Chicken and Goat House - First Project!

One of my first major projects on the farm is to turn this junk-filled building into a combination goat and chicken house.

Inside it’s divided into three parts, basically stalls, with a loft. My intention is to turn the area behind the right hand door into a chicken coop. This is what it looks like now:

After clearing it out, I need to fix the walls and line everything with hardware cloth to keep the various varmints out. I plan to retain the dirt floor, lining it with hardware cloth to keep creatures from digging in. I’m going to add a layer of gravel and sand for drainage and then deep litter. Deep litter is a method whereby you add new litter and stir a couple of times a week or whenever things get damp. A little food grade diatomaceous earth sprinkled in helps keep things dry, fly-free and fresh smelling. Every six months or so you shovel it all out and start again. Once shoveled out, the deep litter makes excellent compost. At least ventilation won’t be a problem!

The lean-to part on the left side of the building will eventually house a few dairy goats and the intermediate areas will be for food and supply storage. Here’s a glimpse inside the storage area:

One of the neighbors told me that there used to be an irrigation system to the old garden and I think these hoses may have something to do with that. I see a pressure canner back there. Wonder if it still works? I think that ladder may have provided access to the loft area at an earlier time.

There are snake skins everywhere in this building so clearly there is a rat snake or something similar in residence. If I can keep him out of the chickens he’ll be a good co-inhabitant as he’ll help keep the mouse population in check. I read somewhere that an old chest freezer makes an excellent varmint-proof feed storage bin. I’ve counted three old broken ones in various other buildings. I’m not sure how I’m going to move one but I like the idea so I’m going to contemplate that a bit!

I’m looking into getting one of those big construction bins out here into which to empty the contents of this and the other outbuildings. I’m anxious to replace my Texas flock before winter gets here so I’ve got to get going on this project. My other immediate issue is getting a fall garden planted but that’s another post!