Frost formation on birds only in poorly ventilated coop

Quote:
This shows partially how birds are housed. They have wind block provided by straw bales and plywood (not shown) and protection from direct sun and precipitation as provided by blue plastic tarps. Do not use those if have choice.


Wind block stops direct northely winds but still allows very good ventilation. Arrangement as such since heat stress is by far more important than cold stress in my dominque breeding pens when hens are laying. Different breeds sometimes require different types of protection from environment. Some can not handle heat, cold or wet conditions.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/41527_oppossum_2011_january_05_b.jpgBest picture I have.

Thankyou, the picture helps alot.

No thanks to the cat I was trying to make out what it was I thought it was a oppossum! LOL

I was trying to picture your set up in my mind and couldn't quite get it with your discription, but the picture helped put it together for me.


Most all of my birds are heavy breed types, except one she is a white leghorn and even she does fine in the extreme cold. My coop has to be the worst possible coop, it has 4 walls but has alot of places where the cold breezes pass through and ventalation all around the top just below the roof, about 6 inches wide the entire length of all the sides, I have never lost a bird too the cold, but I have lost a couple to the heat in the summer, however my two Roosters both with large combs suffered frostbite on them.
I have never seen any of my birds covered with frost, but I think that they would do fine even if they were. I think that ventilation is very important in a closed coop setting, if for no other reason, for fresh air. But with all the vent. I still get frost on the walls of the coop . So your right in that all the vent. in the world is not going to stop the frost. But, with out vent. things would be much worse.
 
Quote:
Your coop sounds a lot like mine, Stormy... I built a coop using privacy fence sections, two pieces of plexi glass for windows and two pieces of sheet metal that are screwed together as a roof... Unless it rains, the walls have gaps between each board.. Of course, when it rains and the boards get wet, they expand and close up... Not the best coop in the world and definitely wouldn't win an award but it does keep them out of the elements and they don't seem to mind at all... When it started getting really cold, I covered the North and West side walls with a sheet of plastic.. I figured this would at least keep the worst of the winds off of them but the other two walls are uncovered and still allow plenty of air flow throughout the coop... There is also a few gaps between the "roof" and walls in a few places... I guess I will see how they fair throughout the winter... I see it this way.. Only the strong survive and although we don't get horrible winters here, we do get temps in the single digits...

Goddess
jumpy.gif
 
Quote:
Your coop sounds a lot like mine, Stormy... I built a coop using privacy fence sections, two pieces of plexi glass for windows and two pieces of sheet metal that are screwed together as a roof... Unless it rains, the walls have gaps between each board.. Of course, when it rains and the boards get wet, they expand and close up... Not the best coop in the world and definitely wouldn't win an award but it does keep them out of the elements and they don't seem to mind at all... When it started getting really cold, I covered the North and West side walls with a sheet of plastic.. I figured this would at least keep the worst of the winds off of them but the other two walls are uncovered and still allow plenty of air flow throughout the coop... There is also a few gaps between the "roof" and walls in a few places... I guess I will see how they fair throughout the winter... I see it this way.. Only the strong survive and although we don't get horrible winters here, we do get temps in the single digits...

Goddess
jumpy.gif


Thats a good idea, my windows are just basically large square holes covered in Hardware cloth to keep the predators out. I may go out and cover them with a heavy plastic this year up til this year I have just nailed burlap bags up there to keep the snow out but still get air flow through.

(as a side note, I really like the Hi I'm Terri and Im a hatchoholic!) Mine used to say Hi I'm Sandy and I'm a chickoholic, but it just didn't sound right! LOL) Hatchoholic sounds so much better!
lol.png
)
 
The business of no harm coming extreme cold since no loss of life or even just mild frostbite I think is not accurate. The reduced temperatures forces increased feed intake. Failure to meet this requirement first reduces egg production in hens and then weight loss. The birds can compensate feed intake for reduced temperatures only so far before feed intake becomes limiting. With extreme cold weather events my birds in the super ventilated settings stop laying eggs while those with even modest protection from direct wind keep on laying although with prolonged cold weather events, egg production will decline as well. The increased feed intake in itself is a problem the factory egg producers do not allow and can fight off with their expensive heating systems and if it got cold enough to reduce egg production then such operations would be shut down. We hobbyiest are not always so concerned about profit margins so long as our charges pull through.
 
Quote:
Your coop sounds a lot like mine, Stormy... I built a coop using privacy fence sections, two pieces of plexi glass for windows and two pieces of sheet metal that are screwed together as a roof... Unless it rains, the walls have gaps between each board.. Of course, when it rains and the boards get wet, they expand and close up... Not the best coop in the world and definitely wouldn't win an award but it does keep them out of the elements and they don't seem to mind at all... When it started getting really cold, I covered the North and West side walls with a sheet of plastic.. I figured this would at least keep the worst of the winds off of them but the other two walls are uncovered and still allow plenty of air flow throughout the coop... There is also a few gaps between the "roof" and walls in a few places... I guess I will see how they fair throughout the winter... I see it this way.. Only the strong survive and although we don't get horrible winters here, we do get temps in the single digits...

Goddess
jumpy.gif


Thats a good idea, my windows are just basically large square holes covered in Hardware cloth to keep the predators out. I may go out and cover them with a heavy plastic this year up til this year I have just nailed burlap bags up there to keep the snow out but still get air flow through.

(as a side note, I really like the Hi I'm Terri and Im a hatchoholic!) Mine used to say Hi I'm Sandy and I'm a chickoholic, but it just didn't sound right! LOL) Hatchoholic sounds so much better!
lol.png
)

I like my birds to stand on wood rather than ground when it gets really cold. Wood conducts less heat. Also having birds and their surroundings struck by sunlight during part of day appears to reduce food needs when it gets really cold. I suspect strongly chickens are very well design to collect solar heat to spare some energy from feed intake.
 
Quote:
My "shed duplex" is like that.. It came with two plastic windows and when it's nice out, I have two "rabbit wire" windows I put in their place.. When it's cold like it is now, the plastic goes back in... Hmmm... Are you sure you don't live at my house?
lau.gif


As for the tag line... Thanks!! I absolutely LOVE hatching chicks and it gives my chickens a way to afford their feed (since in 3 years I've only had ONE go broody!).. When I start up the incubator, my husband just rolls his eyes because he knows he's losing the utility room until late summer when I take a break from it... LOL... He can't wait until I build my new coop set up so I can do all of my hatching and brooding out there!

Goddess
jumpy.gif
 
My coop does have a wood floor, and wood roosting bars, they do have access to the outside all day long which is of course dirt. So they get plenty of Sun, They have slowed down in there laying though, but I suppliment their feed with meatbird for the extra protein and they are going through their winter molt, well just finishing it up really, so I expect them to return to laying fairly soon, even the leghorn lays during the winter months. My chickens don't really eat anymore during the winter than any other time of the year I just chose to suppliment them with a higher protein for extra energy so they can generate more heat to keep warm. But the amount of feed fed everyday remains the same.
I don't heat or use artifial light in the coop either, its all natural for the most part. I agree with you that chickens are very well suited to deal with the elements if they are acclimated to them. If a chicken is raised in a heated coop and the power goes out I don't think they would do quite so well as the birds that are acclimated to the actual outside temps.
 
Quote:
My birds at least double intake when it gets really cold and windy, possibly even triple. The increase is relative to maintenance intake. Hens while laying are pretty close to maximum already.
 

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom