Build a coop or use barn stall

[mandamay28]

I'm trying to decide if I want to build a coop or convert a stall in our barn to a coop. For the latter, All we need to do is instal a door and ramp on the backside to the barn and do some ignore constructing on the stall itself to make if chicken friendly. It is a 10x7 stall. It has a concrete floor so that will have to be addressed as well. To build a coop we would start from scratch but they look so nice ( at least at first). We will likely in the future use another stall ( there are 4) for a couple of Nigerian Dwarf goats to bed at night. Would the chickens get stressed with boasts as neighbors?
Is 10x7 large enough for 15ish large birds? (Orpingtons, Brahmas, Cochin and Plymouth rocks) all hens, 1 rooster. We will have a large run for them for when we want the contained, probably a 10x25.
Would love any ideas. We are so new to this! TIA

 

[0wen]

If you can use the stall - doing whatever modifications needed to keep predators out and adding chicken stuff (roosts, nesting boxes, etc) I would do that. The concrete floor would help with potential burrowing rodents but you want to add enough bedding to keep the chickens off of it - a deep layers of shavings or such is an easy remedy. 10x7 should be fine for 15 birds if you're allowing them plenty of outside time (which it sounds like you have covered with the run).