Once I've cleared Mum's house, and while her estate is being sorted and house being sold, we're going to be staying at my partner's house from where we can look for a smallholding. There is a large (approx 9sqm) block built shed with double glazed windows and door at the bottom of the garden which we've spent the last two days clearing out to make a temporary chicken house. It turns out to have a rather rubbly cement floor which we've gone over carefully picking up stray nails etc. Will it be ok just to put horse bedding down over that?
They'll have the run of a fenced garden (just balding weedy grass and paths) much of the time but might have to spend more time in the shed than they usually would in a coop. I'm hoping that's going to be ok as it's a large, light shed so it'll be a kind of coop and indoor run.
Also, with 5 chickens in a shed that size will the little gaps at the sides of the corrugated roof be enough ventilation or should I be trying to make a weldmesh shutter so the window can stay open?
My rescue girls and bantams have been living separately up until now but will all be living in the shed together. I've got some plastic shelving which I was thinking I'd put a nestbox on the top of for the bantams to fly up to so they can get out of reach of the rescue girls who would have their nestbox on the bottom. Does that sound like it would work?
TIA for any thoughts :)