Converting a Shed Into a Chicken Coop: Essential Dos and Don’ts

Converting a Shed Into a Chicken Coop

Converting a shed into a chicken coop is a brilliant way to save money and give your hens a spacious home. A shed is often roomier than many commercial coops, and if you have a bit of DIY know-how, it can easily be converted to suit the needs of your flock. In this post, I’ll talk about the essential dos and don’ts when doing your conversion.

Why a shed makes a great chicken coop

The main benefit of using a shed is space. Most garden sheds offer more internal room than the average flat-pack coop, giving your birds more comfort and giving you easier access for cleaning and egg collection.

Our first ever coop was actually a converted walk-in shed. My dad built it, and it gave us years of use. It wasn’t fancy, but it did the job perfectly, and it gave me a real appreciation for how adaptable sheds can be.

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Do you need planning or permission?

In most UK gardens, you don’t need planning permission to keep chickens or install and convert a shed, as long as you’re not creating a business and your shed stays within permitted development limits. But if you’re renting or live in a conservation area, it’s always best to check with your landlord or local council before making changes.

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Getting the base right

Getting the shed’s base right is one of the most important steps. If you place a shed straight onto soil, you risk moisture problems, rot and predators digging underneath.

To prevent these issues, you can either lay a hard-standing or raise the shed up a few inches using bricks, breeze blocks, old paving slabs, etc. Just make sure the base is completely level and robust enough to hold the weight of the shed with you inside. This will improve drainage, allow airflow, and deter rats and foxes from chewing their way in.

If you are worried about predators getting under the raised gap, you can surround the base in galvanised mesh. I know one person who laid a layer of concrete inside the shed to create a rodent-proof base that was easy to clean and protected from ground moisture.

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How much space do your chickens need?

Before you start the conversion, work out how many birds you plan to keep or how many hens your existing shed will safely accommodate. As a guide:

• Inside the coop:
  • 2–3 square feet (0.2 to 0.3 sq m) per standard hen
  • 1 square foot (0.1 sq m) per bantam
• Outside in the run:
  • At least 10 square feet (1 square metre) per bird; however, I would recommend 2 square metres or more

For example, a 6ft x 4ft shed (about 2.2m²) would be suitable for up to 3 standard hens, assuming they have good access to a run.

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Essential modifications to make

Ventilation

Good airflow is vital for your hens’ health. Chickens produce a lot of moisture overnight, and without proper ventilation, ammonia can build up quickly. Chickens are also prone to respiratory issues, so good air flow helps prevent the spread of infections.

• Ideally, ventilation size needs to be 1/9th that of the floor space, e.g., 1 square foot of ventilation for every square yard of floor space.
• Add at least two vents to ensure air flow. Usually, you put one high up on each of the gable ends
• Aim for each vent to be at least 20 x 10 cm, more for larger sheds
• Use galvanised mesh-covered holes or louvre vents to prevent climbing predators, like mink, from getting access
• Place vents above perch height to avoid cold draughts at roosting level

Insulation (optional)

Insulation is not essential for most UK gardens, but it could be helpful if you live in an exposed area or somewhere that has harsh winters. If you do insulate, good ventilation is essential to prevent bacteria and mould from growing in damp conditions. I would also be concerned that red mites and other pests could find the gaps between the insulation and the shed wall a good place to infest and breed.

• Use foil-backed foam, sheep’s wool or polystyrene boards behind a layer of plywood
• Never leave insulation exposed; hens will peck at it
• Focus on the roof and walls rather than the floor

Windows and daylight

Chickens lay better when exposed to natural light. If your shed doesn’t have any windows, consider adding:

• Small clear roof panels or polycarbonate panes
• Avoid placing windows where they’ll catch artificial light from streetlamps or security lights, as this can confuse your hens’ laying cycle
• All windows should be secured with ¼-inch galvanised mesh to keep out predators

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Internal setup: roosts, nests and layout

Perches

Hens need to roost comfortably at night, off the ground and away from nest boxes.

• Allow 25 cm perch space per bird
• Use strong, flat wood with a slightly rounded edge, around 4–5 cm wide and 2cm thick
• Avoid flat boards or fully rounded poles — the former can lead to joint problems, and the latter are hard to grip
• Perches should be higher than the nesting boxes and ideally removable for easy cleaning

Nesting boxes

• Aim for one box per 3 hens, though they’ll usually share a favourite anyway
• Place boxes in a quiet, shaded corner, below perch height
• Secure boxes so they can’t tip over, and add a front lip to stop eggs rolling out
• Make sure you can easily access the boxes from outside or through a side door
• Make sure boxes are large enough for a hen to comfortably lay in.

Floor and droppings board

• Lay vinyl, lino or sealed wood on the floor for easier cleaning
• Install a droppings board under the perches to catch overnight mess
• A droppings board is simply a tray or surface you can scrape clean each morning. It cuts down on flies and saves your bedding from being soaked in poo

If you do use vinyl or lino, make sure it’s securely in place; you don’t want liquid seeping underneath or mites living beneath.

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Pop hole and coop access

The pop hole is the small door your hens use to go in and out of the coop. A square opening around 30 x 30 cm is typical, but you can adjust to suit your breed size.

Avoid using a cat flap. While it seems like a tidy option, most hens dislike pushing through the plastic, and cat flaps are far too flimsy to stop predators. A determined fox could easily break through one.

There are several ways to build or attach a pop hole door:

• Vertical sliding doors — often paired with automatic openers
• Traditional hinged doors — simple and effective
• Removable covers — less common but easy to build

There’s no fixed rule, but the fittings must be strong and secure. Use sturdy hinges, bolts, and reinforced framing to prevent weak spots. Even in the UK, predators like foxes, rats and weasels are a real risk.

Also, think about human access. Even if you’re only popping in to collect eggs or sweep out droppings, you’ll need a door wide enough to step through comfortably. If your shed has a standard walk-in door, perfect, just make sure it’s secure and ideally reinforced with a bolt or latch. For smaller sheds or tight spaces, consider adding a second access panel or drop-down hatch for cleaning and egg collection.

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Adding a run

If your hens won’t be free-ranging all day, a secure run is essential.

• Use welded mesh, not chicken wire, it’s much harder to chew through
• Include a roof cover to keep out birds of prey and discourage climbing animals
• A walk-in height run is best for your back
• Bury mesh at least 20 cm deep around the perimeter or fit a mesh apron to stop digging

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Regular maintenance

After all the effort of converting your shed, it’s worth keeping it in good shape. A quick check every week or two can prevent small issues becoming big problems.

• Check for damp, leaks or drafts, especially around windows, doors and roof joins
• Look for signs of chewing or digging near the base — rats and foxes often test weak spots
• Inspect mesh, bolts, latches and pop hole doors for wear or damage
• Clean droppings boards and nesting boxes regularly to keep pests and smells at bay

If your shed is made of wood, it will also need regular treatment to protect against rot and weathering. Choose chicken-safe wood treatments or paints and avoid anything with strong solvents, antifungal additives or mildew blockers unless clearly marked as animal-safe. If you do plan to paint or treat the shed, it’s best to do this before your hens move in, and allow time for everything to air out fully.

Finally, if your coop and run are in a fox-prone area (most are even in urban areas), consider extra protection. See our post: How To Predator Proof a Chicken Coop

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Final thoughts

Converting a shed into a chicken coop is a great DIY project, With a bit of planning and some simple upgrades, even a basic shed can become a secure, well-ventilated and easy-to-manage home for your hens.

Whether you’re starting your first flock or upgrading from a small prefab coop, this is a great way to give your birds more space, and to build something that really works for you.

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