Hi all,
Im goning to start building a new coop for my chickens( A Buff Orpington, two Partridge Cochins, a Light Brahma, and a Red Star) in the next couple of weeks. After looking at the many different coops on this site Ive settled on building a playhouse style coop. The footprint will be a 4'x10'. The coop will be 5'x4' and the height will be 6' on the front 5' on the back wall. Just wanted to know if Im giving the birds enough square footage, They will have supervised free range time when I am home. My next question is about ventilation. Im going to install windows for the summer, and for winter two small vents at the peak of the gable ends of the coop and fresh air would come in from the chicken door. Would this be enough ventilation? Being that Im gonna close the chicken door at night should I put another vent near the floor to keep that circulation going through the night? Lastly I live in Maine it gets cold here in the winter Being that its a smaller coop I wasent going to insulate it, but add a heat lamp for days when its extreemly cold and a heated water dish. Just wondering some tips and tricks from others that raise chickens in cold climates. Forgive me if some questions are silly but I want my birds to be healty and happy.
Thank you for your time,
Justin
Im goning to start building a new coop for my chickens( A Buff Orpington, two Partridge Cochins, a Light Brahma, and a Red Star) in the next couple of weeks. After looking at the many different coops on this site Ive settled on building a playhouse style coop. The footprint will be a 4'x10'. The coop will be 5'x4' and the height will be 6' on the front 5' on the back wall. Just wanted to know if Im giving the birds enough square footage, They will have supervised free range time when I am home. My next question is about ventilation. Im going to install windows for the summer, and for winter two small vents at the peak of the gable ends of the coop and fresh air would come in from the chicken door. Would this be enough ventilation? Being that Im gonna close the chicken door at night should I put another vent near the floor to keep that circulation going through the night? Lastly I live in Maine it gets cold here in the winter Being that its a smaller coop I wasent going to insulate it, but add a heat lamp for days when its extreemly cold and a heated water dish. Just wondering some tips and tricks from others that raise chickens in cold climates. Forgive me if some questions are silly but I want my birds to be healty and happy.
Thank you for your time,
Justin
