Planning out my coop...

[billybob107]

My wife has been at me for the last 2 years to get chickens, well I finally caved in. We are starting a garden next year as well, so I figured why not go all out, plus the chicken by products will be good for my compost bins and garden.

I have been looking at tons of the coops on here, and just hope that when it comes time mine turns out as good as some of yours! My question to everyone is, I live in NC it gets somewhat cold in the winters. In your coops do you have a inner wall, some insulation then the outer wall? I am just trying to keep the cost as low as possible. Thanks in advace for you advice and help!

Mike

 

[joedie]

I have insulation and drywall in mine but be aware that they will peck at the drywall. I have to patch it periodically because I don't want them pecking insulation. I will add that they don't do it very much though.

 

[possumqueen]

hey, billybob,

Here in Monroe it gets cold SOMETIMES, so I'm guessing you're in the mountains (you lucky dog!).

But even there it doesn't get THAT cold, and I've seen games up there tethered to little shelters that do nothing more than keep off the rain, and those birds were slick and active.

The biggest things -- as you'll learn if you hang around BYC much longer -- are damp and drafts, especially the drafts. If you close up the coop too much against the cold, then the birds will fill it with humidity and you'll have damp.

My most successful coop in the past was a three sided open front shed structure with a solid wall on the north side. My girls never huddled in corners or looked cold, and they were active and slick, too. AND they laid eggs year round.

 

[wildorchid053]

we insulated but we are in upstate ny.. i can't imagine you would need to do that .. cold is 0 degrees for several months. just keep them out of the wind when it is cold.. you can build an open cage with just a compartment for egg laying and shelter but i would think they will be outside most of the time till bedtime.

 

[Mr. Peepers]

You probably won't need insulation in your location. As others have said, just make sure your coop is dry and as draft free as possible.

One thing that's rarely mentioned is electricity. If at all possible, make sure your coop has an electrical outlet nearby. Electricity comes in very handy for lights (outdoor and in-coop), a heat lamp (if you put a brooder in the coop), heaters (to keep water from freezing), and a fence energizer (if you need to deal with predators). It's also nice to be able to plug in a power tool if you need to.

Running cable to a coop will cost, but it pays in the long run. Hint: you can rent a trencher for a day and dig both the trench for underground electric cable and a trench to bury welded fence wire around your coop and run.

 

[The Chicken People]

Hey Possum Queen! Check out my three sided coop on bottom of my page! I really like it! Lots of fresh air in the summer! Its currently covered in tarps due to the rain!

 

[patandchickens]

If you are up in the mts it would be well worth insulating, though you do not absolutely *need* to.

If you are on the Piedmont, it would be worth your while (make your life and your chickens' a bit easier) but you will be totally fine if you do not feel like doing it.

If you are on teh coastal plain, I would not bother unless you have unusually cold-sensitive breeds and expect to be running a lamp on the coldest days, and even then, frankly it's discretionary not something that you would "need" to do in any way/shape/form.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat, having lived in Durham for 6 years and really, very badly and seriously, missing Carolina BBQ and hush puppies. I can make a vague approximation of the former but absolutely suck at homemade hushpuppies, alas.

 

[billybob107]

Thanks for all the great replies, I wish I did live in the Mountains, however am in the central part of the state, about 30 mins from Raleigh, but in the country.

My coop is actually going to be placed in close proximity to our well pump, so I thinking got a close source for water, and I am no electrician by any means nor a carpenter. I am hoping that I will be able to get some power routed from the well pump along with some water. Most case my shed is about 75 Ft. from where the coop will be I could just run a extension cord to provide power.

Thanks again for all the great advice, please keep it coming I am sure I will be on here a lot asking 1,000 questions, look at what my wife has gotten me into now...

 

[possumqueen]

Quote:
You are SUCH a lucky man to be married to a woman like that!! She'll take you where you need to go!

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

welcome to BYC!!!
I don't need insulation where I live so have not much to offer you on this question.
However if you go up to the search bar and type in insulation it will show you all of the recent threads addressing the issue. Just sharing because I didn't figure that one out for awhile when I was new here!