cement floor

[TinaSwarr]

Newbie has questions allready...went pricing prebuilt coops , not paying that much... husband thinks he has a solution...we have an old hog barn with isolation room, he thinks we can use that....here's what it would have ...cement floor? very safe and secure when closed up. outside and inside entrance. electric which would help in winter. room is about 12x12. main barn has water lines..... the con to me would be ventilation even though we would attach an outside run just not sure if ventilation would be a problem... barn has been empty for about 10 years, so modifications are possible. any suggestions on this idea.

 

[TheSitcomGirls]

My coop is in an existing stone building: the old milkhouse from when our farm used to be a Dairy Farm. I love my cement floor. So easy to keep clean. For ventilation I have a window open on each side of the building. Then I put a fan blowing air out in the south window. My husband too did not want to buy a new building when we already had one. But he didn't want to give up the storage so I couldn't have the whole building.

He framed the coop to the existing posts in the building.

This is the south side....we put a fan in the left hand window facing out.

Without the fan it was getting sticky in the building when it was hot in the summer. It seemed best to keep the air moving.

Then the nestboxes are built to not take up space in the coop.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

That's a great idea! I have a studio and perhaps we can convert half of it if our flock grows. I'm sure I can feel my husband's eyes rolling already.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Concrete floor in coop is FINE, actually it is excellent b/c it gives you super protection vs rats and digging predators, and some extra thermal ballast in winter.

However you NEED to be able to have GOOD ventilation there. Seriously. Not just a little. Does the room have one or more outside walls that big openings could be put thru?

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
sounds perfect.... if it gets hot or stuffy just pop a window and use a fan like someone else suggested.