Will Chickens be ok in the barn?

[epona4]

chicken stalker,

LOVE the pics on your site. Thanks!

b

 

[needmorechickens!]

The best advice I have for ya is plan to have a lot more chickens. Once you get some, there is no turning back and you just want more and more....ooohhhh, that reminds me...i need more chickens!

~Rebecca

 

[epona4]

Windows: How big should I make them. Looks like the area will be about 8 feet along the south side of the barn. (Going to put it on the SE corner) Would putting in a window most of that length be too much or a good thing? (well, I don't think it would be ONE long window, but a couple/three)

b

 

[MamaDragon]

Quote:
I'd make them a minimum of 12" x 12". the maximum is up to you.

Suggestion: measure out 4 or 5 feet from the south wall, stack bales of straw/hay (if you happen to use them for other things around your place), or just build some panels out of chicken wire and 2x2's. Hang your nest boxes from the south wall, string a couple roosts higher than the nests, close off the top with chicken wire, and you're good to go.

I've seen this kind of setup used for a permanent coop for two-dozen chickens or more, depending on how many boxes and roosts you decide on. They just took the chicken wire, boxed in a section, added a screen-door for people access, cut a pop-door, and fenced in a small run on the other side. During winter, they'd stack bales of hay/straw for their other livestock against the chicken wire wall, helping to insulate it and cut drafts. Theirs was open at the top, and some of the chickens would go sleep with the horses and 2 milk cows sharing the barn. Eventually, they took down the chicken-wire wall, as well as the enclosed run, and the chickens were allowed the whole barn and yard, but would still lay eggs in their original nests.

HTH
Kathy

edit for spelling

 

[LynneP]

We built our coop in our barn. I created a website listed below detailing some of our concerns, particularly in isolating the dust from the chickens so our horse didn;t breathe it...lots of pics.

Have fun!

 

[epona4]

We built our coop in our barn. I created a website listed below detailing some of our concerns, particularly in isolating the dust from the chickens so our horse didn;t breathe it...lots of pics

Lynne,

I LOVE your page(s)! Your stories are so fun to read. I can just see the chickens dancing to "Ruby". (gotta tell my son as this song is on Guitar Hero)

And your fox experience had me laughing and cringing at the same time!

The detailed pictures will help so much. Sometime this weekend after DH has fixed or trashed the fridge I'll send him to your site so he can start getting ideas.

Thanks again!​