Best way to convert shed for chicken house and…?

We have a shed which is about 7 ft. by 8 ft. I want to convert it into a chicken coop. I need some advice on the best way to do it. It has double doors at one end, and small prop-open windows on each side, with the back (north) side being solid. It’s a metal shed with a metal roof and a wooden floor. Someone has nailed sheet metal along the bottom 15 inches or so of the doors, which are otherwise made of plywood. The shed is located in the shade of several pine trees. I want to construct a fenced run outside the shed to let the chickens out into. What I really would like to do is figure out some way to make the run movable, so they can graze one part and then I can move it to let them graze another part while the other part "rests." This will stick out into our yard. Also, there is a black walnut tree right behind the shed and I’m wondering if they will get sick if they eat black walnuts that have fallen into the area (which they do regularly when ripe). Any suggestions much appreciated! What I really would like is a movable chicken coop, but it seems silly to do that when we already have the shed and it’s empty.

Oh, I forgot to mention that we plan on keeping 8-12 chickens (Rhode Island Reds).

One Response to “Best way to convert shed for chicken house and…?”

  1. smokey on July 26th, 2010 4:56 pm

    the best thing to try is go to a farm supply store and see if they can give you some tips.