will this be suitable?

[lynda66]

my next door neighbour has an old mini in his front garden, he's just offered it to me to keep chickens in, the engine is going in another mini he's got,

so, if we stripped the inside out, put a shelf, and some nest boxes in and something for them to perch on, and a wooden floor covered in lino?? and a run at the back end,(so they can get in and out through the boot) would it be ok to keep them in? i quite fancy a couple of ducks too, cos they are cute .... we were thinking 4 chickens and 2 ducks.

or is it a really stupid idea and not remotely feasible?

and we can paint it with psychedelic flowers lol .... ok i'm getting a bit carried away now, i'm excited

Lynda xx

[Snadger]

I would imagine it might get a bit hot inside during the summer? Not insurmountable though as you could wind a window down and put mesh in or paint the windows!

[lynda66]

yeah, i did think about that, it's currently black as well, which was one of the reasons for painting it ....... but it will be partly under a tree, and we were thinking of leaving the windows in for winter, but putting mesh over them as well?

[Hilary B]

Sounds workable to me. Might need some ingenuity for details, but basically, why not? Make sure you give them a ramp to get in (and if you shut them in for the night, it would be as near fox-proof as anything you might manage)

[lynda66]

well thats a good point, i've never seen a fox in a car before lol .... i'm thinking that it might work then ....... oooo how exciting, guess we'd better get cracking then, theres a lot to strip out of it ..... unless anyone can think of any reasons why not?

thanks

Lynda xx

[kirsty b]

One thing you MUST do is post pics on here when its finished.
Sounds like a fab idea.
A poultry farm just up the road from me has a roof from a mini placed in the field and the chooks use it as a rain shelter.

[Gwyndy]

And they could sound the horn when they want feeding!!

[terrier]

...and if you had Geese, they could just 'HONK'

[lynda66]

ooooooo yeah, i could leave the steering wheel in so they can perch on it too lol and the stereo

oh, just thought of a flaw in that plan ...... there won't be an engine ..... mind you, i guess i could leave the battery in and they would have flashing lights as well for when their mates come round for a party

[lynda66]

think it might be a bit small for geese lol ...... but maybe i could train them to put the indicators and horn on if they see a fox

[lynda66]

One thing you MUST do is post pics on here when its finished.
Sounds like a fab idea.
A poultry farm just up the road from me has a roof from a mini placed in the field and the chooks use it as a rain shelter.

well i'm glad no ones said how flipping stupid yet lol

i'll do before during and afters

[MaureenHall]

Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh go for it If Jimmy Doherty can house his chooks in caravans (oh the luxury!) then I'm sure your mini will work. Dying to see it

[Kristen]

We are fastidious about cleaning the inside of our coup. Once a week : everything out, pressure wash / scrub, leave in the sun for the UV to kill the bugs, and then put it back together again.

I don't know how important that is, but I'm not sure how easy it would with a mini!

[lynda66]

it's got a few holes lol, i'm sure it will drain fine ..... it will need some bits lining with wood, but mostly it will be sort of box shaped inside ..... we'll definitely have to look at that

[Hilary B]

A thought, if you make access ways into the boot and/or engine compartment, ready-made externally accessible nestboxes. A perch could rest from dashboard to parcel-shelf (if you can get the seats out and leave the parcel shelf)......
Improvisation is fun!