- Nov 29, 2010
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In another life I had RIRs and Silkies...nearly 2 decades and something like a dozen moves ago. Finally have settled down a month or so ago on a little piece of land with a shed and will be getting back into poultry early next year...probably mostly Orpingtons this time around but we shall see.
In any event, here's what I have to start with...will update as the project progresses. Don't hold your breath though...we have long, long winter ahead!
Shed in question is a pole barn, more or less uninsulated at this point. The side of the building in question is 40x30, earthen floor. Used to have two horse stalls which are now mostly dismantled (former owner's doing, I would've kept the stalls). Ridgeline of roof leaks, there's a tear in the siding, gutters would be good to manage runoff, and really the dirt floor could stand to been replaced with pea gravel for drainage and removal of organic material...
Exterior
Circle is a tear in the siding...plan to cut that out and put the coop door there. Red lines are approximately the proposed run boundaries, which is 25 x 40. Will be putting that in when we put in other fencing so we'll have post equipment here already. Property line isn't far from the building so that's about as wide as it can be. Faces east so will get morning sun. Too bad the building does have more windows...haven't dealt much with metal siding before so not sure how difficult it will be to retro fit windows on the east and south walls. The yellow lines are a possible second run "down the line" if I get bold enough to try turkeys and such. Not worrying about it now, but like to keep the distant future in mind as well to avoid designs that could make my life more difficult later.
Interior
Tractor will be housed in another part of the barn and won't be in the way for this project. On the other hand this part of the barn will be used for other livestock as well. Current plan is to set up a few stalls along the wall plus a main area for larger stock (had cattle, rabbits, and horses as well in the past, but while we may do rabbits again, we are looking more at sheep-sized livestock on the upper end of the scale).
There's a lot of cleanup and repair to be done first...but just wanted to share the dream to help keep me focused as winter approaches!
Thanks!
In any event, here's what I have to start with...will update as the project progresses. Don't hold your breath though...we have long, long winter ahead!
Shed in question is a pole barn, more or less uninsulated at this point. The side of the building in question is 40x30, earthen floor. Used to have two horse stalls which are now mostly dismantled (former owner's doing, I would've kept the stalls). Ridgeline of roof leaks, there's a tear in the siding, gutters would be good to manage runoff, and really the dirt floor could stand to been replaced with pea gravel for drainage and removal of organic material...
Exterior
Circle is a tear in the siding...plan to cut that out and put the coop door there. Red lines are approximately the proposed run boundaries, which is 25 x 40. Will be putting that in when we put in other fencing so we'll have post equipment here already. Property line isn't far from the building so that's about as wide as it can be. Faces east so will get morning sun. Too bad the building does have more windows...haven't dealt much with metal siding before so not sure how difficult it will be to retro fit windows on the east and south walls. The yellow lines are a possible second run "down the line" if I get bold enough to try turkeys and such. Not worrying about it now, but like to keep the distant future in mind as well to avoid designs that could make my life more difficult later.
Interior
Tractor will be housed in another part of the barn and won't be in the way for this project. On the other hand this part of the barn will be used for other livestock as well. Current plan is to set up a few stalls along the wall plus a main area for larger stock (had cattle, rabbits, and horses as well in the past, but while we may do rabbits again, we are looking more at sheep-sized livestock on the upper end of the scale).
There's a lot of cleanup and repair to be done first...but just wanted to share the dream to help keep me focused as winter approaches!
Thanks!
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