Upgrading your flock to a new coop is exciting. The possibilities and growing size of your chicken flock, but there is more. The hidden gem of getting a new coop is what you can transform the old coop into. Instead of getting rid of the old coop or selling it, you can get creative. Your old coop could be the new centerpiece to your backyard oasis. Here are tips to repurpose your old chicken coop.
Tool Shed
Our first suggestion is to convert the chicken coop to a shed. If your chicken coop was small, it could be the perfect size for gardening tools. The best thing about this idea is that your coop doesn’t even have to look pretty. Though giving a fresh coat of paint wouldn’t hurt anything. Adding a few hooks to the walls gives you an organized space to hang your tools. And you can convert the roosting area into a work desk. After all, if a shed can be converted into a coop, why not do it the other way around?
Keep For Expansions
We all know how chicken math is. You think that six is enough, then 15 chickens later, you realize that you did it all wrong. You might want to keep that old chicken coop in case you decide to get even more. If your old coop and new coop are compatible, they could be rigged together. Combining the enclosures will allow you to have more space for chickens, and you won’t have to buy another coop.
Brooder
Many people successfully turn their coop into a brooder. A repurpose chicken coop into a brooder; there isn’t much that you have to change. Tweaking a few things, like taking away access to the outside, is essential. Your chicks should stay inside the brooder to keep them safe and warm. Another change you will have to make is adding a little insulation to the coop. You can do this by either putting insulation inside the walls or adding plastic layers to the outside. Then all you need to do is add a heat lamp, and your chicks will be nice and warm.
House Another Animal
If you’re wondering what to do with an old chicken coop, another pet might be your answer. Keeping rabbits or another fowl bird in your old coop is an easy transition. As long as the coop is large enough for whatever animal you are holding, there should be no issues. For keeping rabbits in the coop, you will need to make a few adjustments.
For the run, you will need to add some buried hardware cloth to keep rabbits from digging out. And inside the coop, you will also want to add lower nesting areas since rabbits aren’t great at jumping. A repurpose chicken coop makes a great summer home for rabbits, but they will get cold in winter. You might have to add more insulation and a heat lamp.
If you want other types of birds, you likely won’t have to make any adjustments. Be sure always to double-check the size and the new bird’s requirements to allow for plenty of room.
Firewood Storage
Firewood can pile up in your yard and look unsightly. Some tips to repurpose your old chicken coop is to use it for storage. You don’t even have to make any modifications to it if you don’t want to. Simply load it up with your wood for winter. Even a salvaged chicken coop makes an excellent wood storage. But if you want more storage, you could remove the nesting boxes and perches to be replaced with shelves. Your old coop will keep firewood dry and in easy access all winter.
Greenhouse
If your coop is a fixer-upper, the best-recycled chicken coop could be a greenhouse. To do this, all you need to do is remove all the sides except the side with the door. With only the frame left, you have the perfect template for a greenhouse. Then covering your frame with polycarbonate will give you the ideal greenhouse. Even small greenhouses can yield you with beautiful flowers or produce. And since you keep chickens also, you already have the perfect fertilizer for them to thrive.
Hay
If you have other animals like goats or horses, your old coop could be your new hay storage. Keeping hay throughout the winter could be difficult in some climate. The hay can’t get wet and needs plenty of ventilation to prevent to keep it from rotting. This sounds a lot like your chicken coop. Depending on how large your enclosure is, you could save a few bales in there. And like storing firewood, you don’t have to make a lot of adjustments. All that’s needed is to remove the nesting boxes and roosts.
Workspace
If you do any woodworking or crafting, some chicken coop ideas include a workspace. Cleaning the coop out well with vinegar will take the chicken smell out naturally. And if it is an older coop, you might want to use a power washer to get everything out. Adding a workbench or designing a paint studio would be a fantastic idea. Then add fresh paint, or adding a window or two will give you plenty of natural lighting. Your old coop could become your new place of solitude.
She-Shed
Is your chicken coop too cute to give up? Make yourself a she-shed! Obviously, it will take a lot of cleaning to get rid of the smell. But vinegar is an excellent odor neutralizer. Once you have every nook and cranny cleaned, you can decorate it to however you want. It can be your backyard oasis that you can call all yours. You can make it the place for your favorite activity or hobby, or a place to relax. Every woman needs that space to get away and enjoy herself.
Man Cave
On the opposite end, you can make yourself a man cave. You could deck it out in all the things your wife won’t let you keep in the house. It will be your perfect place to feel manly. Just please get rid of the chicken smell first. After some elbow grease and a little vinegar, it will make the ideal man cave. Add a pool table or a lounge with a wet bar. Or even make it into the perfect gaming room. Whatever your interests are, this can be the place for it.
Playhouse
Another option is to repurpose the chicken coop into an adorable playhouse. After cleaning out the coop and taking out all the nesting boxes and perches, you have a blank canvas. You could add a fresh coat of paint and drapes to make it feel homey. Adding a play kitchen and furniture will only add to the fun. If you have kids with a wild imagination, it could be turned into a castle that they have to protect. Or for the space lover, it could be a rocket that they have to command while going on an intergalactic trip. The sky is the limit.
Hydroponics System
Hydroponics has increased in popularity in the past 20 years. You can grow virtually anything in a hydroponics system. A repurposed chicken coop is a great place to do that. Using grow lights and some fine hydroponics, you could produce some of the best-tasting vegetables around. You will love how effortless hydroponics seems to be.
Isolation Coop
Keeping your old coop could be the best way to quarantine new chickens. It is an easy way to keep all the new chickens comfortable while you are waiting to introduce them into your flock. And if the coop is small enough, it could be used inside the new to have a slow introduction. And the best part is that you don’t have to do anything at all to the coop.
Catio
What to do with old chicken houses? Make your cats a catio! Your cats will love getting some outdoor time that keeps them safe. And there is little that you need to alter to make that happen as long as your cat can’t get out. Simply add a litter box and a water dish. Your cat will be begging to go outside more, and its good for their health.
Dog House
The last of our tips to repurpose your old chicken coop is to make a dog house. If your dog is larger, you might want to make a larger entrance. But your dogs will love to use the old coop as their new house. They are just the right size for a bed or two and water dishes. And since the coop already has plenty of adjustable ventilation, you don’t have to worry about your dogs overheating. Repurposed old coops can also house more dogs than one, so you can save space on multiple houses.
No Matter What…
Don’t get rid of your old coop. You will find a purpose for it eventually. And it never fails that as soon as you get rid of it, you come up with a fantastic idea for it. And hopefully, these tips to repurpose your old chicken coop can spark an idea of what to do with them.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Backyard Chicken Board!!
