Barn Sash

[chickenpapa]

Interesting thread.

 

[welsummer4]

With all due respect to those advocating bubble wrap or plastic on the windows, if a henhouse is well designed, these measures shouldn't be necessary. Two of the three windows in my henhouse are single paned, and I have never seen a trace of frost on them. The ceiling of my henhouse is also just the bare underside of galvanized roofing, uninsulated, and it has never accumulated frost either. My chickens have never had frostbite, and have been laying throughout the winter. I don't heat.

If your windows develop frost on the inside due to condensation, your henhouse is either over crowded, inadequately ventilated, or both. In my experience, the less maintenance a henhouse requires, the better it is for the chickens residing in it. In other words, good design benefits both the chicken-keeper and the chickens.

Not trying to pontificate, just thought it would be good to offer this viewpoint to Huskeriowa while they are still in the design/planning phase of their coop.

 

[Redley]

Quote:
It's just a plain, old fashioned wood window:

http://www.google.com/products/cata...og_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDEQ8wIwAg#

I used recycled wood windows and attached them awning style, hinged at the top, so they can be propped open in the spring, summer and fall.

And, by the way, not a silly question at all! Welcome to the forum, and feel free to ask away anything you don't know. That's how we all learned.

Thanks for the info elmo!!!

 

[mcfarmall]

Quote:
In my experience, a barn sash is a single pane window that is hinged at the bottom on the inside of the building. There is a turn button thingy at the top like the kind used on old farmhouses to hold the screen frame or storm window in place. There is also a piece of string or jack chain 6 or 8 inches long attached from the top of the sash to the window frame. When you unlock the turn button the window tilts toward you and then is stopped by the string or chain. When the wind blows toward the window, the breeze is deflected up toward the ceiling preventing direct drafts on the animals. Wind driven rain will also run down the sloping window to the outside of the building. There used to be some commercially available versions that had wedge shaped sheet metal sides that would ensure all the breeze was directed upwards with some slots or holes so you could adjust the opening.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
With all due respect to your personal experiences, may I suggest that you are neglecting to consider the case where the coop is significantly warmer indoors than outside -- NOT necessarily because of electric heating, but because of size, thermal mass, design, or simply the climate you live in (i.e people in northern Alaska where it is -40 or -50 are *not* gonna be having that temperature in their coops!!).

A temperature difference of as little as 10-15 F can easily give you some degree of frost on the windows DESPITE PERFECTLY REASONABLE HUMIDITIES INDOORS, simply because of the different moisture-holding capacity of air at different temperatures and the fact that the windowglass will (unlike insulated surfaces) be at outdoor temperatures.

So there are very definitely some cases where IMHO it is quite reasonable to use bubblewrap to reduce condensation-trap effects. One can of course instead intentionally cause one's coop to be very close to the outdoor temperature, but while this is a reasonable option in some designs (old timey fresh-air houses) and for some coops and for some people, it is NOT practical in all situations and even when it is *practical* it is not necessarily the only reasonable option available.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[welsummer4]

Quote:
With all due respect to your personal experiences, may I suggest that you are neglecting to consider the case where the coop is significantly warmer indoors than outside -- NOT necessarily because of electric heating, but because of size, thermal mass, design, or simply the climate you live in (i.e people in northern Alaska where it is -40 or -50 are *not* gonna be having that temperature in their coops!!).

A temperature difference of as little as 10-15 F can easily give you some degree of frost on the windows DESPITE PERFECTLY REASONABLE HUMIDITIES INDOORS, simply because of the different moisture-holding capacity of air at different temperatures and the fact that the windowglass will (unlike insulated surfaces) be at outdoor temperatures.

So there are very definitely some cases where IMHO it is quite reasonable to use bubblewrap to reduce condensation-trap effects. One can of course instead intentionally cause one's coop to be very close to the outdoor temperature, but while this is a reasonable option in some designs (old timey fresh-air houses) and for some coops and for some people, it is NOT practical in all situations and even when it is *practical* it is not necessarily the only reasonable option available.

JMHO,

Pat

You're absolutely right, Pat. I wasn't saying that there are never situations where it would be beneficial to insulate a window with bubble wrap or plastic, I was just pointing out that there are ways to design a coop and precautions one can take that would make it unnecessary, while still maintaining a productive, healthy, happy flock. The OP was concerned that he/she would have frost problems using barn sashes, so I related my success using a barn sash.

And, btw, this wasn't just my personal experience with this coop, i.e., luck, as I think you're implying--I intentionally designed it to function this way (you're not the only one with skills!

).

My intent wasn't to challenge your authority. When I said, "with all due respect," I was being sincere.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Yes, and I was just pointing out that this is somewhat incorrect, as there ARE NOT ALWAYS ways to avoid the necessity. (Like in really cold regions, or if the coop is going to be too small to do fresh-air style, or for breeds that cannot deal with real low temperatures)


Pat

 

[welsummer4]

Quote:
Yes, and I was just pointing out that this is somewhat incorrect, as there ARE NOT ALWAYS ways to avoid the necessity. (Like in really cold regions, or if the coop is going to be too small to do fresh-air style, or for breeds that cannot deal with real low temperatures)


Pat

Agreed. But the poster is from Iowa, not Alaska. If I was responding to someone from Alaska, my advice would have been different. I think I am correct in stating that a coop in Iowa can be designed--with single paned barn sashes--to not frost up.