Silo Coop?

[RJFchicks]

I have an old grain bin silo sitting at my place. Since my current coop has gotten pretty run down I am thinking about converting the grain bin into a new coop. My only concern is if it will get to cold in the coop up in the Northern U.S. What are your thoughts on this? Please let me know!

 

[21hens-incharge]

Pics of you he proposed coop please.

What are your winter low temps?

It is an intriguing idea for sure.

 

[neo71665]

What is the location?

If it was me I'd jump all over it.

 

[3KillerBs]

Cold isn't a problem for chickens.

The question would be if you could ventilate it adequately without letting the rain and snow in.

 

[RJFchicks]

Pics of you he proposed coop please.

What are your winter low temps?

It is an intriguing idea for sure.

The inside needs a lot of cleanup, but I'm willing to take on the project. Temps throughout the winter can range from 30 degrees to below 0.

 

[21hens-incharge]

That is a big ole silo!

I wonder about summer heat as well as winter cold with it being metal.

 

[3KillerBs]

It's not winter that's so much of a problem as summer.

Chicken tolerate cold very well as long as they are in a dry, draft-free, but well-ventilated area. Heat is the problem.

Here's BYC's best article on cold-weather chicken keeping: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

And another one on extreme weather both hot and cold: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

Good luck with it. Given the current price of lumber, anything that can be converted is a good option rather than building.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I would convert it into a tiny house with a loft and put it on AirBnb, seriously.

 

[aart]

What's the base diameter?

Problem will probably be adding ventilation/light that is protected from precipitation.