Cold climate coop design...

[kiwiegg]

Hi there.
I am chomping at the bit ready to start buiding a coop for 3-5 chookies here in SE Minnesota. We have plenty of space and I would lile to build something mobile. We have a detached double garage that a coop could be placed at ON THE NORTH side - won't get much sun in winter but I could hook up electricity there. We have a large veg garden that would love some chickens and plenty of areas to move a coop to. I really like the design "Cluckingham Palace" by member Jarhead on chicken tractors page. The plans are clear and the size seems to be compatable with our needs. I think that I would make a removable run too.
My big question is... what do I need to do (if anything) when planning the build to cover the COLD MN winters?
ANY help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated - thanks!

 

[patandchickens]

Hi, welcome to BYC

If you really want a year-round tractor, that design at least offers good space (4x8) which will reduce the amount of winter management difficulties you face. A walk-in coop would be even easier to deal with, though - it is something to think about if you might get more chickens in the future. Tractors are really not well suited to serious winter (they don't offer much space for bored chickens, and it is real hard to offer sufficient ventilation to keep humidity down without having cold drafts right on the chickens). BUt that at least is a good-sized one. Think about how soft your ground is for how mcuh of the year, though, in terms of how realistically you'll actually be able to move the thing around (that much weight on those wheels is not going to be moveable on squishy or muddy ground)

My biggest suggestion for winter would be either a larger roof overhang, or a designated attachment point for a hood that will well and truly cover and protect the gable vent(s) from snow and the worst of the wind. And if you ever wanted to put more than 3-4 birds in it, you would really need more winter-useable ventilation than just that little gable vent(s).

I'd strongly suggest insulating the underside of the roof and also the walls, and if possible the floor too (although to some extent you can pile extra bedding in there to serve as floor insulation).

And design your run so that it can be roofed and partially surrounded with clear plastic, for wintertime use, so the chickens are more apt to go outside.

Frankly, though, it might be cheaper (or anyhow no more expensive) and more functional to just make a permanent winter coop on the back of the garage (either inside or outside) with a small permanent run attached, and then ALSO a summer-only tractor.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[CityChook]

from the Cities!

Build bigger than you think you will need. When it's really cold, the chickens will likely stay inside, increasing the need for usable square footage.

Make sure you have electrical access to your coop. Some folks don't like to use heat, some folks do. But you will need a heated water dish (Fleet Farm $25) to keep the water from freezing. That will need electricity.

I insulated my coop (walls and ceiling) and have no regrets. But more important will be ZERO draft and plenty of ventilation UP HIGH to keep the humidity low. I provided heat last winter, and my coop averaged around 10-12F, dipping as low as -5F. Without heat would be pretty stressful for a small backyard flock. More chickens reduces the need for an additional heat source. I hardwired for my heat lamp while the walls were open, which has worked out great. I don't worry about the lamp falling and catching the coop on fire.

I'd recommend a covered run if you can for winter. Not having to shovel snow in the run is a plus. And it's not like you'll be moving it around once the snow starts flying.

I've seen Jarhead's design and it is very nice. I'll let other comment on tractor designs since I don't have any experience there.

 

[kiwiegg]

Thank you both. patandchickens, you mentioned a winter coop INSIDE garage - how does that work? Would it create a huge stink? (I plan on building a playhouse as a winter project and would love chickens a s company!)
Citychook, how many chooks do you have and what is your coop/run set-up in MPLS?

 

[CityChook]

I have 4 BOs. My coop is 6x8, walk in style (like a shed) with an attached 6x8 covered run. They are in my backyard, behind the garage. I brought electricity from the garage to the coop. You can check out my page for photos.

 

[CityChook]

Quote:
I can't help but emphasize this as well. If you have nice big overhangs, then you won't have to rush out to close up windows each time a storm approaches. I keep my windows shut in the winter time but they are open all summer. If I had listened to Pat and built my ventilation under that same overhang (what is that about hindsight and 20/20?) then I wouldn't have to close up vents either.

Also, don't build windows/vents on the west side where the weather comes from if you can avoid it.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
A bunch of people on BYC have that sort of setup, one way or another -- as long as the garage is not fume-y and you have a solid-walled coop (with ventilation of course) to keep most of the chicken dust off garage stuff, it works well. Doesn't get as cold either.

Either build a plywood box (the skeleton of the 4x8 tractor you mentioned would be fine, and if it's in the garage it doesn't have to be all fancied-up for pretty) or wall off a coop-sized 'room' in the garage; then put a chicken-sized hole through the wall (or you can route the chickens out a window if you really don't want to cut a hole and can place the coop appropriately) to a run that you build against the garage wall. Or of course you could just build the coop outdoors, lean-to against the garage wall.

With 3-5 chickens you'd have a hard time creating a wintertime stink if you TRIED; reasonable sanitation, which you'd be doing anyhow, will definitely keep things A-OK in the cold months. It can be done in the warmer months too (as long as your garage doesn't get too hot in summertime) but then sanitation requires more attention to avoid aroma... but it sounds like you want your chickens outdoors in the warm months anyhow.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Yanna]

A note about garage coops - there may not be an odor but boy there will be DUST. We kept chairs next to our garage coop so that we could sit down and enjoy the show but with a thick nasty coat of "chicken dust" on them every time we walked by we never ended up using them.

I came upon this post looking into information about which type of flooring to use for permanent runs...so just cruising through. Hope your chicken housing worked out the way you wanted it to.

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. We just built a new barn and my DH was thinking about putting the new coop inside in the back. I have convinced his that we should build outside on the back of the barn. I don't have the cold you do but chickens can take pretty cold weather. My brother lives in Michigan. His chickens live in his barn and no coop. They have access to the outside and they are out before dawn until dusk even in the winter.