Coop Building Reference Table....(suggestion area only)

[BioBob]

I'd like to suggest using screws instead of nails.

There WILL be some design changes, and they are more easily accomplished by un-screwing than by uv-doing!

 

[River Lizard]

Here's a chart that I'm using to measure how large of an exhaust fan that I'll need to change the air 6 times per hour.
CFM exchange calculator Figure it will be close enough to assure that enough air exchange is going on inside the coop.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
I still think that fans in a coop are almost always a pretty bad idea (unless you're in a very hot climate and need them for cooling, either plain or as a swamp cooler).

For a typical backyard coop situation, IMO fans are

a) a waste of money (esp. if you get a proper industrial/ag/outdoor fan that will not croak after a few months/years)
b) a waste of electricity
c) absolutely 100% unnecessary (except in v. hot places as per above)
d) a minor but totally unnecessary fire hazard
e) a bad idea for most people in really cold climates, and
f) will do nothing for air quality when the power is out

There is really no reason, for the vast majority of people, not to use a properly designed PASSIVE ventilation system. They work in many ways BETTER THAN forced-air systems for the average type of backyard coop, and are certainly cheaper, less aggravation and allow more flexibility.

You are welcome to take information from my Ventilation page (link below in .sig) if it would be useful for the project.

JMHO,

Pat

 

[River Lizard]

Quote:
No more a fire hazard than any type of electrical power source in your house. If properly installed, there's no more risk than a light fixture in your living room. Especially if you make the exhaust fan a positive system vs a negitive system.

But I understand that you are trying to promote the non-use of electrical power as a source (Green view)

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
No more a fire hazard than any type of electrical power source in your house. <snip>But I understand that you are trying to promote the non-use of electrical power as a source (Green view)

"No more than anything else electric" is not zero. (Also I would dispute the 'no more than' part, as I've never heard of a properly-installed properly-chosen normal lightbulb causing a barn fire [wiring damage aside] whereas I have known several caused by barn fans)

It's not a 'green view' type thing at all.

It's just that if something you have to spend money on does an inferior job than something you can make for free, and is overall less flexible and useful, I think there is really not much of an argument to be made for it.

I think it should at the VERY least be pointed out that having an electric fan in the coop is (except in very hot climates) totally unnecessary, and is not the easiest or best way of doing it, you know?

JMHO,

Pat

 

[flopshot]

we had a window fan meltdown in my neices bedroom once. after that no fans are left on unattended. i figure it's like avoiding airplane crashes. the only sure way is not to fly. i wired my coop to work like an RV but after further thought and reflection on the track record of my history with branch curcuits running to outbuildings i've decided not to use the hookup.
i feel ok about it in the winter if i need it for a low level light but the lightning strikes around here more or less closed the door on any use during the summer. i had a receptacle fry that ran a fence shocker that could have been a disaster in a coop.

 

[Intheswamp]

I've watched the "fan, no-fan" debate go on and it makes me smile to see the strong debate from both sides, yet civility is still being maintained.

Several messages above I saw mention of the "typical backyard coop". To me, a typical backyard coop would be one that often sees 100F+ temperatures, 80% humidity, and 0mph breezes....natural ventilation won't help that much. Winters aren't bad, though.

Today I'm having a typical day at work....whereas a peasant in North Korea is also having a typical day at work....neither myself or the Korean would consider the other's day typical...

As for a fan being an electrical-fire hazard. Sure it is. As is a light bulb, a waterer heater, an electric-fence, video cameras, a broken window, or several other things. A couple of years ago I had an interior, incandecent light bulb explode...sparks showered everywhere...it exploded for no apparent reason...other than freaking me out it really didn't cause a problem but had it been in a coop, well, the end of the story probably would have been much more dramatic. Florescent...I had one "go out" in a lamp....reached to unscrew it and it pull the skin off of my fingers after I *thought* it had been off for a day...I imagine as the demise of the incandescent bulb comes and florescents take there place that more house fires will happen.

Fire hazards surround us...but it seems to me that it would be better to keep the chickens from regularly keeling over from heat stroke here in hot, humid south Alabama and run the very slight risk of a fire. Who knows, a lightin'bug could fly into the coop and short-circuit or something.

What I'm saying is that both natural ventilation and forced-air ventilation have there pros and cons and their appropriate time and place. Maybe in regards to the reference table their needs to be a branch....one branch heading of "Natural Ventilation" and another heading of "Powered Ventilation". I don't think the guide will be able to cover all aspects of building a coop but I do believe that their will be people from all different regional areas looking at the guide for information.

Good talk, keep it going,
Hoping I didn't put my foot in my mouth.

Ed

 

[patandchickens]

I agree entirely, that's why I keep saying "except in very hot climates"...

Pat

 

[flopshot]

Quote:
even there though Pat, moving hot air is of no use and will actually make the situation worse. better off utilizing ground temps, shade, and basic ventilation. (like i need to tell you about ventilation)....

 

[anthonyjames]

Coop Placement:

We have our coop in our back yard. Our backyard has huge pitch from top to bottom. Basically in 6 feet it dropped almost 5 ft.

Our back yard also butts against a farmers field and faces north. So come winter time the wind in WI off of lake michigan comes barreling through unobstructed.

We have to following coop:
http://gallery.me.com/anthonyjames420#100098&bgcolor=black&view=grid

I was worried 1st about snow build up around this as it will drift.
2nd I was considering getting the eggs and making sure that the wind wasn't hitting that entire side all day and the chickens being extra cold.

Also, since the windows are located on that side as well I didn't want the wind blowing straight in. So I rotated it 90 degrees and the windows face east as well as the nest boxes and the vent faces west. I would love to have the windows face South but then I would have to set it further back in my yard and in the summer it would just be extremely hot as there would be very little to no shade.