A quick tour of our converted barn into a chicken house and run area "VIDEO"

[Red Barn Farms]

Hope you enjoy and go easy on me please. I'd like opinions on things that might need to be changed or added to make life easier! Thanks.

 

[Stumpy]

What a nice roomy place for your chickens! That is the sturdiest outdoor roost I have ever seen. I can tell you care about your chickens and have put a lot of thought and time into everything. If it were mine, though, I would be concerned about predators getting in through the large gaps between and under the boards.

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Hi Stumpy. Thanks for your comment. I was concerned myself as I was converting the barn for them but also talking to four other neighbors who live close by and all have chickens as well. Two couple have had them on their farms for years without one single death due to any predators. We're so lucky to really only see a hawk fly over at times. No one has seen a raccoon in years. Two of the neighbors raise donkeys who keep the coyotes away. The only thing to be on the look out for are red foxes. So far though no one has reported seeing any foxes venture down into our valley. They stay way up in the wooded mountain areas. I keep mine in the barn or the run area. All my neighbors let theirs run everywhere. I see what you mean by the gaps in the boards when reviewing the video. I think it's dark and light play. Being in the barn makes the light shine through making those gaps looks so large when they are only have about 1/4" gap each. Keeping fingers crossed those foxes stay away. Thinking of adding the red blinking night lights just for added precautions.

 

[Phyrst]

RedBarnFarms, I think your barn coop is really nice. So much room and so many nice places for chickens to hang-out! I like the ladder planks you built that go to the brooder and the nest boxes. My chickens only use the "night-time roost" like yours, only at night so maybe that's an instinct or something that chickens have! I grew up in KY, NE of Lexington and spent my first 20 yrs. there. I still love to go home! I think it is the prettiest country! Just one thing, Stumpy mentioned the gaps and holes - I know snakes can find eggs and small chickens and I would make sure that whatever you put up is small enough to keep the things that crawl out. I'm in MD now but grew up with snakes around and learned a lot about them. They can get through the smallest space it seems. Otherwise your chickens are very lucky! I would love to have a pen and coop like yours. I enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Stumpy]

I was concerned myself as I was converting the barn for them but also talking to four other neighbors who live close by and all have chickens as well. Two couple have had them on their farms for years without one single death due to any predators.

Wow -- That's great. I live in the woods, so I probably am more concerned than most.

 

[satay]

I loved your video of your coop. Can't work out what i loved more the coop or your american accent have always loved the american accent

 

[Red Barn Farms]

Wow -- That's great. I live in the woods, so I probably am more concerned than most.

I understand that. So much more worries living in the woods but also very beautiful. We also live way out from any town. The only thing so far to worry about around here are snakes. Not that many but I've seen two this year so far. I think they both were king snakes. We also have rat snakes. That's about it! I did see one copperhead 5 years ago in the valley! Poor guy had a match with my hoe!

We live in a valley along with 7 other families within shout'in distance of one another. An Amish community is just down the road. My closest neighbors are Mennonite. We're all like a big family. You never have to worry about locking doors around here. The entire valley I'd say is about a total of 800 acres or so. Mountains surround us on three sides.