Topic of the Week - Kitting out the Coop

[becstalls]

@Liz Birdlover that picture of your coop in the snow at sunset/rise!

 

[Shotgun Lizzie]

Typically in north florida, when we get a cold night, it's also a windier one too Ive noticed.

I will cover the coop windows etc with burlap bags or cover the entire thing with a blanket of sorts. This lets it breathe still, yet cuts down most of the direct blow through on the wind. Helps keep the heat inside. I don't put heaters inside since it very rarely gets past the upper 20's on even a bad night and it's only for one night anyways.



So far this has served me well.



Aaron

I'm in North Central Florida and have my chicks ordered as well as a coop and run kit. Can't wait to get started. I've been thinking about "cold" weather recently and wondering about steps to take on those rare freezing nights. There's no need to winterize anything much except to cover some of the ventilation windows. I like your idea about covering with burlap so moisture can still escape. My issues will be dealing with the heat during the long summers. I'm planning on putting the coop under a tree for shade. The run partially under shade and partially in the sun. Let me know what you do to cope with the heat.

 

[3KillerBs]

@nekcihc

Welcome to BYC.

Here's my article on Hot Climate chicken-keeping and my article on coop ventilation.

Hot Climate Chicken Housing and Care

Repecka Illustrates Coop Ventilation

The only thing I do for winter in my Open Air coop (featured in the Hot Climate article), is to put a tarp on part of the wall to shelter the roost against direct wind since my part of NC can get storms from any direction.

 

[Shotgun Lizzie]

Thank you so much for the articles! There are some great suggestions! I'll definitely keep them in mind.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

I have electrical so i use a fan. I lean it on the hardware cloth outside of the run facing a shady spot in the run. They lay in front of it too. Im in CT tho. I see your in FL. Good luck! Weather has been different these days.

 

[Shotgun Lizzie]

Weather has been different for sure. I've been thinking about using a fan. I'll have to put it somewhere that's covered because it rains most afternoons during the summer. I've been considering a small wading pool as well. I may try freezing some veggies in a block of ice too. It'll be a learning process for sure.

 

[3KillerBs]

Thank you so much for the articles! There are some great suggestions! I'll definitely keep them in mind.

Be sure to start a build thread to get good advice before you start on your coop. It will save money over the long term.

Weather has been different for sure. I've been thinking about using a fan. I'll have to put it somewhere that's covered because it rains most afternoons during the summer. I've been considering a small wading pool as well. I may try freezing some veggies in a block of ice too. It'll be a learning process for sure.

I'm not a fan of fans -- they require electric and unless you get one that's specifically rated for barn use they are a fire hazard because of the dust from the feathers and the bedding.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

Be sure to start a build thread to get good advice before you start on your coop. It will save money over the long term.



I'm not a fan of fans -- they require electric and unless you get one that's specifically rated for barn use they are a fire hazard because of the dust from the feathers and the bedding.

Yea, i hear that! I only have the fan on when i am home. No time for any fires!

 

[BY Bob]

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Picture by @BY Bob
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It's the time of year when our flocks spent much of their time indoors, in their coops, so this week I want to talk about coops and what we put in there for our flocks. Specifically...

- What bedding/material works best for the coop floor and the nest boxes?
- How can you keep the coop dry, especially now, over the winter months?
- Roosts and nest boxes - How many do you provide, how much space on the roosts, what do you use as nest boxes and how do you make them attractive for the hens, etc?
- What "boredom busters" can you provide to amuse and distract bored, cooped up birds when the weather is really bad?
- What else do you provide/do to make sure the flock is happy and comfortable in there?

For a complete list of our Topic of the Week threads, see here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/topic-of-the-week-thread-archive

I am always glad when this thread is featured. That picture of the sad ladies staring out at that horrible white stuff.

It's a little bittersweet too. Of those three, only Aurora is left. She just turned five a week or so ago. Special girls all of them.

 

[Australorpfamily]

Our coop is slightly different in set up, we have an elevated sleeping coop, that opens into a pen, that is open to the underneath of coop and into a covered hoop run, and then there is a run around section not covered off the side of the run.


- What bedding/material works best for the coop floor and the nest boxes?

We have pine, hay, dirt, and straw. Hay in nest boxes

- How can you keep the coop dry, especially now, over the winter months?

Haven't had an issue with wetness unless it rains- yearly here haha we have pen and run covered, and if we have a leak we fix it lol

- Roosts and nest boxes - How many do you provide, how much space on the roosts, what do you use as nest boxes and how do you make them attractive for the hens, etc?

Our coop has 4 8ft roost bars for our 20 girls so there's plenty of space, and yet even on nice nights they huddle lol

Nest boxes are milk crates raised, with feed bag bottom and hay. Have 6, plan on making more come spring

- What "boredom busters" can you provide to amuse and distract bored, cooped up birds when the weather is really bad?

Rucking up their run, we have some roosting bars set up, a ladder, some stumps, several areas for dirt bath (main is under coop). I'll even rake the snow lol

We toss out veggies, hang veggies on garden hooks or string on sides of hoop run.

Eta: oat seed grass fodder, they love having fresh grass


- What else do you provide/do to make sure the flock is happy and comfortable in there?

Wind blockers. They don't seem to care about the cold, some even don't mind the snow too much, but this was their first winter so it was new, central Indiana here with cold hardy birds (Black Australorps, Buff Orpingtons, Light Brahma, Olive Eggers), but when the wind kicks in they all run and hide lol