Coop building advice for cold weather please

[wolfej9]

That is a good idea actually! After some TLC from the dog damage, the old coop could definitely work as a short term quarantine house. I'd just want to make sure it's 100% predator proof this time. Luckily I was given three full size sheets of OSB for free, so maybe that's a subtle hint to just build a new one.

I let each of my daughters pick a breed of chick that they wanted, and we had to order more than we needed for shipping purposes, so we have two Golden Laced Wyandotte's, two Partridge Plymouth Rocks, a Salmon Favorells, a Light Brown Leghorn and a mystery chick/poult. So we'll have an extra GLW and PR that I think will be going to my neighbors, and depending on our mystery chick, we may swap one of the others as well. It depends on what we get.

 

[Emma Miriam]

Sorry for the late reply! I would definitely do that: having a small quarantine coop can be a lifesaver, and that way you get to build the coop you want! I'm actually planning to build a small quarantine hutch (kind of like the Ware Chicken Hutch, just better made and cheaper!) as soon as I finish the run. Please do update us during the process and post pics! I'd love to see.

Sounds like good breeds! I just have three girls: a Light Brahma, an Easter Egger, and a Speckled Sussex. I can only have four due to zoning regulations in my town, but right now three is good!

Good luck, and be sure to keep us updated!

 

[aart]

Invest in a roof rake, or cobble one together, to keep roof panels clear.
Plan on keeping a path to coop clear and area around access to coop and run.
Much easier to shovel a bit(or more) each day than to have to dig out a foot or more.....and once it's locked up frozen, groaan!

I made a heated water jug with horizontal nipples that worked great last year.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/aarts-heated-waterer-with-horizontal-nipples

 

[junebuggena]

Just a note about ventilation. A door and a window does not equal well ventilated. Moist air and ammonia needs to be able to escape at night. Vents should be set opposite from each other to create a cross breeze, and as close to the roofline as possible to prevent drafts.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I use 2x4 welded wire in 14 ga for tbe run. That stops everything but weasels that are night predators so use hardware cloth on venting holes on coop and close the coop every night. Much cheaper and easier to accomplish. Cut the 4ft roll of 2x4 welded wire in half to make an apron around the run to stop digging predators. Lift sod and lay apron flat u der it from run edge out 2ft.

Ventilation is the key for winter and a covered run makes so you don't have to shovel it. For winterizing the run put up a tarp or two on the prevailing wind sides, or corner of run making a wind break. Doing that and not having deep snow in run your birds will use it every day in winter. If ice builds up lay down some straw or hay.

I also get a bag of sunflower seeds for winter. On those below -10F mornings I toss them a handfull or two of sunflower for the high fat content which will readily be energy to burn for them to keep warm.

 

[terrsti1]

I recently bought a coop kit on Craig's list brand new. The seller used Minwax semigloss polyurethane to seal it. Is this ok for chickens? It's the bungalow (mypetchicken) and in their notes they say to seal it once a year but don't say with what. I'm having buyers remorse

 

[redsix]

Polyurethane shouldn't hurt the chickens. I painted the exterior and part of the interior of the coop I made with exterior paint. I guess you may want to continue to use polyurethane to keep it sealed. Stain or paint is probably not going to stick to it.

 

[terrsti1]

Thanks.

 

[wolfej9]

It took a little longer to start this project than I wanted, but this past weekend the new coop finally started going up. With the help of my brother, we dove in and got a majority of the framing done for the coop itself. In another week I'll get the materials to finish the roof and exterior walls, and then we'll start tackling the run.

The base is about 4' x 4' wide, and 3 1/2' tall.



Below, here some of the load-bearing walls start coming up. The far wall that is already framed in the back is where the egg boxes are going. The wall on the front-left is going to be double doors for easy access to the inside.



Here we started notching the roof boards, measuring things out as we go. There's a little bit of an optical illusion going, but the framing is actually square. It looks kind of odd in the picture from the angle I think. We don't have all of the braces in place yet.



Below, the temporary coop is in the background. We spent a good hour fortifying it with repurposed pallet wood, and anchoring it into the ground. Sorry I don't have a better picture. But let's say it's 10 times stronger and more stable than it ever was. The wall closest in the picture is where the opening will be for the chickens, as well as the walk-in run.



More to come! Thank you all for your insights and suggestions!

 

[usedhobarts]

Hi, I'm in nw Mn about 50 miles from the Canadian border. The winters are extremely cold. We had 28 days in row last winter where the temp never got warmer than -8. Like you, we had chickens when younger and have just recently acquired them again.

Here is what I have learned for wintering birds. I'm coming into my 3rd winter this year. I used artificial heat sources my first winter. Huge mistake. I ended up with frost bit combs and feet as a result. Chickens are surprisingly cold hearty as a rule. Some breeds more than others. The general rule is 4 square ft. Per bird for coop space however this will vary on climate especially if your not free ranging. In your climate with only 4 birds your smaller coop of 3x3 is just fine in the winter as the chickens themselves produce the coop heat. Ventilation is more important. Don't confuse air flow with ventilation. You don't want a draft in your coop but rather venting above the roosting level to draw out moisture ( humidity) created from the chickens body heat. You know how Arizonans say yes but it's a dry heat? Well if chickens could talk they would say " I'm cool with cold as long as it's a dry cold".

Keep in mind with a small coop make sure you have a sufficient covered or enclosed run that will remain snow free so your girls have somewhere to get apart from each other. Coop fever ( birds suffering from lack of personal space) stress easily and have consequences as a result such as hindered immune systems and poor egg production. With 4 birds I would have a run no smaller than 3'x12'.

If you have draft free coop design that is well ventilated and enough run area that is snow free to allow your birds to have some personal space at their choice you will have a happy and healthy flock. Having a slightly smaller coop than 4 sf. Per bird with a small flock like yours is much better than having a coop to large in cold weather climates. As long as you keep in mind what the coop provides versus the run you can easily accommodate flocks of any size in cold weather climates.

Heated coops, BAD THING, in my humble opinion.

Good luck with your new flock. Protecting your flock from dogs or other preditors is just using common sense in your coop design. Remember a small coop like yours can easily be turned over by a large chicken hungry dog. Anchor your coop securely. The run on my outdoor brooding house has chicken wire floor. This stops intrusions from digging underneath. Believe me, dogs will that quicker than you can imagine.