-50F Coop ideas

[Pryn]

Thank you all, your ideas and experiences are very helpful! Underground was an thought I was researching, it's nice to know it works.

Alright, I am at: Barn, built partially underground, with 2x8 walls with offset studs and 2x8 rafters, pink foam board insulation. Wired for 2 ceramic bulb heat lamps.

Research: Sod roof. I don't know much about these, seems like it might be heavy. Fold down hover.

I will be near Glennallen but off-grid with limited solar power. I want to make sure that I design in such a way that if there is a problem (not enough power to run a heat lamp overnight, etc.) that my animals can still be comfortable. The power in my apt goes out several times a year for up to a week at a time so I've learned to prepare for it.

Poor goose, I can just imagine her thoughts on the defrosting!

Hooray on the BO's! I really had my heart set on them.

- Pryn -

 

[realmofthewoodsranch]

I live 7 miles outside Wasilla, and this last winter it got down to
-30 ish for about a week. My chickens have no heat source at all, aside from a pail de-icer to keep the water liquid. In my experience, the smaller the house, the warmer the area inside it. I kept seven hens and one rooster inside a wooden insulated medium sized dog house (big enough for, say a cocker spaniel). Whenever I reached inside the doghouse for eggs (which they did miraculously lay...) it was steaming hot. The way they coped with said extreme temps is they would all stay inside the doghouse and then one or two hens would make a mad dash across their outdoor pen to grab a bite to eat, dip the beak in the water a few times, and then mad dash back to the warmth of the dog house. After they came back, the same process would be repeated until all of them had ate and drank. The rooster always sat in the doorway to keep his hens inside during the bad weather unless he deemed it was eating time. He was a good boy, but a single comb cochin, and so of course, he got a frostbitten comb. I would definetly stick with the cold hardy breeds, they do much better without heat intervention.
I did notice that the other thing they did to keep warm was they would poop inside the doghouse and the process of the poop breaking down created warmth inside the house, even when they weren't in there. it smelled gross, but it worked!
Good luck and keep on posting! I wanna see this insulated chicken house!

 

[Pryn]

Well, I made it up to Alaska but I have a slight (it's a swamp) drainage issue on the land to deal with before I can begin building the coop. It looks Like I won't be able to begin until next year because I want to make sure that the drainage is ok before I get to far.

So, more time to plan! And read BYC, and look at different breeds of chickens, and and and...

Of course, I am considering a couple house chickens while I wait. Lol...

I will definitely keep this thread updated with my super insulated coop adventures!

Best wishes,

- Pryn -