Another design question .. Pole barn ..

[FreedomLover]

My DH has decided that instead of building me half dozen seperate smaller buildings that he is just going to build me a pole barn to house my "micro-farm". It will measure 24' x 40'.

My question is this. When adding the coops to the floor plan should I include the run "under" the roof lone or should it extend beyond the barn? The prob I see with adding under the roof line is that the coops won't get any real amount of actual sunlight inside them, unless I install solotubes. The girls and boys will be allowed out to free range as much as possible.

 

[patandchickens]

If the chickens will have access to a sunny area most days, it is not a problem for the indoor coop to have no direct sunlight (although it will be colder in the winter, if that is an issue wherever you are).

Frankly commercial feeds are vit-D supplemented these days so if you HAD to raise chickens with zero sun exposure it would be metabolically ok for them; although they sure are happier if they can spend some time in the sun.

Also, if this is going to be a plain ol' pole barn, you can use clear panels in the roofing to let some sun into the back of the building, although remember that'll make it hotter in summer if that's an issue wherever you are.

I would suggest installing gutters on at least the portion of roofline that is right by the chickens, because even if their enclosed area is entirely behind the dripline, it will get Real Wet (and thus stinky and nasty) if it is recieving all that roof runoff.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[al6517]

Make long outdoor runs attached to the barn that leads outside, the indoor part is fine and will help you manage the breeding pen's better. Just make the pens on both sides of the inside with an alleyway down the center, and fened and wired outdoor runs with lockable pop doors for them to come and go as they please and you can lock them up inside for the night for their protection.

AL

 

[FreedomLover]

Thanks for the replies.

It doesn't get as hot here in central Arkansas as it can in Florida but it still gets pretty hot. And cold is subjective lol I'd say it gets cold but my DH goes outside in 32 degree weather in his tshirt lol.

I'll be home late tomorrow so I think I'll attempt to sketch-up something then and post for feedback. The reason I called it my "micro-farm" is because the barn will house chickens, turkeys and a couple goats. I'm still not sure if I want to put the rabbits in there or not, as I may attempt a rabbit colony instead of using hutches.

I read all the posts on here and see all the awesome innovative things people are doing and I wish I could do them all! LoL

I'm going to brainstorm a bit since DH is taking his turn to drive and see wwhat diff options I can come up with.

Again, thanks for the replies!

Edit to add...

With regards to guttters, we planned on putting a rainwater catchment system on the barn so that's covered