Anyone in IL; have photos or suggestions on their coop?

[Momagain1]

We have hot and very humid summers and sometimes brutal winter with lots of snow/ice and where I am, lots of straight winds across an empty field with high snowdrifts..

So, that being said They will be INSIDE the coop during the winter..I'd assume 90% of the time right??

I'm worried about ventilation in the summer in the coop...but worried about how many windows to put in it and how to close it up during the winter months..

right now its an open plan b'cuz nothing is set in stone; we're finalizing the coop plans next wk...

We are putting it up against our privacy fence which most of it is under a very l;arge tree...which will keep a lot shaded during the summer mornings/most afternoons..

Also, I read somewhere on here; but cannot find it (sorry so many posts!) something about putting ventilation on a certain side of the coop for breezes and not
high winds or something similar?

ETA: Honestly; I will NOT be running electrical to the coop..ever..there is no way to do it w/o so many extension cords..and its just not gonna happen..hubby already said never.

BTW--- I THANK YOU ALL IN ADVANCE; I KNOW IT HAS TO GET OLD TO ANSWER THE SAME TYPE OF QUESTIONS OVER AND OVER..YOU ARE MOST APPRECIATED
FOR YOUR TIME & ANSWERS YOU GIVE ME!! I APPRECIATE YOu!!! ONE DAY I HOPE TO GIVE BACK TO OTHER NEWBIES AFTER I"M EXPERIENCED!! THANK YOU
THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

 

[farmer_lew]

You will want a slopng roof, to shed snow. Perhaps build it off the ground to keep from getting buried in a snow drift, and aid with drafts during the summer. Plan your windows so that they are not on the sides that get the bitter cold winter winds, and have shutters that can be closed during winter. The tree will provide shade durng the summer, but what about winter? Will snow build up on the branches and fall, en masse, onto/into your coop?

The key will be strong, sturdy construction. I do not live where it snows, so I don't know all the little "secrets" to winterizing a coop. But, I would assume that insulation would be one of them, too.

Good luck, and post pics as you build!

ETA - It never gets old helping members of our BYC family!!

 

[upthecreek]

I run extension cords everywhere , been doing it for 40 years or more . It just takes some thinking (different types of ext.cords & etc) . One can run electricity with just bascic common sense (practical electricity work books are everywhere)
Just as they say "where there's a will there's a way" . Think about what you are doing at all times with electricity , allways do all your work completetly before connecting the power to it .
(disclamier)I'm not telling anyone to do this type of electrical work or instructing them therein .




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[Momagain1]

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Should we have an open area on the floor for breezes too?? and then we can close it? or would that be dangerous to the birds? I mean if we put wire there for them in place of the hard floor? honestly how adaptable are these birds to realize/remember we have an area thats wire rather than wood/flooring..and would they "trip" over the hinged board?? or can we conceal it with straw or something???

 

[lilchick]

I live over here in Indiana and our winters are pretty much the same.. I have several coops and here is what works best for me.

A coop up off the ground on treated runners. Keeps the floor drier in the damp months.

Coop windows that slide open and shut. Easy to close up when night temps drop and easy to open on good days. In the winter I leave the north and west side windows closed...

Face the coop south or east. Most of our cold wind comes out of the northwest here.

A solid wood pressure treated floor. No drafts on them and it will last longer.

Use a fan in the hot months by placing in window facing out. This pulls in cooler air from other windows while blowing out the hot air.

Use the deep litter method in winter. This keeps the barn warmer. Just be sure it isn't damp. Add a top layer of shavings or grass hay occasionally.Throw down scratch grains or treats for the chickens to stir it up.

I have used a heat lamp in coop but find it doesn't raise temp enough to make much difference. I no longer use one and I do not have to worry about fires.

Keep the chickens well fed especially in cold months so they can stay warmer at night.

As far as floor space you can increase that by using a couple of saw horses and a piece of plywood to make a platform for them to hang out on. I also have lofts in mine which gives them more room to roam.

Hanging feeder and placing waterer on a platform to keep out of bedding.

Make sure coop is tall enough you can walk in and move about. You will hate walking stooped over real quick!

 

[sheila3935]

I live i n Illinois too. This is my first year with chickens. In the summer we ran fans used frozen milk jugs for the to lay next to misted them with the hose when it got unbareable they did pretty good. This winter I have used heat lamps as there coop is not insulated. That is something I am going to work on this year. Make sure you have plenty of ventilation and dont close it up too much cause you think they are cold. I made that mistake and ended up with frostbite on my roosters comb. After I opened it up again, no more frostbite. Make sure you have winter hardy birds. Feed them lots! I give them some scratch just before bedtime so they will stay warmer. Dont give scratch in the summer it makes them hotter. I know with the brutal summer we had last year some in our area lost chickens due to the heat but mine did good. Hope this next year is better. Also my vents are on the west and south side and I have windows that I can open and close. If you put in a run and wrap it in plastic they can be out in the run most days when its too cold or snowy to be out free ranging. Your privacy fence will help with the wind some. I know it has helped here. One more thing heated waters. you can buy or make heated waterers or use heated dog bowls. Thats what I used this year after I got tired of busting ice out of the water at least twice a day.

 

[JackE]

Here in Md. we have weather similar to yours. Here's a coop for you. Coops like these were used up into Canada.
Jack


https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=445004

 

[bluebird]

Pictures of ours on my BYC page. But there are just sooo many sizes and styles you'll just have to come back to this thread over and over and over. I'm sure whatever you decide , it will be adorable.
BTW...even on hot humid days I find mine hangin out inside their house.

and yes, don't forget to post pics

 

[EweSheep]

JackE, I love your coop! Just absolutely wonderful!

Here is the pic of mine:

It would fit10 to 12 chickens max if you have two perches sitting in the back, maybe more if they have access to outside. However with the snow days, confinement would be terrible if you have alot of hens in there and not very much room to move around in.

It is never hot in the summer. Very warm in the winter. A run is necessary if you want birds that just like to exercise (good for egg productions) and keep them from being bored.

 

[moetrout]

I live in Michigan, it gets hot in the summer and really cold in the winter with plenty of snow at times. My coup is 6' x 8'. It uses a 4x4 foundation and is built much like you would build a shed. I finished off the inside with 1/4" plywood, but chose not to insulate. It has one long side along the back with no windows, a door on one end, the pop door and another window on the other end, and 2 windows on the other other long end. My chickens did just fine this winter and they did come out quite a bit. Once there i snow on the ground they still came out, but not much beyond the pop door. I use the deep litter method and have linoleum on the floor. The one thing my coup doesn't have is ventilation. In the summer this really isn't an issue because I leave the windows open (they have hardware cloth over them to keep critter out). This winter hasn't been an issue, but i think that is primarily because the coup is big enough for 12 chickens, but I only have 6. The pop door is opened every day all day long so any built up moisture, as is eveident by the frost on the windows, disapates over th course of a day with the pop door open.

Don't worry about heating, worry more about keeping it cool. Chickens are well suited for the cold and less so for heat. they just can't take those down coats off. Good luck and have fun with it!