Chicken Coop / Sheds For Canadian Winter

[aart]

Thanks so much for this Ted. I was thinking of the ideas as a whole.

So to summarize, @Wee Farmer Sarah is suggesting just a frame over the existing shed with NO extension built onto it to convert it into a Woods style coop. More so to protect the shed itself from the winter snow and to prevent a roof collapse.

Whereas @Alaskan suggested me build a modification onto the existing shed to basically extend it and allow for an open front design to be built that would simulate a Woods Style Coop.

Do I have it right? Or am I still mixing these two up?

Might do both.
Extension won't really be a Woods, but similar to any 3 sided roofed structure, with no other vents, should get an air cushion effect.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I'm not in it for the research at all. It's more of an excuse to get chickens as I have been meaning to get back into them. Which is why I came here to ask for advice. I would be taking their weights and gains as well as feed intake in.

After this project is done I would be keeping them as pets so they live long and happy lives. I've kept chickens since I was a child. I know how to take care of them. But when it comes to buildings I have only ever used existing structures. When I moved and built these sheds I tried my best to convert them to house chickens but learned they are not suited unless modified in some way. I may take and put on the guise that I don't know much in terms of chickens but I do. I do come from a farming background.

The sheds as they are, are not meant to house chickens and are not in any position to do so without either building a modification or simply having a new coop built altogether as I have said. I'm not sure why you would think I want to or would be doing harm to them through this research. I've never expressed any indication of doing that as far as I am aware. Their care is at the forefront of my priorities.

Again, my primary motivator is to have chickens and take care of them. This project was offered to me and I am considering it. It's meant to be something relatively simple and easy to do that the hatchery can use to better market their birds. I consider this a great way to get back into chickens, add some beef to my resume and have fun.

Just the little fact that you wanted to cram 20 or more chickens into a small plastic shed was a big red flag. However if you just need an excuse to get back into chicken keeping, them do it smart, humanely and for the right reasons.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Might do both.
Extension won't really be a Woods, but similar to any 3 sided roofed structure, with no other vents, should get an air cushion effect.

Now the question is would it be better to just get a Woods built or would this extension have enough of an air cushion effect so that the birds remained safe with no drafts.

 

[aart]

Now the question is would it be better to just get a Woods built or would this extension have enough of an air cushion effect so that the birds remained safe with no drafts.

Sure it would be better to build a full on Woods.
But thought building new was off the table, in which case adding the extension and roof might be the way to go. Tho it might be just as much effort as building new with your lack of building skills....or can you afford to hire out the building?

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Just the little fact that you wanted to cram 20 or more chickens into a small plastic shed was a big red flag. However if you just need an excuse to get back into chicken keeping, them do it smart, humanely and for the right reasons.

I never said I was going to cram them in to a small plastic shed. If you look back to my OP:

"I currently have a plastic DIY shed that is 10' by 12'. When we tried to insulate it we didn't do that good of a job but tired our best. What we did was get those pink insulation panels, cut them appropriately and then wrapped them in a tarp. On the walls it works fine, but at the roof it won't hold and keeps falling down.

I'm looking for ideas on both how to fix the coop I have and am looking for ideas on what else I could use as a coop to hold 50 chickens max. I can't afford $5,000+ for a prebuilt shed or coop and am not all that handy when it comes to building. Any ideas?"

I simply asked for ideas on how to make it better. I was asking because I am considering having a new coop built just for this purpose. So there's that option or have someone give me an idea on how to make the sheds I have work. Enter the modification idea.

When I asked about birds per square feet, I know this forum recommends 8 sq feet per bird. So the shed by itself could house 15 birds. But I know something has to be done to the shed in terms of ventilation if I kept them in there which I don't plan on doing because it wouldn't be fair to them.

I think when I asked the questions in numbered format instead of in paragraph form, you took my questions to be separate. If I ever gave you the idea that I want to cram the birds in I apologize. This is not what I meant. At that point I was assuming the modification idea would be taken into consideration.

 

[Ted Brown]

Thanks so much for this Ted. I was thinking of the ideas as a whole.

So to summarize, @Wee Farmer Sarah is suggesting just a frame over the existing shed with NO extension built onto it to convert it into a Woods style coop. More so to protect the shed itself from the winter snow and to prevent a roof collapse.

Whereas @Alaskan suggested me build a modification onto the existing shed to basically extend it and allow for an open front design to be built that would simulate a Woods Style Coop.

Do I have it right? Or am I still mixing these two up?

Close. I understood @Alaskan to be saying build a connecting new "open front porch" and hook the shed(s?) to it modifying only to provide predator protection. Leave pre-fab doors off and let the "air cushion" be created by having air come in the open front.

In principal this will work for the winter period but superior ventilation will be required for hotter weather.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Sure it would be better to build a full on Woods.
But thought building new was off the table, in which case adding the extension and roof might be the way to go. Tho it might be just as much effort as building new with your lack of building skills....or can you afford to hire out the building?

I would rather have one built at this point to be honest but funds are limited. So I would have to find a good deal. But if I'm going to build or have a frame built for a second roof, and then add on a modification on top of that, it may just be a better idea to have a Woods coop built and be done with it.

I would need to find out how much cheaper the roof and modification idea would be. That is if I even need a roof built. I would have to inspect the current sheds roof more closely to see if in fact any damage too place.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

Close. I understood @Alaskan to be saying build a connecting new "open front porch" and hook the shed(s?) to it modifying only to provide predator protection. Leave pre-fab doors off and let the "air cushion" be created by having air come in the open front.

In principal this will work for the winter period but superior ventilation will be required for hotter weather.

Oh if it's only for predator protection then well, I don't know if it would be worth it. In the back 100, we have predators but it would take a very ballsy animal to come all the way to the front. As it would be right beside our house. Not saying an animal won't although they would have to get into the chain link fence either below it or above it and break into the coop. And with the lights, dogs etc... As I said I have had chickens before for years on this property and we only had issue with a fox in the winter when we didn't have the fence up.

Not saying it's not possible and it only takes once for something to happen, but a run could always be built after the ventilation issue is fixed. That is my priority number one. Measures can be taken for predator protection but ventilation has to be dealt with first.

 

[Countrymanfowl]

. However if you just need an excuse to get back into chicken keeping, them do it smart, humanely and for the right reasons.

So for 50 chickens you would say that I should have 50 sq feet correct? 8 feet per bird?

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Minimum 4 sq. ft. per bird. 50 chickens x 4 = 200 sq. ft. That’s a minimum. More room is better; when cooped up in the winter behavior problems come along when they’re crowded. 8 sq. ft. per bird would be great. Plus a run of 10 sq. ft. per bird.