newbie here!! Can I build on to existing pole barn for our chicken coop

[nanashenhouse]

Excited to get started with my first chicken adventure. I want to use the existing pole barn on the property which has clay floors partial walls are already there and a metal roof. How would I go about making it work? Also previous owners had rabbits, can i use those wood enclosed boxes for the chickens? how can Incorporate them in my new coop? Thanks. Do they need a way to get to the grassy areas in my yard. I dont mind them having free range of the property but am concerned of hawks

 

[FeatherstoneFrm]

I know we all like to make our chicken coops and runs as grand as possible but, really, chickens don't need much. Chicken wire/hardware cloth to keep out predators. Dirt, straw, shavings, leaves, etc. . . to scratch in, a place to roost and a place to nest. And depending on where you are, a place to be out of the cold winter wind.
A pole barn sounds like a perfect start. Wrap the sides with chicken wire and/or hardware cloth to keep the meanies out. The rabbit hutches might make great nesting boxes. Enclose a section of the barn and put in some roosting bars and youre all set.
My chickens are in an old dog kennel with a coop made from pallets (we are in Georgia and they need the air flow, I will wrap it in a tarp for winter) my nesting boxes are 5 gal. buckets, though my girls aren't laying yet.
Good luck with your new coop/run

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum. Can you post photos of what you have so we know what you are working with? Size in feet or meters could help. How many chickens? Where are you so we know something about climate and whether it will be feet or meters?

To make that into a coop you need nests, those rabbit boxes could maybe work. You need to add roosts, that's usually not too hard. You need a certain amount of weather protection, where you are has a lot to do with how much. And we might discuss predator protection. A lot of this depends on what it looks like, but reusing an existing building is often a great way to go.

Do they need to get to the grassy area? Not really but they'd really like that. Depending in how big that building is a pen where they can get out in the sun is probably a good thing, even if they strip it of everything green. Anytime you free range there is a risk of a lot more predators than just birds of prey. To some of us that risk is worth it, to some it's not.

 

[nanashenhouse]

Welcome to the forum. Can you post photos of what you have so we know what you are working with? Size in feet or meters could help. How many chickens? Where are you so we know something about climate and whether it will be feet or meters?

To make that into a coop you need nests, those rabbit boxes could maybe work. You need to add roosts, that's usually not too hard. You need a certain amount of weather protection, where you are has a lot to do with how much. And we might discuss predator protection. A lot of this depends on what it looks like, but reusing an existing building is often a great way to go.

Do they need to get to the grassy area? Not really but they'd really like that. Depending in how big that building is a pen where they can get out in the sun is probably a good thing, even if they strip it of everything green. Anytime you free range there is a risk of a lot more predators than just birds of prey. To some of us that risk is worth it, to some it's not.

I'm in South Alabama . The pole barn is very large I have one end that Im thinking of using which would be about 25ft by 12ft. No chickens yet but was hoping to have atleast 10.

 

[jthornton]

Put your location in your profile so it's always there.

A photo of the pole barn will help. Partitioning off part of the barn into a coop is a good way to start. Just make sure you don't use chicken wire to protect the birds from predators. Figure 4 sq ft per bird for the "coop" area. Make it tall enough for you to be comfortable inside cleaning up. A roost 1' per bird with a poop board at least 24" wide under the roost with some Sweet PDZ to make clean up easy. I have one 36" wide 14" tall 14" deep nest box for 9 Rhode Island Red pullets and often I have 5 at a time in there sitting quietly.

JT