Uses for Chicken Houses

Chicken houses can be built to serve more than one purpose. Even if the primary purpose of a chicken house involves chickens, planning to use the structure for other purposes shouldn't be overlooked. The size and the materials of the chicken house determine the appropriate uses. A walk-in chicken house can provide more uses than a smaller one. The available sunlight in the coop also plays an important role. You never know when you might decide to stop using the coop for chickens, so having a second or third plan never hurts.

  1. Chicken House

    • A chicken house can be used to raise baby chicks prior to the chicks actually using the roosts and nest of the coop. Do this by setting up a brooder in the house that will accommodate the immediate needs of the baby chicks. The chicken house will provide the protection from the elements, and the brooder will act as a house within a house. Remove the chicks from the brooder when fully feathered and use the chicken house for housing egg-laying hens or broilers.

    Dog House

    • If you don't keep chickens anymore and you are wondering what to do with the chicken house, remodel it for your dog. Clean and sanitize the coop before introducing your furry pet to her new home. Pull out the roosts and nesting boxes, too. The entrance and exit of a chicken house may be too small for your canine friend, so make the appropriate modifications. If the chicken house had a closed-in run attached, this will double as the dog run.

    Greenhouse

    • Chicken houses usually have an adequate supply of window light. Turn the space into your greenhouse and start all of your seeds inside. If the chicken house has insulation, a small space heater can be used to warm up the soil for seed germination. Set up grow lights if the coop doesn't have adequate natural light. New seedlings need full spectrum lighting to grow successfully. When the weather warms up, cover the chicken run with plastic and use it to harden off the stems of your tender seedlings. Once the seedlings have adjusted to outdoor life, you can move them to the garden or flower beds.

    Multipurpose Shed

    • Turn the old chicken house into a garden and tool shed. Keep all of your garden tools and gardening supplies inside, if the chicken house is big enough. Install double doors so you can park lawn maintenance equipment out of the weather. Use the old nesting boxes for parts storage, and hang tools from the roosts. If the chicken house is in good repair, clean it, paint it and turn it into a child's playhouse.