Stone springhouse as coop

[CHICKIE1976]

Was thinking on using my old stone springhouse as a coop. Would need to change out solid windows for normal ones. It would be predator proof and stays dry. Just wondering about temperatures in winter. SouthWest PA. It's in great condition. Any cons to this? Thank u in advance.

 

[BrandonsBirbs]

Was thinking on using my old stone springhouse as a coop. Would need to change out solid windows for normal ones. It would be predator proof and stays dry. Just wondering about temperatures in winter. SouthWest PA. It's in great condition. Any cons to this? Thank u in advance.

No idea sorry, but looks amazing!

 

[KyCoop]

Other than the rest of us would jealous has as all get out ? it looks awesome! As long as the ladies are dry and protected from the wind they will do just fine.
Do you have pictures of the inside?

 

[mowin]

Someone was in the process of doing the same thing a yr or so ago. Don't remember how it turned out.

 

[saysfaa]

Wow!!! What a beautiful building!!! Maybe not for chickens, though, they need dry and airy.

My understanding of a spring house is that it is essentially a root cellar - cool and damp in the summer and cool (not cold) in the winter. The damp is a problem for chickens. But if the spring inside is enclosed now or your region uses the term differently that might not be the case.

Ventilation might be difficult to add to a stone building. Chickens need about a square foot of open venting all the time: night and winter, too. And it matters where it is placed so you don't get drafts.

 

[mowin]

Wow!!! What a beautiful building!!! Maybe not for chickens, though, they need dry and airy.

My understanding of a spring house is that it is essentially a root cellar - cool and damp in the summer and cool (not cold) in the winter. The damp is a problem for chickens. But if the spring inside is enclosed now or your region uses the term differently that might not be the case.

Ventilation might be difficult to add to a stone building. Chickens need about a square foot of open venting all the time: night and winter, too. And it matters where it is placed so you don't get drafts.

Good point. Looking at the picture, this one looks high and dry. Most spring house's I've seen are next to a creek. Maybe this has, had a natural spring under it?

 

[3KillerBs]

I'm also concerned about the phrase "spring house" because that implies a spring actually inside and/or channeled through the building -- which would both be bad for the chickens and cause severe fecal contamination of a natural water source.

It's a totally gorgeous building and I can understand the temptation to use what you've got but it also might be difficult to put enough ventilation into it and to mount roosts and nests to the stone walls.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[Geena]

Beautiful old stone building. If it were mine I wouldn't mess it up by putting chickens in there.

 

[mowin]

What does it have in it for a floor?

 

[AnnPann]

It’s beautiful! If it doesn’t work out for housing chickens, maybe you could build a coop/run nearby, and at least get the benefit of the wind break and storage for all the chicken supplies?