converting tobacco barn stalls to coop

[cw]

i have a 100+ old barn that at 1 one was a dairy barn, then tobacco barn, hay barn, then horse barn now equipment storage.
barn is in the process of being resided.

my qustion for the coop is how high to run the wire, what wire to use? my greastest concern is predators?

 

[Omran]

Quote:
First of all

Glad you are on board with us.

I know tabbaco barns real well, especially that where i live is in the middle of tabbaco land in KY.

You need a real good welded at least 14 gage 1"x1" wire and it is better if you can affored the 1/2"x1/2", Second thing is I did not understand your Question with (how High) if you are going to use a section of your barn then you need to secure all wood work and you need to bury some wire around the coop at least 18" in the ground then racons can't get to your chicken inside.
Maybe you can put some pictures for us to be able to see the barn and explain a liitle more your plan.
Thanks and God Bless.

Omran

 

[cw]

middle of tobacco land we are. the side of the barn i was going to use is 25 feet high on the side i need to wire off will coons and possums climb chicken wire that high? sure they would the boards on the that side have been replaced with metal

 

[cmom]

I have my run covered. It is made up of chicken wire, but I also have electric wire outside it. If a preditor touches the wire they will get between 4000 and 6000 volts. Ouch. Since I put the wire up I haven't had any preditor problems. Prior, I think a neighborhood dog got one of my older girls as there were dog like tracks next to her body. I have a picture on my BYC Page.

 

[cw]

some of my biggest problems will be gettin electric out to it and it not get to drafty
i have been thinking of keeping them in the green house during the winter, help warm them they help warm it etc. though i dont think they would ever keep the green house that much warmer but ther fertilizer would be that much closer to the pile

 

[Omran]

Hi CW, another suggestion will be: build you a little area like 10'x10' coop inside your tabbaco barn and make sure that this liitle coop is preditors proof(no coons or opposums can brake in) and then in the day light your chickens can stay in the big barn if necessary orthey can go out and free range.
where do you live? another Tabbaco land?

Omran

 

[LynneP]

We converted a horse stall to a coop and covered run.
I know you'll be happier with hardware cloth.
Do you have any pic of the space so we can assist you?
Is the greenhouse close enough to the barn that you could connect the two for convenience?

Details in link below, hope it helps!

 

[griffin45]

I am in the middle of tobacco land in Virginia, and I have several old tobacco barns. I was also confronted with the electricity probem and resolved it with a 45 watt solar system from Harbor Frieght, that charges a deep cycle battery hooked to a fence controller. The solar system was $199 a few months ago online at www.harborfrieght.com and it comes with 12 volt light. No running excess copper for me any more!