OK, I am clear on
1. well insulated coop with lots of vents
2. needs lots of vents to reduce humidity to reduce frostbite
Got that.....
Now to my questions...
I have an 8x8 coop, and I had just the roof and floor insulated, and this summer I am going (hopefully) insulate all of the walls and put on exterior nestboxes. (The floor insulation all fell out, don't think I can fix that, so maybe the floor should no longer be considered as insulated).
My 8x8 coop opens onto a 8x16 area that I call "the shed" since it is dirt floor and no insulation anywhere. The coop and shed are connected with a human size door that I have set up like a dutch door so that with only the bottom open there is less draft.
For venting in the coop there are two windows that are both screened over sliding windows, on opposite walls, but I can really only crack them open in the winter, or crack only the north one, with the south one totally closed since the wind comes up from the south.
There is also a horizontal vent up high on the wall that the coop shares with the shed, and that one can always be open.
Now I know that that *totally* goes against how much venting you are supposed to have per chicken, but it gets way too cold and drafty if I open the windows any wider.
There is of course lots more venting simply with the always at least bottom of it open door from the coop to the shed.
The shed has solid walls on the bottom 2 feet, then about 2 feet of ripple plastic covered wire (so some air comes around the sides of the plastic and then through the wire and into the shed), and then almost a foot of uncovered wire. Also, all of the eave space, you know, where the roof trusses hit the horizontal wall is totally open.
I have found that the open eave space is the WORST idea! The cold air just rushes right in and is horrid. If I block those eave openings, but keep the open wire space open, then the shed is much more comfortable.
This has led me to believe that vents at the very top of the walls is horrid horrid horrid, but several posters have said, that even in colder climates you need the vents at the top to make sure that the air completely clears out.
So.....
I am thinking that this summer while I totally fix up all my chicken area, that I will totally block those eave holes, completely insulate the coop, and maybe increase the size of the coop vent that opens into the shed.
Do you'll think that is a good idea? Or do you think that I need to keep some of those eave holes open? Thoughts???
Not that this is a venting issue, but besides putting on the exterior nest boxes, I am also going to try to improve my fences and replace my netting over the top of my runs with wire, as well as work on the wall edges/foundation of my coop and shed.
And since I am asking questions................ I still do not have a favorite way to water in the winter. The water stays in the shed in the winter, and we can get to -10 for a full week. I have never tried the water nipple things that so many seem to like, but I can't imagine them working here without some impressive engineering, and I am NOT good at any handyman stuff. Also, my power goes out every so often, never for more than 2 days, but that would be long enough to burst pipes.
1. well insulated coop with lots of vents
2. needs lots of vents to reduce humidity to reduce frostbite
Got that.....
Now to my questions...
I have an 8x8 coop, and I had just the roof and floor insulated, and this summer I am going (hopefully) insulate all of the walls and put on exterior nestboxes. (The floor insulation all fell out, don't think I can fix that, so maybe the floor should no longer be considered as insulated).
My 8x8 coop opens onto a 8x16 area that I call "the shed" since it is dirt floor and no insulation anywhere. The coop and shed are connected with a human size door that I have set up like a dutch door so that with only the bottom open there is less draft.
For venting in the coop there are two windows that are both screened over sliding windows, on opposite walls, but I can really only crack them open in the winter, or crack only the north one, with the south one totally closed since the wind comes up from the south.
There is also a horizontal vent up high on the wall that the coop shares with the shed, and that one can always be open.
Now I know that that *totally* goes against how much venting you are supposed to have per chicken, but it gets way too cold and drafty if I open the windows any wider.
There is of course lots more venting simply with the always at least bottom of it open door from the coop to the shed.
The shed has solid walls on the bottom 2 feet, then about 2 feet of ripple plastic covered wire (so some air comes around the sides of the plastic and then through the wire and into the shed), and then almost a foot of uncovered wire. Also, all of the eave space, you know, where the roof trusses hit the horizontal wall is totally open.
I have found that the open eave space is the WORST idea! The cold air just rushes right in and is horrid. If I block those eave openings, but keep the open wire space open, then the shed is much more comfortable.
This has led me to believe that vents at the very top of the walls is horrid horrid horrid, but several posters have said, that even in colder climates you need the vents at the top to make sure that the air completely clears out.
So.....
I am thinking that this summer while I totally fix up all my chicken area, that I will totally block those eave holes, completely insulate the coop, and maybe increase the size of the coop vent that opens into the shed.
Do you'll think that is a good idea? Or do you think that I need to keep some of those eave holes open? Thoughts???
Not that this is a venting issue, but besides putting on the exterior nest boxes, I am also going to try to improve my fences and replace my netting over the top of my runs with wire, as well as work on the wall edges/foundation of my coop and shed.
And since I am asking questions................ I still do not have a favorite way to water in the winter. The water stays in the shed in the winter, and we can get to -10 for a full week. I have never tried the water nipple things that so many seem to like, but I can't imagine them working here without some impressive engineering, and I am NOT good at any handyman stuff. Also, my power goes out every so often, never for more than 2 days, but that would be long enough to burst pipes.