Coop inside a Pole Barn

[ChickOhio]

Hello Everyone
New Chicken family here.....
We have 25 chicks from Meyers in our basement brooder. Rainbow pullet pack. The chicks are doing fine at one week old.

I plan on building a 4x8x8 enclosed coop in a corner of our horse barn. With a solid walls on two sides and the others solid to 6' with hardware cloth to the ceiling. Concrete floor. We will also have a large enclosed run. Nest boxes will be accessable from the outside. I am going to use the 8' height to make vertical divisions to have various roosts.

Will 32 sq ft be enough for my 25 chickens? We hope they will be able to go outside each day.

Or Should we plan a coop that is outside of the horse barn?
Dust, smell, etc


thanks

 

[Run-A-Muck Ranch]

Is there away to give them an Outside run that connects to the Inside coop???
That's what we did...We took an area in the back on of the barn and made the inside coop, then where the track for the barn cleaner went outside we added an outside run. Both of the areas are huge and there is more than enough room for the birds, but mine also are able to free range as long as they want...

 

[greyhorsewoman]

That might be tight quarters for 25 chickens, even with outside time. The recommend 4 sq ft for chicken, which ideally comes to a 10x10 for 25 chickens. You can modify that somewhat, depending on how much yard time they have and the size of the chickens.

Smell won't be much of a problem if you use good bedding, but you will notice more dust in the barn from the chickens. I have a little coop in the back of my barn (we have an old dairy barn we converted for the horses). We get a lot more dust buildup on the ceiling when I use that coop. Our ceilings are lower, though (since it was originally a dairy barn), which makes them easier to clean, but more noticeable.

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
No, for 25 chickens you will need a minimum of 100 sq. ft. PLUS a very large run on the outside. I'd make it at least 10x10 inside the barn or build all new outside if that were not feasible. Remember, you live in Pennsylvania, and there will be many WINTER days when your chickens will be inside the coop only all day, making for loads of problems if they're crammed together.

 

[morelcabin]

32 square feet is too small for 25 chickens...unless they are bantams. I go by 2 square ft per bird inside the coop, which is what all the books I have tell me. Even at that it is alot more work, and you have to watch for signs of overcrowding like feather picking, etc. At two square ft per bird your ventelation MUST be plentiful! and an outside run is nessessary.

 

[patandchickens]

Will 32 sq ft be enough for my 25 chickens? We hope they will be able to go outside each day.

Depends. Where do you live (what kind of climate) and will the run be sheltered and with good mudproof footing. 32 sq ft is only enough for that many chickens if they literally spend ALL day EVERY day in an ample congenial run. If you live somewhere it gets cold and miserable in the winter, or hot in the summer and it's not a mostly-shady run, or the run gets real muddy sometimes, they will not always want to be outside and then having that many chickens in that little space is just *begging* for pecking/cannibalism problems.

Or Should we plan a coop that is outside of the horse barn?
Dust, smell, etc

If you have horses stalled in the barn at night, or tack or equipment stored there, honestly I'd put the coop elsewhere (maybe build a lean-to off the outside wall of the horse barn?) because chickens produce LOTS of dust. Not great for tack or equipment or horse lungs. You *can* put chickens in there, of course, especially if you make the interior walls mostly solid (just some vents) and put lots of ventilation openings on the two outside walls -- but it would not be my first choice.

If the barn is basically vacant and unused then I see no reason not to put them in there as long as you can adequately predatorproof the pen it can actually be a bit harder to predatorproof a horse stall conversion type pen than a freestanding coop, perversely enough).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[CoopCrazy]

I had dust issues in my last barn I just kept a watering can or plant sprayer outside of the coop door and mist the ground each time you go in. This worked well for me and my horses were very appreciative.

 

[ChickOhio]

Quote:
No, for 25 chickens you will need a minimum of 100 sq. ft. PLUS a very large run on the outside. I'd make it at least 10x10 inside the barn or build all new outside if that were not feasible. Remember, you live in Pennsylvania, and there will be many WINTER days when your chickens will be inside the coop only all day, making for loads of problems if they're crammed together.

Pennsylvania??????? ChickOhio lives in Sw Ohio

Thanks for the replies though I thought 32 sq was too small. Ok back to the drawing board. These chickens are for our 11 yr old daughter she loves birds and always wanted them so we are allowing her to raise them for eggs. But didnt want to invest too much until we see how she does with them.
Would our 4x8 coop work for young pullets? maybe we could reduce our flock instead of increase the coop?

 

[morelcabin]

Well you mention that you are planning a large enclosed run, so you might be okay...will the run have a roof over it and be somewhat sheltered from prevailing winds? That would probably work even during winter they could get outside. I say go for it, the way you planned and if it seems overcrowded then pair down the amount of birds you have. That way your investment isn't overwhelmng

 

[joebryant]

Quote:
Pennsylvania??????? ChickOhio lives in Sw Ohio

Thanks for the replies though I thought 32 sq was too small. Ok back to the drawing board. These chickens are for our 11 yr old daughter she loves birds and always wanted them so we are allowing her to raise them for eggs. But didnt want to invest too much until we see how she does with them.
Would our 4x8 coop work for young pullets? maybe we could reduce our flock instead of increase the coop?

Dang! Someday I HAVE TO learn how to read. Okay, Ohio... doesn't matter, same difference as far as winters are concerned.
I suggest your daughter having the 4x8 coop in the barn but a maximum of six hens and a rooster. With that she'll have more eggs than your family can use, and she can sell a few if she wants to get a customer or two.