Chicken coop in barn loft?

[Clkendrick13]

I have a massive barn loft that I have been trying to figure out if it's possible to make into a chicken coop. I know chickens love to be high up and they would be safer from predators. It's massive and I'm not sure what else to do with it. I found a thread on here where one person had done it a long time ago. What would I need to do to make it work? Would they go up and down stairs? Would they need a ramp and if so what angle does it need to be at? There's the one window on the end and then 2 massive windows on each side that we were going to cover with wire so they can be open but things like owls and Hawks and bobcats can't get in.

 

[DobieLover]

I have a massive barn loft that I have been trying to figure out if it's possible to make into a chicken coop. I know chickens love to be high up and they would be safer from predators. It's massive and I'm not sure what else to do with it. I found a thread on here where one person had done it a long time ago. What would I need to do to make it work? Would they go up and down stairs? Would they need a ramp and if so what angle does it need to be at? There's the one window on the end and then 2 massive windows on each side that we were going to cover with wire so they can be open but things like owls and Hawks and bobcats can't get in.
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Is there a hay ladder door up there? If not, how will you clean it out?
Where will their nest boxes be? How will you haul supplies up?
Chickens use stairs but going up a full flight might be a bit much. What is at the bottom of the stairs? Could it be bedded down to cushion landings if when they fly down off one of the steps?
If you use that space for the coop, how many birds will it house? Is there easy access to their run from the barn or do you free range?

 

[Criticalicious]

Also remember chickens poop A LOT. You'll want to cover the wood floor with something to make cleanup easier. I'd be more concerned with raccoons getting in versus hawks.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm assuming they will go outside during the day and you want them to lay here and sleep here?

How well can the chickens you are considering fly? Some, like Silkies, can't fly. Some really big ones may have troubles, but I've had Orpington, Sussex, Black Australorp, and Rocks that could fly up there and back down if they wanted to. I don't feed mine a real rich diet so mine don't get that big for their breed but that can also have an effect. I find a difference in what they can do and what they will do. If they want to mine can fly really well. if they don't want to they don't fly worth a darn. The trick is making them want to. And giving them enough room so they can spread their wings and fly. In a lot of smaller coops they don't have enough room. That may be your problem, do they have enough room to actually fly.

They can use stairs and hop up. Some barns have pretty steep stairs, some not so steep. If you can use them they should be able to, if they want to. You could use a ladder at maybe a 45 degree angle with rungs every foot or so. They can hop up that. Or provide small platforms three or four feet apart vertically so they can fly from one to another. I don't use ramps but I'd think no steeper than 45 degrees and cleats every foot or so. Would you be doing this inside the barn or cutting a hole for a pop door in the side and giving them access from outside?

Any of these can work if you set it up right but you'll have to train them to use it. That might be keeping them in there for a while before you let them out but you may still have to put them in there at night for a while after you let them out. Of course there are all the practical questions about how convenient it will be for you to manage them up there.

I'm basing some of this response on my experiences growing up on a farm with free ranging chickens. We had some that would lay eggs or even hide a nest and hatch chicks in a 10' high hay loft. They could go up the same stairs we used or they could fly straight up. Some did one, some did the other. As far as I know they all flew down.

 

[aart]

There's the one window on the end and then 2 massive windows on each side

I wonder how hot it gets up there, despite the big windows.
Might want to mesh off the rafters to keep them from roosting on them.

I don't use ramps but I'd think no steeper than 45 degrees and cleats every foot or so.

Closer to 35° and 4-6" on cleat spacing.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I wonder how hot it gets up there, despite the big windows.

Their record high is 115, record low -22. Pretty severe. More ventilation might be required but it may not be that bad. If they aren't in there during the heat of the day it could coll off OK for nights. When they are laying eggs would probably be my biggest concern from the heat in the coop. I agree, it could be an issue but In Colorado City you'll have that in any coop.

Might want to mesh off the rafters to keep them from roosting on them.
I just look at them as you don't have to build roosts.

Closer to 35° and 4-6" on cleat spacing.

Thanks, never done a ramp for chickens. Not sure how high that loft is but that's close to a 3-4-5 triangle. Maybe I can remember that. That's 3 units vertical, 4 units horizontal, and 5 units along the slope.

 

[aart]

I just look at them as you don't have to build roosts.

Ha dpends on how you want to manage manure...
...and I like to be able to easily grab birds off roost at night for exams.
Some foam board tacked to the bottom of those rafters might delay the solar gain,
with a few turbine vent stacks installed thru it to the roof.<brainspin>

Thanks, never done a ramp for chickens.

Coming down the ramp is when they have more trouble, don't like their feet slipping.

Wonder how high off the ground the loft floor is?
Have seen a couple of crazy series of ramps coming from high housing.