Chicken Ark in cold weather?

[jtsummie]

I live in Salt Lake City, UT and I'm looking at building a coop. I really like the idea (and look) of the chicken arks, but are they good for the winter? It get's below freezing here at night in the winter and it just seems like the siding doesn't give any space for insulation. Does anyone out there have any good ideas on how to insulate or if their chickens do well in an ark in the winter?

 

[wyododge]

No need for insulation, they have all they need.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I wouldn't worry about insulation. A bigger worry for me would be snow, since we get a lot. Do you get much snow?

When it comes to areas with severe winters, I think the biggest problem with most of the ark designs I've seen is that the housing area is so small. Plus, a lot of the run area is exposed to snow that's falling. You can cover some of the run to keep out falling snow, but you still need to have enough open for ventilation.

Have you looked at any of the tractor designs that are more rectangular, instead of the A-frame arks? When we built our tractor, we went with a more squared off style. It gave us a little more coop space and made it easy to roof the run, while leaving the sides open.

Some of the larger A-frames are nice for over wintering. Usually the designs described as arks are the little ones, though.

 

[jtsummie]

Thanks for the advice. How do chickens do in a tractor with the snow in the run? I'm worried if I move the tractor around they won't like the snow.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I think in areas with much snow, most people park them in one spot for the winter. Often with some type of bedding in the bottom of the run. Something like straw, hay, leaves or mulch.

 

[jtsummie]

I would like to build it, so I can fit it right between our raised beds. That would help keep the drafts down in the run area.

 

[wyododge]

I don't have a tractor, but if you have a veggie garden, it seems that the chickens spending the winter on the garden would be very beneficial. I feed ours their scratch and stuff now that the garden is sleeping for the winter.

 

[outlawfarmer]

Last year I covered my ark with two tarps and only left the end. It worked well but they wouldn't come out unless I shoveled a path. The snow was over the top of the ark at one point. This year I am putting it up again.st a 10'*6'*6' chainlink kennel I got with the new house. I am gonna tarp that kennel and cut a run door for the ark to go against. Then tarp the ark too. So they will have the run under them and a new warmer dry run attatched.