Chicken Sunroom Anyone?

[suburbanhomesteader]

It is possible to make a solar "heater" for your sunroom, that will hold the heat during the night.

Just paint several (maybe a dozen or more) gallong milk jugs black, fill them with water, and place them where they'll get the most sun for the longest amount of time. They will gain a LOT of heat, and release it slowly back into the space during the night.

The smaller containers heat up more quickly if you don't get a lot of sunlight; if you get a LOT of sun during most days, you can use a black 55gal drum (it takes the big drum longer to heat up, but then it loses heat more slowly, as well).

When I had a green house, I put the jugs along the front of the greenhouse wall, under my greenhouse bench, and they released warm air to the bench all night. It is an amazing idea!

 

[AtRendeAcres]

black milk jug filled with hot water would that also release heat?

I have a cement coop no real windows (I thonk it holds the cold!)

 

[birdnutz]

Thats what we're doing. It covers the pond for the ducks,the guineas and chickens use it during the day when it's windy and cold. We also used sun tuff. We've also put a small wood burner in it.

 

[okiechick57]

Now THAT is a sunroom..........very nice indeed...great job !

 

[birdnutz]

Thanks,it's been a real challenge for us. We are kind of building challenged. Have it enclosed now. Still have things to get done on it,but winter is here.So we'll have to wait until spring.AGAIN.

 

[suburbanhomesteader]

Rchicks, the purpose of the black milk jug is to allow it to gain heat from the sun (free heat).

if you were to put one jug filled with hot water there would be no point to it being black, and it wouldn't have enough thermal mass to make a difference in a coop. in my greenhouse, i had a couple of dozen sitting under the bench, and that made a difference.

birdnutz, i'm sure you know this, but that much glazing can have temps get over 90 degrees on sunny days, even in the winter, unless you have some serious ventilation. i fried more than a few plants with temps over 90 before i finally got the hang of self-opening vents.

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
Well If YOU are building challenged , then , I am afraid I am just plain ole building retarded

 

[McGoo]

Our new coop has a porch on the front w/a clear roof to give our chooks protection from rain and snow and when winter winds hit I'll be stapling clear plastic on the walls to make it a sunroom. We used the wavy plastic for the roof and enclosed it in with wire mesh.
I'm hoping that this gives the chooks an opportunity to stay outdoors a little more in winter. I got the idea from an article in Mother Earth news....some guy brought his chooks into his greenhouse during winter days.

 

[birdnutz]

Thanks Okiechick. We have a sunlight that opens up on the top for ventilation,mainly for condensation.. With the wind we get here in winter(Wyoming) not too concerned about heat building up to bad. Plan on taking some of the panels down in the summer. It would turn into a roaster with the sun we get. Also going to plant climbing vines around it. We're not using it for plants. Just ducks and chicken retreat. It has a concrete pond in it.