Grain bin made into chicken coop

My2butterflies · #1 01/29/15, 11:34 AM

Have any of you done this? Is it worth it? Doesn't it get too hot in the summer?

We have four grain bins and I'm really not crazy about renting them out. This past fall/winter they have been rented to a local farmer since we didn't officially sign paperwork till just this month. So now it's our call. I know the extra income is always a plus, but we are kinda privet people. I hate having people come unannounced and being here for hours. I feel like I have to keep myself and my kids locked inside the house. And they leave their equipment here. Grain elevators, tractors, semis, work trucks, ect. And they drive all over the lawn.

This might be the irritating urban raised personality in me taking over, but I don't really like other people being on my land without a heads up. And I really don't like their things being left on my lawn. My kids are still young and I don't want to be worrying about them damaging someone else's property that shouldn't even be there. (Not that I've ever had my kids damage anything, but still)

And the fact that I don't know them really doesn't help either.

*sigh* sorry for that rant.

Back to the bins

I really don't know the sizes of them, but one is really big and the other three are smaller. But all seem to be of different sizes. I'm not sure what to do with them if we don't rent them out. We will never use them as intended. And it seems to be a waste to let them sit without being used for something. And I'm not really sure I want to sell them off either. That also seems a waste since at most I think the large one would get $1000. Purely guessing here.

Have any of you repurposed grain bins?

Ziptie · #2 01/29/15, 11:48 AM

Just saw a thread not sure where on here but they turned the grain bin a place to do all their canning. They even insulated the bin. It was really nice.

Not seen them as a chicken coop but as a hog hut.

Then one with a winding stairs on the outside with different levels on the inside for goats.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #3 01/29/15, 12:06 PM

I have sure seen plenty of corn cribs the round cage type used as dog kennels and chicken coops

anything would work , it will mostly be a matter of making it a comfortable enough place for the chickens , out of weather , not too cold , not too hot ,add light to make up for day light

squirrelmaster · #4 01/29/15, 12:27 PM

Your biggest obstacle will be ventilation. Chickens need lots of ventilation.

ksfarmer · #5 01/29/15, 12:47 PM

A fairly large bin near here was made into a house. Foam insulation, two floors, ac, heat, porch with roof. I don't know how cost effective it was, but seemed to be a neat idea.

My2butterflies · #6 01/29/15, 12:51 PM

The grain bins are the kind that are completely closed up. ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1422557141.201080.jpg

The picture is of the smallest one.

For ventilation would cutting "windows" and just adding screening work? I'm trying to envision a way that would work, but not let so much rain in. Or would shutters be a good idea to use just when the weather is going to be bad?

And please forgive me, I've never kept chickens. I'm eager to learn, and want to be sure any home I make for them will be up to par.

I've been googling ideas, but it seems everyone does things a bit different.

My2butterflies · #7 01/29/15, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

A fairly large bin near here was made into a house. Foam insulation, two floors, ac, heat, porch with roof. I don't know how cost effective it was, but seemed to be a neat idea.

I seen a house like that on google. Very interesting! It also looks about the size of our biggest bin. What a cute guest house it would be!

ImageUploadedByHomesteading Today1422557668.173127.jpg

squirrelmaster · #8 01/29/15, 12:57 PM

You could cut out sections, cover them with screening and then use the cutout pieces as roofs. Maybe cutout sections 16" wide by 36 inches high. Cut the two sides and bottom and then lift it up from the bottom so the rain can't go in. It would still be attached at the top.

Dixie Bee Acres · #9 01/29/15, 01:02 PM

The chickens would go nuts looking for a corner to poop in.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.....

billinwv · #10 01/29/15, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrelmaster

Your biggest obstacle will be ventilation. Chickens need lots of ventilation.

and condensation. Too much moisture is also a problem. Insulation would help.

My2butterflies · #11 01/29/15, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrelmaster

You could cut out sections, cover them with screening and then use the cutout pieces as roofs. Maybe cutout sections 16" wide by 36 inches high. Cut the two sides and bottom and then lift it up from the bottom so the rain can't go in. It would still be attached at the top.

That actually sounds great! I like that idea. Do you think it would be best to have two rows of windows and alternate them? Would that be enough ventilation, or too much?

My2butterflies · #12 01/29/15, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dixie Bee Acres

The chickens would go nuts looking for a corner to poop in.

Sorry, I couldn't resist.....

Haha, do chickens like pooping in corners? I thought they just poop wherever they happen to be standing when the urge hits;-p

squirrelmaster · #13 01/29/15, 01:18 PM

You have to figure out how many windows you can do without ruining the structure. I would think made 3. One 180 opposite side from the door. The other two 90 degrees on each side of the doors. That way you get cross ventilation.

My2butterflies · #14 01/29/15, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billinwv

and condensation. Too much moisture is also a problem. Insulation would help.

What type of insulation would be recommended? Spray? Would it need to be "finished off" with wood walls?

The wind gets really strong out here so sideways rain is an issue in spring for sure. We are surrounded by fields on the east, north, and south sides. To the west we have our woods, or grove as people here call it. It surrounds the back of the house and two of the grain bins. Would one of those be a better choice then the one pictured? Since they have cover on the west and north sides.

My2butterflies · #15 01/29/15, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by squirrelmaster

You have to figure out how many windows you can do without ruining the structure. I would think made 3. One 180 opposite side from the door. The other two 90 degrees on each side of the doors. That way you get cross ventilation.

That makes sense. I hadn't thought about how the windows would effect the structure. Man, that could be a disaster.

Wendy · #16 01/29/15, 01:41 PM

Just a thought, but if you don't intend to ever use them as bins, why not sell them?? People sell them around here all the time. My brother has bought several, dismantles them & puts them back up where he wants them. You could then use the money from the sale to build a nice chicken coop.

My2butterflies · #17 01/29/15, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wendy

Just a thought, but if you don't intend to ever use them as bins, why not sell them?? People sell them around here all the time. My brother has bought several, dismantles them & puts them back up where he wants them. You could then use the money from the sale to build a nice chicken coop.

Well, with the bin(s) gone I'd be left with concrete slabs. And they are on really thick concrete. So breaking that up and disposing of it would be a big pain and expense. I could make them into patios, but I'll be putting in at least two other patios and don't need six. Not sure what I would do with them otherwise so they wouldn't be an eye sore.

I'm hoping to come up with creative ways to make them useful and add charm to our farm.

7thswan · #18 01/29/15, 01:59 PM

Oh, you can make all kinds of things out of them. A guest "room",cook house,pig house,chicken house,play house for the kids, work room, storage, stack hay, ,,.

My2butterflies · #19 01/29/15, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 7thswan

Oh, you can make all kinds of things out of them. A guest "room",cook house,pig house,chicken house,play house for the kids, work room, storage, stack hay, ,,.

Oooo.... I like the idea of using it to store hay. Maybe even make an area to use as storage for my gardening supplies to free up space in the garage. Hmmm....

jwal10 · #20 01/29/15, 02:05 PM

By the time you do ventilation for heat and condensation, windows, a door it would be better to sell and build a conventional wood building on the slab. They get HOT in the summer the way they are built. But not near as charming maybe. I would ventilate high with long narrow cutouts on the downwind side, a window or 2 opposite the door and a heavy screened door for summer. Foam the roof. But I am in western Oregon....James