NEED TO BUY A COOP!

[momofthehouse]

Look at the link in Ridgerunners signature about https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-much-room-do-chickens-need always excellent advice.

Yep I read this when I first joined.

 

[momofthehouse]

Can you put a greenhouse roof on your coop to help with the extra light ? I won't have electricity so thinking this type of roof would help.

 

[momofthehouse]

Or will it get too hot?

 

[aart]

It might get too hot, depends on alot of other things including your local climate.
Windows work well for light with the option of shading them if necessary.

 

[Beekissed]

Can you put a greenhouse roof on your coop to help with the extra light ? I won't have electricity so thinking this type of roof would help.

You can and I will be doing so this spring...then topping that with another tarp for the warm seasons, to provide shade. The greenhouse roof comes in handy for the winter months and that's the reason I am replacing my current roof tarp with a clear one....I got to see just how dark my coop really was this winter....next winter I want to utilize the sun as much as possible for added light and heat for the birds that are confined due to deep snows. This will also allow some light into a grow frame I'm adding in one corner to provide green forage during those months also.

 

[momofthehouse]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Handy-Ho...H=REC-_-product-3-_-202903582-_-100350466-_-N

I thought this was pretty neat one and if I somehow added a pull shade on the inside or something if it would work. I am in cloudy rainy washington. We have our hot days but also there is going to be trees around the coop as well so thinking lighting might be an issue. I was at a home show this weekend and there was a cool skylight tube thing that makes a huge difference with lighting but I have no idea the price.

 

[momofthehouse]

However this one is more in my price range and hubby can then cut windows and such for me. I just dont think my husband can build it from the ground up. I think having this building portion is is good for him to work with and modify for my needs ha!

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Best-Bar...-810/202903578?cm_mmc=sem|psocial|fbx|dynamic

 

[momofthehouse]

Or this is kind of cool... especially for my lovely rainy state. Thoughts? I am talking to the guy that builds these barns. He is also in WA.

 

[momofthehouse]

Barn door of course but I like the long window idea up top for ventilation/light. I would just not have a window and put hardcloth in the open spaces up top.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Even in rainy Washington, I’d be a lot more concerned about heat in the summer than cold in winter. A lot more chickens die of heat than cold. Provide enough ventilation and keep a direct breeze off of them and they can handle a lot of cold without being uncomfortable.

You and the chickens need enough natural light in there to be able to see what you are doing, even on a rainy cloudy dreary day. It does not need to be bright but you do need to be able to see. I think the chickens are calmer when they are trapped in there due to weather if it is a bit darker as opposed to brightly lit, like a sunny day after a heavy snow. I have one window, probably about 3’ x 3’, in my north wall plus I have permanent ventilation openings all the way around at the top covered with hardware cloth. Even those openings under the overhang let in a lot of light on a dreary day.

Another thing to consider with lots of windows for a lot of people is what kind of night lights do you have? Do you have street lights of security lights that will keep it daylight in there all night? Do you and your neighbors enjoy hearing a rooster crow at 2:00 in the morning? I’m not sure how much of an effect headlights from passing vehicles have since it is short duration.