the front panel - not the roof).

 

[sarahhanssens]

Welcome to BYC.

Not sure the totes will be big enough....they are about 4'x4'(122cm x 122cm)?
How many birds do you have?

I have 2 regular hens (nera Brown and blue de landes) and 4 silkies.

 

[aart]

That's pretty slick, nice job bolting them together and the 'chimney's'.

Can you attach a large slanted piece of wood, or metal roofing, to that wall behind for a roof to cover both totes and extend far enough beyond fronts of totes to protect open doors?

I'd make wood framed 'pre-hung' (with hinges and latches) doors, with mesh inserts in the doors, and bolt them to the totes.
Does that make sense?

 

[sarahhanssens]

Thx aart! I was thinking about attaching some kind of roof starting from the woodwork from our neighbors. Would material like one the picture below be enough?

How much of the doors should i cover with mesh? Or would you cover the complete door with if when there's a roof?

 

[aart]

Have no idea if that material would work in your situation...you'll have to decide.

How much of the doors to mesh...don't know that either.
Might depend on the micro-climate there and how well your roof works out.
Might think about some kind of adjustable louvered vent to put in the doors in case you have wind blown rain infiltrating the door venting.

Thought of another thing.......
...if water does get in those totes, from where they are bolted together or anywhere else,
might be good to tip them slightly forward and drill small drain holes along the front of bottom so water can drain out.
Would also help if you need to 'hose out' the totes at some point.

Another thought....with 6 birds you probably only need 2 nests, that would free up some more floor space.
Will you add roosts or do they all just sleep on the floor??