- May 11, 2013
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Quote: it s a majority vote...so the signatures from the homeowners is what I am needing....not really any politics to it....just schmoozing everyone to my way of thinking....
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Thanks for the quick reply. No insulation would be easier, for sure! And a relief to know we don't need the lights. We had planned on heated water bowls (we've got some for our dogs as well -- we've got a Great Pyrenees who LOVES the cold and sleeps in the snow when he gets a chance, which is not often enough in his opinion. Obviously we'd get the chicken kind for our hens).we don't insulate coops. We don't use heat lights for adult LF chickens. We used heated water bowls though.
Have you thought about having a hoop style coop instead of a shed? http://www.raincreekpottery.com/Pages/HoopCoopChickenTractor.aspx
Venting is easy when the entire front is open and facing south. Since you are getting cold hardy chickens and are yourself used to the cold, I'm sure you could make it work.
I'm in northern Indiana, so generally it gets colder than it does down south. My coop has never been insulated in 9 years of having chickens and I don't use a heat lamp. I have Sebrights and a Silkie, two breeds that are supposedly cold sensitive, as well as many other breeds, none of which have ever had issues with the cold. I have only had frostbite in my flock this last winter, only because the coop flooded and there was excess moisture. Moisture is your real enemy in the winter--that's why you want plenty of ventilation!
You are absolutely right not to want heat lamps in your coop. To be quite honest, adult birds will have a harder time in the heat of summer than they will in the cold of winter. With as much dust as those birds kick up, and as much as they fly around, it's only a matter of time before something happens. On top of that, heating your coop allows moisture to stay in the air. Did I mention moisture is your wintertime enemy? The only reason you should heat your coop is if you will have young birds in it. Like I said, I have adult birds of breeds that are supposedly cold sensitive. Never had a problem with them, even in the nasty negative temps of last winter.
If you are concerned about the cold, insulation is your safest bet. It has the added benefit of potentially insulating against heat in the summertime as well. As for what to use as insulation, you'll have to discuss that with someone else. All I know is if you use foam insulation, you'll have to cover it or the chickens will eat it.Oh, and if you use shavings or straw as bedding (as opposed to sand), that does add to the insulation and allows your birds to huddle down for warmth as well.![]()
As for ventilation, read this page: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop Basically, you want as much ventilation as possible that is above your birds so that it doesn't blow directly at them. The more the better, though I believe that page gives a minimum of 1 square foot per bird inhabiting the structure. What I would suggest is that you have an excess of ventilation for the summer, making sure it's secure for predators, and then have a way of covering the ventilation on the windward wall only, to avoid drafts.
I also get a kick out of this post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again This was my mentality as well when my girls were running around in the areas I shoveled for them in the deep snow last winter while others had their birds huddling inside under heat lamps.If you get them used to the heat, they're going to be miserable and cooped up all winter.![]()