Coop is all but finished...any final thoughts?

[happylittlehens]

We still have to cut out the door that goes into the run (that will happen next week when the run is finished) and we want to add 1 more window eventually. But for now, we are done! I would like any input from all of you with chicken experience if there is something you think I should change/add/remove. Here are some pics and the diagram I drew up during planning stages. Also a little video of the girls in their new digs! Any and all advice is welcome. Thanks!




Nesting Box and South Window



Roosts


Happy Chickens


Video

 

[SobbaChickens]

Is there a way to "close" the window when it rains/snows? And is there a sloped roof to help with run off? Concerning snow, a flat roof might not be able to handle snow piling up. We got multiple huge snow storms here a few months ago and entire barns were collapsing because of the snow weight so I know I'm going a sloped roof

Katie

 

[RedneckGurl]

I am not sure, but from the drawing it looks like you definitely need more ventilation for the hot summer days and to keep humidity down inside the coop. Remember that stagnant or moist air is no good for chickens. Most chickens tolerate cold much easier than heat - notice I said MOST....some of the specialty breeds don't do well in either extreme.

That doesn't mean that you don't have to do things differently in the winter, especially where you are. Here in Alabama I plan to have windows on all four walls for airflow and cooling in the summer but will likely keep them closed and mostly use roofline vents during the winters depending on how cold it gets. Winters can get surprisingly cold here in north Alabama but they can also be mild so I am planning much more for heat than cold. I also plan to use some reflective insulation under the roof to keep temps cooler since my coop gets no shade in the summer and it should hold in heat in winter.

 

[happylittlehens]

Katie,
Yes the window has a door on the outside. We are going to switch places and put the window that's there on the north side and a regular house window on the south side (where the opening is now). That was one of those "oops we should have put that on the other side so we have an open window to the south in the winter" ...after it was already done things. The roof is sloped and the coop is actually built inside a big shed we already had. (Like a box in a box). So no snow or rain will actually even touch the coop roof. The roof of the coop serves as a big shelf in the shed now.

 

[BrittBergh]

Agreed with being able to close the window above the nesting boxes, they will likely find a new place to lay eggs if the boxes are wet and cold, and I know some chickens who only lay in dark places so thats something to think about. You might want more vents too but looks!

Redneckgurl, IM in Harvest Alabama...HELLO!!!

 

[wwdubose]

Ditto on adding additional venting along the top of each wall. Other than that, it looks good!

 

[RedneckGurl]

Agreed with being able to close the window above the nesting boxes, they will likely find a new place to lay eggs if the boxes are wet and cold, and I know some chickens who only lay in dark places so thats something to think about. You might want more vents too but looks!

Redneckgurl, IM in Harvest Alabama...HELLO!!!

I agree. I would suggest at least a wooden cover/lid over the nest boxes and possibly even some privacy curtains (I've seen some cute ones made from pieces of feed sack). Hens really do like their privacy.

Hey BrittBergh! Finally someone on here who is within "spitting" distance of me! I drive down Hwy 53 and through Harvest most every day to and from work on the arsenal. Did you see/hear about that awful wreck this morning at 53 and Harvest Rd? We got turned around and had to back track.

 

[JackE]

I would add more ventilation on the outside walls, as the coop is inside a shed. (Box within a box). Also, I would make sure the shed itself (Outside box), is well ventilated. It may get kinda stuffy in there, if not properly ventilated. Plenty of fresh air is a big thing for the health of the chickens.
Jack

 

[happylittlehens]

I am not sure, but from the drawing it looks like you definitely need more ventilation for the hot summer days and to keep humidity down inside the coop. Remember that stagnant or moist air is no good for chickens. Most chickens tolerate cold much easier than heat - notice I said MOST....some of the specialty breeds don't do well in either extreme.

That doesn't mean that you don't have to do things differently in the winter, especially where you are. Here in Alabama I plan to have windows on all four walls for airflow and cooling in the summer but will likely keep them closed and mostly use roofline vents during the winters depending on how cold it gets. Winters can get surprisingly cold here in north Alabama but they can also be mild so I am planning much more for heat than cold. I also plan to use some reflective insulation under the roof to keep temps cooler since my coop gets no shade in the summer and it should hold in heat in winter.

It will have 3 vents and a window on the north wall, a window on the south wall and the "chicken door" opening on the west wall. The east wall is where the human door is and it is just slats across 2x4's, so air can get in that way too. I may have to take a short video of the whole thing (outside and inside) to get the idea of how it's set up. I know too much ventilation is never a problem in the summer, but with nearly -20 lows in the winter I worry about having too much draft during cold weather. Here in central Utah, our summer highs are around 90 and very dry! In the dead of winter the highs are around 30 on average with lows in the teens and occasionally falling below 0. Should I add vents to the south wall roof line also?? The ventilation parts still confuses me sometimes.

 

[RedneckGurl]

It will have 3 vents and a window on the north wall, a window on the south wall and the "chicken door" opening on the west wall. The east wall is where the human door is and it is just slats across 2x4's, so air can get in that way too. I may have to take a short video of the whole thing (outside and inside) to get the idea of how it's set up. I know too much ventilation is never a problem in the summer, but with nearly -20 lows in the winter I worry about having too much draft during cold weather. Here in central Utah, our summer highs are around 90 and very dry! In the dead of winter the highs are around 30 on average with lows in the teens and occasionally falling below 0. Should I add vents to the south wall roof line also?? The ventilation parts still confuses me sometimes.

I would say yes on the additional vents as warm, moist air always rises and you need good venting at the roofline to get rid of it, especially in winter when the other openings are likely to be closed or only partly open due to extreme cold.