I am a newbie and we have a corn crib silo that I want to use for the coop. I know we will have to hard wire over the crib fence as they are too big to keep any weasels out, however it has a good concrete floor which I think it worth using instead of using it as a run.
We are going to build a coop inside the crib, so the girls will be safe at night. I have roughly 80 SQ FT to have in the silo. There is a lot of discussions on sizing, does it make a difference if I have a lot of vertical space by the way we build their roost? I think it is best that I have a tall walk in coop with a standard door. I know we will have 12-15 chickens at a time, but would like extra space to keep 20 as our daughter will be 4H. I would really like to use 50 sq ft. which will work for 12-13 chickens, so they have some run space in the silo, plus we will have an exterior run that we can open and close. I don't think I can get enough space making an elevated coop.
I know if I outgrow the coop inside the silo, building on will be more difficult and my husband probably wouldn't be happy with me--but he'd do something. I thought about letting them run in the silo and just having a small run under a coop for them if I built outside the silo. I just think them being inside the silo with the concrete floor would be best. If I could gain vertical sq ft that would help me if I did get to 20 chickens.
Thoughts??
We are going to build a coop inside the crib, so the girls will be safe at night. I have roughly 80 SQ FT to have in the silo. There is a lot of discussions on sizing, does it make a difference if I have a lot of vertical space by the way we build their roost? I think it is best that I have a tall walk in coop with a standard door. I know we will have 12-15 chickens at a time, but would like extra space to keep 20 as our daughter will be 4H. I would really like to use 50 sq ft. which will work for 12-13 chickens, so they have some run space in the silo, plus we will have an exterior run that we can open and close. I don't think I can get enough space making an elevated coop.
I know if I outgrow the coop inside the silo, building on will be more difficult and my husband probably wouldn't be happy with me--but he'd do something. I thought about letting them run in the silo and just having a small run under a coop for them if I built outside the silo. I just think them being inside the silo with the concrete floor would be best. If I could gain vertical sq ft that would help me if I did get to 20 chickens.
Thoughts??