# Housing Opinions Please! Pics



## adlynch (Jun 17, 2017)

The front half of this is currently being used for storage, and we converted the back half into a chicken coop.  Would this work well for goats? (We are thinking smaller breeds)  Excluding the chicken coop there is roughly a 10×15 ft area inside.  Maybe add a door off the left side?  A lean-to for shelter? Then fence in an area around it?  
Thoughts? Suggestions? Opinions?
Thanks in advance!


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## Southern by choice (Jun 17, 2017)

Yes, it would work- you just need to seal the floor or it will get ruined. Also more ventilation for goats.
Your feed cans would have to be removed.
Any wiring will have to be covered so they don't chew it.
The chicken coop wiring will not be strong enough- goats even Nigerians will crash right through it especially if there is ANY chicken food on the other side- or if they THINK there is any on the other side.


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## adlynch (Jun 18, 2017)

Southern by choice said:


> Yes, it would work- you just need to seal the floor or it will get ruined. Also more ventilation for goats.
> Your feed cans would have to be removed.
> Any wiring will have to be covered so they don't chew it.
> The chicken coop wiring will not be strong enough- goats even Nigerians will crash right through it especially if there is ANY chicken food on the other side- or if they THINK there is any on the other side.




I'm trying not to sound too dumb , but by sealing the floor, do you mean painting it? And do you have any ideas about adding more ventilation?  --I don't mean to sound  lazy by asking questions and expecting answers!  I've looked around this site a good bit at other posts, and i also bought that "goat notes" book.  Any suggestions on where I could get more info? Thanks


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## OneFineAcre (Jun 18, 2017)

Yes a sealer is like paint
Another door or windows would increase ventilation


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## adlynch (Jun 18, 2017)

OneFineAcre said:


> Yes a sealer is like paint
> Another door or windows would increase ventilation



Thanks so much !


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## Bruce (Jun 24, 2017)

Nice shed

Some use a product called Black Jack to seal floors. I've not had a need (dirt floor with horse mats in my chickens' coop) but I've not read of anyone who used it being sorry they did. 

You need more ventilation for chickens as well. Best way to kill them is to have their coop sealed up. Humidity and ammonia build up is bad news. More windows and a hardware cloth screen on the people door would help. Light is GOOD. Also vents down near the floor and a ridge vent along the top. You really can't have too much ventilation but you can easily have too little. Just make sure there is no wind blowing over the birds on the roost. The saving grace for your current setup is the shear volume of the shed with a relatively small portion of it used as a coop.  

You can leave the chicken wire up and cover it with 2x4 fencing to make sure the goats don't go through. Saves the trouble of taking the former off (especially not fun if it was properly attached with poultry/fence staples) and will still keep smaller predators like weasels out.

If you don't want to fight past the goats to get to the eggs, you might want to build nest boxes with outside access. You only need 1 nest per 3-4 birds. More often than not they will either choose a nest they like best or one that other hens have already laid eggs in.


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## adlynch (Jun 25, 2017)

Bruce said:


> Nice shed
> 
> Some use a product called Black Jack to seal floors. I've not had a need (dirt floor with horse mats in my chickens' coop) but I've not read of anyone who used it being sorry they did.
> 
> ...



Great info! Thanks so much for taking the time to respond. I really appreciate it!


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