Well, we are recyclers, what can I say. We got our wooden playset in 2006 on Craigslist and used it til the kids were tired of it. As second owners, it really was not safe to take apart and reassemble to sell or give away. I kept looking at it and pondering what to do when I realized we could chop off the bottom and the swings, remove the slide and rock climbing wall, and…voila! A darling playhouse for the kids.
[bctt tweet=”Our kid’s @Craigslist playhouse transformed into a chicken coop”]
It fit perfectly between the fig tree and the lemon. Eventually I created a cute garden around it, made curtains for the door, and window baskets for style. It was also well used for a few years. The fact.
And then it wasn’t. But, I have to admit, I always had other plans for it. We had chickens before, but I didn’t have a real coop for them and they roamed the garden leaving their unpleasant droppings everywhere, mainly on the patio in front of the door. Through many tears I found a home for them on Craigslist and bid them farewell.
[bctt tweet=”Chickens aren’t pets, but are a great addition to the back yard garden.”]That is when the playhouse came to my mind as a future coop. My husband said no for a few years, but somehow, one day he pulled out the chop saw and gave me a list of things to get at Home Depot. You have no idea the elation that I felt that day and every moment of the transformation.
The first thing we did was to replace the old legs that had been shortened with 32 inch 4x4s. Then attach a 2×4 on the bottom perimeter to stabilize it.
Next we added the wire mesh (with a little help from kitty, who is ever so helpful for some reason.)
We decided to remove the railing and use redwood fencing as siding, which made it really easy to cover.
Taylor built three nesting boxes (more help from kitty) and patched up the roof with more fencing.
Doors were added with some cute hinges from Home Depot. Love them! We also made sure to cover any openings with the wire mesh.
Finally I painted the exterior in my favorite color, Cracked Pepper from Home Depot. The inside color was a chosen on a whim, and we love it!! I matched the Ryobi green, which also matches my chartreuse sweet potato vine. It really makes it cheerful, especially with the hot pink flowers in the baskets lined with burlap coffee bags I got from the Valley Permaculture Alliance.
When it was finished we made a brooder, bought some chicks, and BAM! Another dream come true (especially for kitty)!! I love the coop, I love the chickens, and I know I’ll love the eggs. Mostly, I love my husband for making it happen. Thank you!!!
