Check out my coop. Advice please!!!!!!!!!!!!esp far north folks

[Solsken Farm]

Here is my coop in happier times. By that I mean warm times.

It is getting cold here and the hint of minus 30 degrees is tapping me on my cheek.

Let me describe our setup. Our coop has three pens inside. Each has a pop door that opens onto the south side. You are looking at the East side, which is where we enter the coop. The north side is nice and protected as is the west side. The south side.

We have part of a clear plexiglass roof over the runs for about 5 feet over the pop doors to keep out the elements and afford the birds a bit of cover in rain and snow. We have almost finished insulating the coop and will put straw bales on the north side for extra insulationa and windbreak.

The food and waterers are on the south side, right in line with the draft of the pop doors. How is this going to work in the winter? Should I move the heated waterer and food to the north side away from the pop doors? We are about to run electricity into our coop (dh begrudgingly agreed to do this) so I need to know where to put the outlets. Is there anyway to cut down on the draft? Like put haybales just inside the doors that the chicks can jump over to get out? I have considered hanging some type of fabric over the doors starting soon (beginning with a strip or two) to help stop the draft.

Any experience from folks?

We will have close to 50 birds in our 12 x 18 coop.

Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. We have subzero weather for months.

ANd I HATE going out in the dark at 5:30 am before work. But I digress.

Your thoughts? thanks.

 

[chicksalot]

I wish I could be of some help, but I too am trying to figure out the best way to winterize ( I am in WI). I do want to say that I admire your coop/runs! It has 'character'! Good luck to you & your birds this winter.

 

[Mrs MIA]

A thick towel or fleece over the door that they can push through will cut the draft. When thinking of the placement of the waterer, try to find some place that will stay the warmest, otherwise your heater will be working overtime to keep it from freezing. Make sure you have plenty of roost space for your birds, so they're not too crowded. Flat 2x4s are good for them to keep their feet warm. Otherwise, they should be fine in there. Southern exposure is good.

You will enjoy having the coop wired for light... I know I do.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Thats not a chicken coop......


That a chicken RESORT! Looks GREAT!

 

[Solsken Farm]

"A little putty and a little paint, makes a house what it ain't". This old shed was in VERY bad shape and looks a whole lot better from a distance, but it seems to be a good design. It used to be the coop when this was a real working farm. We sided and shingled it about 10 years ago as a potting shed, then it was a pony barn, goat barn and now chicken coop again.

 

[Omran]

I would move the water and feed to the warm side of the coop.Problem solved
BY the way your chicken coop is very beautiful I can use it as an office/Dowg house .
Best luck
Omran

 

[Solsken Farm]

Mrs. AK-Bird-Brain :

A thick towel or fleece over the door that they can push through will cut the draft. When thinking of the placement of the waterer, try to find some place that will stay the warmest, otherwise your heater will be working overtime to keep it from freezing. Make sure you have plenty of roost space for your birds, so they're not too crowded. Flat 2x4s are good for them to keep their feet warm. Otherwise, they should be fine in there. Southern exposure is good.

You will enjoy having the coop wired for light... I know I do.

So they figure out how to push through the fleece/towel? I don't have to do it in gradual stages?

Yup, I put up lots of 2 x 4 roosts. I am hoping these guys will want to go outside. If I have to, we have a big triple stall they could go in in the main barn, but we felt it would be warmer if they were altogether in the coop that is insulated. I do think I should move the waterers to the north side at the opposite end of the pop door, you are right about the heaters working overtime.

Gosh, with the amount of darkness you have in the winter, I bet you need light in the coop! I lived in Homer one summer in a tent. I loved Alaska!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Sorry, we were posting at the same time. Just tack up a heavy cloth inside to block the drafts, and they'll go in and out no problem.

Again, sorry... having issues with the computer... (banging head on desk!)
It is really nice having the coop wired for light, and heat, and for the shop-vac when needed on those spring-cleaning days. My husband almost stepped on an egg that was laid on the floor yesterday, and if he hadn't hit the light first, it would have been a mess.

I love Homer, too... we spend a lot of time fishing out there.
We're getting snow today... first official snowfall.

It's pretty.

 

[Solsken Farm]

Ok. I will stop complaining about how cold it is here. We will be mild (40s to 50s) for another few weeks and then when November hits, bam it gets bitter. Stay warm! Snow already? Geesh.

I was a vegetarian living in homer until I ran out of money and had NOTHING to eat except salmon, halibut and dungeness crab. Never did learn to like razor clams.....

Okay I am going to get some cloth hung this weekend and move the waterers. Thanks!

 

[orbirdman]

i could be wrong in reading this. but isnt the south side of any building the warmest? if that is the case locate anything that needs to be warmed at that end of the building.