ABCFarmkids
Hatching
We have a small 15-20 chicken chicken coop we built at the back side of my dad’s shed. Raised off the ground, run enclosed, nestboxes under an enclosed leanto overhang. It worked out really well, but we are expanding the flock (actually getting flock 2.0).
We have an old concrete 20x30 building that was a chicken coop in the 1950s when my relatives lived on the farm. It has been a wood shop since 1980. No insulation, cinder block walls, concrete floor, no ceiling, open through rafters to roof basically! The building has nothing but ventilation it seems but I am still worried about heat and humidity (easily vented with some gable fans).
Our plan is to partition the building down the middle, make a large run for 50 birds or so on one side with nestboxes and a large brooder on the other side. The old building Dad says allowed chickens to roost up in the rafters (poo everywhere it looks like). We are going to fence off the area above the rafters to keep them on their own sides.
Question: We are trying to figure out if we should line the roof and possibly the floor of the rafter space (attic area) with insulation (probably rigid foam) also to help keep heat out in summer and vent or just leave it open. Building has openings under eave space to inside but we will have to probably add gable vents to help regardless. Dad thought it might be a good idea to even put some rigid foam and plywood on the walls to help out a bit more even. Located in central Illinois, so summers are hot and winters can be cold.
My brother and I gutted it completely so now is the right time to do it right if given the opportunity. Just not sure what a large building like that really should be setup for as a layer house.
Thanks for any advice.
We have an old concrete 20x30 building that was a chicken coop in the 1950s when my relatives lived on the farm. It has been a wood shop since 1980. No insulation, cinder block walls, concrete floor, no ceiling, open through rafters to roof basically! The building has nothing but ventilation it seems but I am still worried about heat and humidity (easily vented with some gable fans).
Our plan is to partition the building down the middle, make a large run for 50 birds or so on one side with nestboxes and a large brooder on the other side. The old building Dad says allowed chickens to roost up in the rafters (poo everywhere it looks like). We are going to fence off the area above the rafters to keep them on their own sides.
Question: We are trying to figure out if we should line the roof and possibly the floor of the rafter space (attic area) with insulation (probably rigid foam) also to help keep heat out in summer and vent or just leave it open. Building has openings under eave space to inside but we will have to probably add gable vents to help regardless. Dad thought it might be a good idea to even put some rigid foam and plywood on the walls to help out a bit more even. Located in central Illinois, so summers are hot and winters can be cold.
My brother and I gutted it completely so now is the right time to do it right if given the opportunity. Just not sure what a large building like that really should be setup for as a layer house.
Thanks for any advice.