How Chicken Barns are Built

28 Jan 2021 Custom Building

One of the biggest agricultural sectors in British Columbia is chicken farming, and the industry is continuing to grow. Whether you already have a chicken farm and are looking to expand or you want to use your property to begin chicken farming, it can be helpful to know how chicken barns are built. At Twin Maple Construction, we specialize in agricultural construction and our team of experts can help you get started with the construction style that best suits your needs.

How are Chicken Barns Built?

The methods used to build a chicken barn will depend on a wide variety of factors. The main factor to consider is the type of poultry barn that you will need. This will be decided by the way the chickens will be raised and the purpose of the barn. Some of the types of barns include:

• Broiler chicken barns for meat production
• Broiler breeder barns
• Commercial layer barns
• Pullet barns
• Free-range barns

Learn about the types of poultry barns.

One of the other factors that will determine how a chicken barn is built is the size of the barn. A larger barn, like a two-storey commercial barn, will have stricter regulations around how it is constructed than a smaller free-range barn. Most poultry barns feature a high degree of automation and many mechanical features, so it is important to know how much your chicken farm will rely on such features before getting started. The methods used to construct a barn can vary, but most poultry barns in BC are made using either insulated concrete form construction or pre-engineered metal building systems.

The process of building a chicken barn includes:

Barn Pre-Construction and Preparation

The first step to any poultry barn construction job is preparation. Getting all of the right permits, planning out the jobsite, hiring and preparing trades, assembling materials, and getting building plans drawn up will all happen during this phase of work. BC chicken barns are usually required to be completely contained and free of contaminants, so it is important to talk to an experienced chicken barn builder before getting started to ensure that all biosecurity regulations are going to be met so you can sell your chickens. The site will be prepared for the foundation to be laid during this phase as well.

Chicken Barn Construction

Once everything is prepared, the chicken barn construction can begin. Again, the exact work done will depend on the type of barn and the construction methods being used, but your builder can walk you through what to expect before beginning the build.

System Installations

Because chicken barns are usually highly automated and secure, there are many systems that will need to be installed. Ventilation and thermal control systems are extremely important to keep chickens growing and healthy. Feed systems, watering systems, and cleaning systems will also be installed along with lighting.

If you have any questions about how chicken barns are built, or to get started with an experienced BC chicken barn builder, please contact the team at Twin Maple Construction so we can help you find the information you need.