Coop almost done...first photos and a few ?'s

[lizrndiver]

Well this is our 2nd coop. DH made a quickie A frame to see if I was serious about my chickens. He decided I was committed enough a built a "real" coop this past weekend. I need to add some trim and a window for more light. Also we are using our movable run that we made out of PVC until DH finishes the run for this weekend. It will be 3' wide, 3' high and 8' long covered with 1/2" hardcloth.

My only real question has to do with drafts/roosts. We left the area under the eaves open except for hardcloth for ventilation. The rafters run across at the same height and the chickens have taken to roosting on them. As it gets colder this will create a draft right where they are roosting.

So do you think the white vents on the ends of the coop are enough for ventilation of I fill up the eave space with insulation for the winter?

If not...any ideas?

Finally...we have a dirt floor and I will be adding pine shavings for the DLM. I heard you should elevate the coop off the ground to keep the hens from freezing. This seems counter-intuitive to me since air flow under the coop would be cold. Also won't the litter keep the floor warm enough?

Front of Coop with door to run

Back of Coop with nest access door

Side of Coop with hanging waterer and door mounted feeder. You can see planned roosts an the back (not used)

Thanks!!

Liz

 

[California Cluckin]

we have the same design for ventilation but i installed a drop down board on hinges to prevent the draft on cool winter nights. in the summer the board is hung up allowing for good air movement by a snap hook.

 

[lizrndiver]

Is the board on the inside or outside of the coop? My coop is too small for me to get inside. Anyone else want to weigh in on the draft and floor issues?

 

[BantyRooster]

Where are you and how severe are your winters?

How deep will your litter be?

How many hens do you plan on keeping inside?

I think the eve vents should be left open all year to allow for the amonia to escape. Depending on winter temps you may want to block some but leave some open, too.

Do you have a thermomter inside so you can moniter temps?

Nice coop!

Please provide some more info.

 

[Cetawin]

You can just put a plywood door on a hinge with a hook (outside) to close it over the ventilation area in the winter evenings to avoid a draft...normally, you would close the one facing North or where you get the most wind from.

 

[lizrndiver]

Thanks!!! I live in Wisconsin. So we have a good stretch under freezing with a few weeks below zero.

I have 4 chickens and I was planning on 6" of pine shavings.

I guess I could just close off the side facing away from the house since the other side is somewhat protected.

I do nothave a thermometer, but I could get one.

 

[pefferlawchicken]

great little coop perfect !

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
With only 4 chickens, I think you have a reasonable shot at just the white end vents being sufficient, particularly if you could install a droppings board to clean daily or at least be fairly active about sanitation in general.

I'd suggest leaving the eaves open as long as possible and putting a max-min thermometer (preferably an old-style mechanical one, as AA batteries do not always work well at -20 F

) into the coop so you can develop an ongoing idea of how it's behaving.

Depending on what you see with temperature, condensation, windblown precipitation, and the chickens themselves, you can decide when and how and how much to close up eave vents.

Would it be possible to force them to roost at one end of the coop, so that you could close off the eaves at that end but leave part of 'em open at the far end?

If necessary you could put vertical chickenwire up from the rafters so they *can't* roost up there, but that may not be necessary.

Finally...we have a dirt floor and I will be adding pine shavings for the DLM. I heard you should elevate the coop off the ground to keep the hens from freezing. This seems counter-intuitive to me since air flow under the coop would be cold. Also won't the litter keep the floor warm enough?

Yours is a dirt floor, yes, not plywood? As long as you add enough bedding (6" may be enough or may not, you'll just have to see) and keep it raked out so there are no excessively thin spots, it makes pretty good floor insulation. Play it by ear. Drainage problems in late winter and early spring are probably as much or more a threat as cold ground... be careful about that, and it might be worth thinking ahead to what your plans B and C are in case of flooding. (It looks like the coop is small enough to jack up onto blocks and add a floor, if necessary)

The thing with cold floors, for elevated vs non elevated coops, is that ground (dirt or gravel or concrete) is a pretty good conductor of heat whereas air is a decent insulator. Enough bedding will cure most problems, though; and the relationship between "foot temperature" and outdoor temperature depends on enough other factors, like the size of the coop and the nature of your winter weather, that I'm not convinced there is an overall clear way that is definitely better. EITHER raised or on the ground coops can work quite well in most cases, you just have to winterize them a bit differently is all.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​