Deep litter method

[Beekissed]

I think leaving the front mostly open kind of creates some kind of warm air cushion in the back of the coop where the roosts are....maybe that's how the Wood's style coops worked as well. I'm loving it and will continue to play with the right airflow in this hoop coop for winter living so as to keep deep litter at optimal moisture levels and birds free from humidity.

It helps on this coop that the one side is facing southwest and gets a lot of sun throughout the day, which is why I placed plastic there for that entire wall...it's like a little sunporch. I'm hoping the warmth of it is stored in the DL and soil there and radiates to the birds when the sun goes down.

 

[armorfirelady]

It helps on this coop that the one side is facing southwest and gets a lot of sun throughout the day, which is why I placed plastic there for that entire wall...it's like a little sunporch. I'm hoping the warmth of it is stored in the DL and soil there and radiates to the birds when the sun goes down.

I took a large piece of plexiglass I had laying around and made a picture window on the south end. I think over the winter I am going to look for some heavy duty clear plastic and make that whole end clear plastic to let more light in

 

[Beekissed]

Walmart sells a 4 mil plastic on a roll that is as clear as glass. That's what I have used for this sunny side of the coop last year and again this year. I love that stuff! Tough, thick, easy to handle and so clear it looks like you are looking through a glass window. I just create tabs and grommets on the sides with the use of Gorilla Tape and then zip tie it tightly to the wire so that it can't be moved by the wind in any way and be torn.

 

[niqueie]

Wow! I'm really impressed with all of your coop winterizing.

I just wanted to tell everybody that I called a tree service company that I've seen in my neighborhood and asked if I could get their mulched tree trimmings and grinding. They were so happy to off load it somewhere local. So if you are like me in a neighborhood and are looking for some free organic matter call some tree trimming companies. It's all free even the delivery!!

 

[Lacy Blues]

Walmart sells a 4 mil plastic on a roll that is as clear as glass. That's what I have used for this sunny side of the coop last year and again this year. I love that stuff! Tough, thick, easy to handle and so clear it looks like you are looking through a glass window. I just create tabs and grommets on the sides with the use of Gorilla Tape and then zip tie it tightly to the wire so that it can't be moved by the wind in any way and be torn.

Wheels are-a-turnin! Can you smell the smoke? Hmmm. This has me thinking. I'm working over a redesign in my head of my existing barn. It's gonna take a lot of work but I don't think I'll be able to build a new one to replace the old. It needs super duper modifications and I'm thinking about how to add in something like this to make winter more bearable for the poor dears. A sun porch! Who'd-a-thunk-it!

For summer use, Bee, you just roll down those tarps to cover the plastic so as not to cook your birds?

I'm thinking maybe some stiff frames for mine that would need to be removed in the summer or else have a hinged cover for them. What a great idea!

 

[Beekissed]

Quote:
I remove that plastic at the first sign of spring and roll those flaps down to make a shade porch....like you see here..on both sides of the coop for good airflow. There are also big shade trees to help with shade to the coop. Those can be lowered and fastened down if a big storm is approaching.

 

[schnebbles]

ashes? why? - I have some sand and pine shavings in mine. Are ashes not really dirty? we have plenty from our fireplace. Maybe I can put them to good use?

 

[armorfirelady]

ashes?  why? - I have some sand and pine shavings in mine. Are ashes not really dirty?  we have plenty from our fireplace.  Maybe I can put them to good use?

Ashes are a natural repellent of lice and mites. I keep a litter box full of them with some peat moss mixed in for them to dust bathe in.

And yes they really do work. I got lax in he summer and hens ended up with lice and mites. I dust bathed them several times for a week then 10 days later and they are bug free.

 

[schnebbles]

My coop isn't real big, could I stir them in the bedding? they apparently don't make for dirty chickens?

 

[armorfirelady]

Sure

My coop isn't real big, could I stir them in the bedding?  they apparently don't make for dirty chickens?

Sure you could. I dump what's left in the pan in the DL. I refill the pan every Sunday to ensure there's enough to dust bathe in. But my girls like dust bathing in the DL also. Just depends what they are in the mood for

As for dirty chickens from the ash.......I don't notice it on any of them except my white EE. But they preen and clean their feathers to. I'm not to worried about dirty chickens. They spend their day digging thru dirt, leaves, mud, etc and don't seem to mind a bit.
Remember pig pen from the peanuts? That what the girls look like after an ash bath when they shake when their done. Giant cloud of ash around them . At least I know they got down to their skin with ash