Help...Trying to convert and old dairy barn into a future fowl area...

[Purpletie3]

I have an old dairy barn I would like to convert into some chicken space. It's 90' long and 40' wide. Concrete block on the first floor and wood framed second floor hay barn. It's very rough!

I was thinking of converting the old calf areas to chicken areas. Kinda like a building within a building. It has to be predator proof bc my whole flock got wiped out last year in their makeshift outside runs with plastic chicken wire...never again! I want an outside run too.

There are limited windows...only a roll up garage door at one end...and a roller door where the cows went out.

The walls are concrete block and the floors are concrete. with a recessed trench that goes the whole middle of the 90' barn.

We have aweful weather here....so, I was thinking it needs to be insulated or have panels I can put up in the winter to keep them warm.

I would like some pens for silkie breeding, a area for my EE, an area for my Orpngtons and whatever else I choose to raise.

I have no power or water there right now. I was thinking solar and rain water catch systems....

Any ideas....throw them out! Thanks!

 

[Percheron chick]

Let's start with picture. Show the inside construction as well. There will be stuff you can't work around but you should be able to accomplish all your goals with that much to work with. What's your improvement budget?

 

[Free Feather]

You may not need to insulate, but add some more ventilation. That does not sound easy though because of the walls being block...
How is the land around it? Would it be good for chicken pasture? You would likely need quite a bit of pasture for as many birds as you could house in the barn. Most old barns are really hard to predator proof,but a concrete floor definitely helps.

 

[Purpletie3]

You may not need to insulate, but add some more ventilation. That does not sound easy though because of the walls being block...
  How is the land around it? Would it be good for chicken pasture? You would likely need quite a bit of pasture for as many birds as you could house in the barn. Most old barns are really hard to predator proof,but a concrete floor definitely helps.

I have 12 acres. My mind went to the grain storage bin approach...like house within a barn...for predators. I do have a old fan in one corner where I was thinking of putting things....big old fan thing...

I would really need to move some earth for the run area because it's a huge drop off....which may be ok to bury chain link or hardware cloth...

I know this is going to be a huge project to wrap my head around...

 

[Purpletie3]

That's the side I can see from my home. Anything else is out of view...

 

[Purpletie3]

 

[Purpletie3]

 

[Purpletie3]

I just acquired this barn about 3 months ago. Please look past my scrap wood and toys! They all can move.

Budget wise...who wants to spend more than they have to? However, this is an investment into my farm so, whatever it takes to ensure the safety of my chickens.

 

[Free Feather]

That is awesome! You will need to take out the old dividers and clean up the stuff a bit, but it looks sound and has a lot of potential. I would not divide into too many small stalls, you could still make quite a bit of big ones. I would think you would just need some cheap fence to divide stalls, nests, feeders and the like, and some way to get them outside. The doors might be the issue.
How much of your land can you allow them?

 

[Purpletie3]

That is awesome! You will need to take out the old dividers and clean up the stuff a bit, but it looks sound and has a lot of potential. I would not divide into too many small stalls, you could still make quite a bit of big ones. I would think you would just need some cheap fence to divide stalls, nests, feeders and the like, and some way to get them outside. The doors might be the issue.
 How much of your land can you allow them?

I was thinking of renovating a window into a door. But, I would love to have an automatic chicken door.

Outdoors is totally open. I have about 1800 started Christmas trees up the hill..but, not even near the barn. I can allocate whatever to a run. I do have Hawks and neighbor dogs and chayote and fox.

I was thinking maybe frame the inside with 2x4 with 1/2 hardware cloth. Hardware cloth ceiling. Then in the winter if needed use those styrofoam panels to throw up around them...if I make it in the corner I only have to worry about putting up 2 walls....which would be cheaper. I have lots of old doors and screen doors to use.

I def have whatever space I need in there it is huge.

If the walls were lime washed what do I need to do? It hasn't had cattle in there since mid 90's