Ventilated but Free of Drafts

[tsmith91]

My coop has about 4 inches of ventilation all the way around the top it allows for air movement but the wind will not blow directly on the hens and I close up the windows in the winter

 

[Bs Peeps]

Thank you for your reply. Very informative. I would not say we 'rarely' see below 20, it happens but not typically for long periods of time. Except for 2013/2014 winter. That was extraordinarily a cold winter here. This morning it's 28 in the hen house, with the window open and no source of heat - no birds, either. You reminded me of the flower pot with light bulb creation and I got an idea when I read your mention of it. I'm so frightened of a mishap with a heat lamp that I simply will not use one. On this topic, however, how does your flower pot and light bulb give off more moisture. Is the pot wet?

 

[fabelizer]

Warmer water has more active molecules, that causes faster evaporation. As the air goes down in temperature, the difference in temperature between the water and the air increases, and the cold air is dryer because it can hold less moisture. Again a bigger difference than a warm humid day, so the two factors combine to cause faster evaporation.

But, frozen chicken water is no water, so you must allow the warm wet air to escape.

-fab

 

[fabelizer]

Oh, incidentally, I agree no heat lamp for fire reasons, but also, for birds acclimated to cold when the power goes out. If the chickens are acclimated to the cold, they can survive very low temps, but if they are not, they will suffer. and/or die. I do have a CFL in the coop that is timed. It is a 7 watt light that adds little heat.

If we are expecting very cold weather, we put a bunch of extra bedding in the coop, so if they want, they could burrow into it. Normally we use pine shavings, but we tossed in a bunch of fluffy straw too. I expected them to do so last year, but if they did, I didn't see any evidence of it.

-fab

 

[MeepBeep]

but also, for birds acclimated to cold when the power goes out. If the chickens are acclimated to the cold, they can survive very low temps, but if they are not, they will suffer. and/or die.

'If' the power goes out my house doesn't have heat either, thus the reason I have a backup generator that eliminates that 'if' for the house and coop, as my pets in the house are far less cold tolerant then the chickens, as are my children, heat going out for an extended period is not an option for me... Also consider that unless you chickens are fully confined to the coop all winter they will get 'acclimated' to the cooler temps while outside in the run or ranging during the day anyway... Sure if you keep them locked up in a coop at a toasty 70°F they are not going to like the freezing temps and not be ready for them, but how many do that? Also consider that in my area it's not uncommon for temps to drop 50°F or more in a single days time, it's not like the birds outside are going to acclimate and be ready for that sudden drop any better then 'if' the power goes out for a few hours...

When talking about 'acclimated' also consider the difference in coop bird density for the size of the coop, a small coop with a lot of birds in it will be significantly warmer then a big coop with few birds...

Also there is a huge difference when it comes to the degree of supplemental heat added... I heat my coop to about 35°F, it fully prevents frostbite concerns among other things and when the median winter temp in my area (Chicagoland) is only a few degrees less when averaged my birds are just as 'acclimated' to the winter weather in the grand overall picture, I just removed a risk factor of extreme cold exposure...

There are so many variable to consider that blanket black and white statements in regards to heating are mostly fallacious in the end...

** On that note I too am against heat lamps as the risk of fire outweighs the benefits of heat in most cases, there are other safer heating methods that pose much less risk if one it going to provide supplemental heat... Invest the money and do it right and do it safe if you choose to heat...

 

[fabelizer]

MeepBeep,

+35F to -20, in Ohio, is a 55F drop, and unless the coop is full of birds, or is designed for passive heat retention it will drop inside very quickly. So, i hope the generator works when you need it. If you read my original post, You will find I mentioned bird load in the coop. ( I also just rescued 5 birds to keep my count up. )

On those days where there is a very quick drop in temps, there is often other weather happening such as rain to snow, and wind that causes my hens to retreat to the coop where they are sheltered. They are much smarter than they get credit for!

Yes, there are many factors, and many ways of dealing with the cold. The point is, if the breed is hardy, they can handle very low temps. Pretty nice to have down built in! Heating is not necessary, but if reliable, I am sure the chickens appreciate it. Often chicken keepers cannot "invest the money to do it right" and the results can become dangerous.

The post was originally about ventilation. You didn't talk about your method for that. Any tips?

-fab

 

[MeepBeep]

You didn't talk about your method for that. Any tips?

Since I heat my coop my methods and amount of ventilation is different then others, and not relevant to unheated coops...

I really don't have to worry about humidity levels in the coop as the heating eliminates the frostbite risk, thus leaving my ventilation requirements mostly to just to keeping the air fresh and odor down... That can be done with minimal ventilation... I simply open and close windows to accomplish this and balance the amount of windows open depending on outside temps to maintain the heat... Combine that with the deep litter method I use and the fact that my coop is two stories and a combined 1800 sq/ft, my ventilation requirements are a entire world different than most others and not much relevance to most...

 

[fabelizer]

That's a good sized piece of real estate. You're right about that not applying to many people here. But some might aspire to it!

It is nice that you have that set-up and can produce enough to support it.

It sounds like you do manual control of ventilation? How often do you find you need to adjust? It is based on human interpretation of the requirements (i.e., weather, "feel" of the air inside, you mentioned odor?

Is you deep litter on concrete? Wood? Earth?

How is the heat provided/generated? Forced air, floor water system?

You DO realized that is a third bigger than my entire house right?

How many hens in that space? Caged? Egg system?

Thanks,
-fab

 

[MeepBeep]

It is nice that you have that set-up and can produce enough to support it.

The building was there, no need not to use it for the chickens as I have plenty of other buildings and storage space on the property... I don't produce enough to technically 'support' it but I can pretty much break even on the heating bill during the winter selling eggs since supplies are lower and demand is up...

It sounds like you do manual control of ventilation? How often do you find you need to adjust? It is based on human interpretation of the requirements (i.e., weather, "feel" of the air inside, you mentioned odor?

Yep, when I go out to collect eggs I open or close the windows, based on the weather forecast and temps and how the air feels to men when I walk in...

Is you deep litter on concrete? Wood? Earth?

Deep litter on concrete, building is sunk about 2 feet bellow grade so there are 2 foot tall concrete knee walls as well...

How is the heat provided/generated? Forced air, floor water system?

Forced air furnace, just like most houses but I have an extra large filter box on the intake and closely monitor the filters and dust collection inside the furnace...

You DO realized that is a third bigger than my entire house right?

Yep, I know it's bigger then a lot of peoples houses, it's even bigger then my previous two houses, but where I'm at now it's just one of several out buildings...

How many hens in that space? Caged? Egg system?

Only about 100 birds in it currently all communal except for temporary isolation of chicks that are caged for a period of time, not all hens I have roosters as well, it's a mixed flock of bantams, standards, guinea fowl and peafowl, my dogs even share a small area of the coop... Next spring I will be dedicating a portion of it to breeding pens...

Egg system is just nesting boxes....

 

[fabelizer]

Nice! Good for you! Emjoy!

-fab