MTR
Songster
- Apr 13, 2020
- 252
- 384
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Good to use what you have.I had grand plans for building coop(s) this year to expand our flock (from 7-10 to 25-35) but lumber prices have really put a crunch on those.
My property has a 12×20 barn on it. It's old, but not 'antique'... more like a 20 year old tuff shed that has seen better days. We were originally going to demolish it because the previous owner had left seed and other food sources unprotected so the floor is covered (you have no idea how bad) in rat droppings. The roof is old, the siding should (but won't, not worth it) be replaced, the floor is warped, rat holes...
But! Necessity breeds invention, and I need a larger coop. So I've been working on cleaning it out (bleach, masks, googles... no Hanta virus for me!).
Some questions:
1) windows! Can i get away with just cutting out some siding and putting chicken wire over the hole to be 'windows'? Maybe put the wire on the inside and put the cutout on a hinge so I can 'close' it if we get extreme weather? (Pacific Northwest so weather is never too bad, though lots of rain).
2) I am thinking of rat proofing with a combo of wire mesh and the 'anti-rodent' Great Stuff (expanding foam, they make a special kind with bitter taste to deter rodents). It would only be in seams and holes and cracks... I don't think the chickens would bother with it, but does anyone know for sure?
3) the barn is currently divided into 3 rooms.... built in such a way they are hard to remove. If I put roosts in different rooms will the subflocks (roosters n ladies) self divide on their own? The main room is large, the two other rooms are medium (large walkin closet) and tiny (deep closet).
Anyone have other tips for conversion? I may invest in vinyl flooring because thats so much easier to clean and may seal in some of the old rat stink the bleach didnt kill off.
on 1 - I use old wood sashes with hinges to make my windows. I then screen it in with aluminum screen and hardware cloth so it’s protected when I open it.
2 - I’d install steel wool first then fill the wool with the foam. Rats hate getting it in their teeth.
3- I would assume the answer would be yes. Though I’ve never had that specific situation my birds stay in their flocks in my coop without partitions so I’d think they would segregate if they could.