A passive solar air heater for the coop!

[rachelk99]

Hello, I am soon to be moving to the "country" and will finally have the space to raise chickens. One of my concerns was keeping them warm. I thought they needed heat in the winter. Is this not the case? I would be much more inclined to have chickens if I didn't have to worry about heaters. I realize I will have to do something to keep the water from freezing. What temperatures can chickens withstand? Are certain breeds more cold hearty? We are in central NJ so not exactly Alaska but it can get cold here. Thanks for any advice!

 

[RonP]

Choose a cold hardy breed.
Search cold hardy chicken breed.
Many to choose from.

They prefer cold over warm, good to subzero temps (-30 and below not unheard of).
Much colder than we will ever see in NJ at this time.

Unfrozen water will be your main concern during colder temps.
I would not recommend heating the coop, just keep it well ventilated, but draft free.

 

[chickensfinally]

You make a good point about the nipples freezing when I have extended the photoperiod; this makes sense and is something I'll have to solve for.

Maybe you could have the photo period extension in the evening when the water would still be warm. The light would need to be on a dimmer at the end of the time so the chickens could get to their roosts before it was full dark, but maybe that could work. Just thinking out loud, Carrie

 

[chickensfinally]

Choose a cold hardy breed.
Search cold hardy chicken breed.
Many to choose from.

They prefer cold over warm, good to subzero temps (-30 and below not unheard of).
Much colder than we will ever see in NJ at this time.

Unfrozen water will be your main concern during colder temps.
I would not recommend heating the coop, just keep it well ventilated, but draft free.

I just do NOT get this statement. I see it all the time. How can a coop be both well ventilated and NOT drafty???? Help! My coop will have no additional heat (Des Moines, Iowa) so I did plan on cold hardier chickens. I got Wyandottes for the rose combs, but couldn't resist the Ameracaunas, their combs seem to be small (all except the surprise roo!). My coop does have openings under the eaves (covered in hardware cloth). I would post a pic, but don't have one right now. I'll try to post it later. Thanks for any helful ideas. Carrie

P.S. OP, I like that solar heater and want to make one for my house, it gets cold in winter and heat is $$, my house is drafty (or is well ventilated )

 

[LindaB220]

You can read in the link below, about chickens being kept in open-air coops, in -40 temps. With no added heat. The chicken, like other birds already have a perfect insulating suit, with their feathers. That, and an average body temp of 105 degrees, means they are well suited for cold weather.

The favor I'm talking about, is letting them acclimate to the colder weather by growing in the proper feathering for the weather. By adding heat, you mess that up. And you make them dependent on that added heat. They will be uncomfortable, when they go outside their heated coop, on a cold day, unnecessarily so. All that can be avoided by letting them adapt, as nature intended.

Your coop, the # of chickens in it, if your ventilation is not right, and with you adding heat, you are looking for potential respiratory problems. They need fresh air, and plenty of it, even in winter. By closing your coop up, and adding heat in some misguided attempt to "Keep them warm" You are actually doing far more harm than good.


http://archive.org/stream/openairpoultryho00wood#page/n0/mode/2up

Downloaded so I can read later. Great stuff

 

[LindaB220]

Hello, I am soon to be moving to the "country" and will finally have the space to raise chickens. One of my concerns was keeping them warm. I thought they needed heat in the winter. Is this not the case? I would be much more inclined to have chickens if I didn't have to worry about heaters. I realize I will have to do something to keep the water from freezing. What temperatures can chickens withstand? Are certain breeds more cold hearty? We are in central NJ so not exactly Alaska but it can get cold here. Thanks for any advice!

Good to have you. Look into Basque Chickens. Great for cold (we imported from Canada) or heat.

 

[The Lazy L]

I just do NOT get this statement. I see it all the time. How can a coop be both well ventilated and NOT drafty???? Help!...

On a cool night open the bottom of your bedroom windows. Feel the air blowing across you? That is a draft.

Now close the bottom of your windows and open the tops (assuming you have casement type windows). Now you don't feel air blowing across you but the room still has ventilation.

Or on a cold winter day. Standing in the wind brings a shiver down your back. Draft. Now go stand behind something to get you out of the wind. Now you feel warmer, ventilation no draft.

 

[chickensfinally]

On a cool night open the bottom of your bedroom windows.  Feel the air blowing across you?  That is a draft.

Now close the bottom of your windows and open the tops (assuming you have casement type windows).  Now you don't feel air blowing across you but the room still has ventilation.

Or on a cold winter day.  Standing in the wind brings a shiver down your back.  Draft.  Now go stand behind something to get you out of the wind.  Now you feel warmer, ventilation no draft.

Thank you, The Lazy L, you've helped me finally wrap my brain around the difference. My coop has ventilation at the top, but also may be drafty around the door and nestbox lid etc. I will have to do something about that. Can I put the thick felt that they use to seal door drafts, or will mites be able to harbour in it? TIA, Carrie

 

[RonP]

Yes, you need to keep the blowing cold air off the birds - think wind chill factor.
5 degrees will feel like 20 below zero with a 30 mph gust.

Warm humid air rises.
Best to have your ventilation as high as possible, well above the roosting bar, which you have.

 

[JackE]

My coop's winter ventilation is right at chicken level. It is not a must, that the ventilation be high up in a coop. All depends on the design of the coop.