New Missouri coop build questions

[E Buschjost]

Looked through several threads and didn’t find answers. Sorry if this has been answered before.
Like the title said I’m in Missouri (central near Jefferson City) Planting zone 7 if that matters or relates.
Getting ready to build coop.
What side (direction) is best for window placement? How about other ventilation - certain side or position?
speaking of ventilation - building ideas for ways to adjust as needed?
Insulation - what do you suggest covering inside walls with if using insulation.
Insulate ceiling? If so - same question as above about covering - USB??
Roof vents or solid?
Thanks in advance!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I doubt you'll need insulation, how hot/cold does it get? In some extreme cases it can be useful but otherwise it's an extra expense and only serves to provide habitat to rodents.

As far as vent positioning, best general placement for vents is up higher, to allow rising moisture and ammonia to escape, but also to take advantage of the roof to provide climate protection. As far as which direction, take into account the wind and weather patterns at the exact location you want to place the coop. Avoid putting large or uncovered vents facing predominant wind directions.

For windows, generally you'd want to have them facing somewhere towards where the sun rises (unless heat is an issue), and also where it sets, so birds will be able to see to navigate back onto the roost at night.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How big is the coop? What does it look like? Is it a big walk-in or a tiny elevated? What are you working with? It is easier to get specific if we now what you are working with. So I'll be generic.

What side (direction) is best for window placement? How about other ventilation - certain side or position?

It sounds like you want the window to be for ventilation as well as light. A good idea for summer, probably not a great idea for winter. You need good ventilation all year to exchange good air for bad. But you don't want a cold wind hitting them on the roosts in winter. In a hot summer a breeze feels good. I like permanent year around ventilation up high so any breeze is over their heads in winter. In summer a window can be opened lower down.

You need enough natural light in there so you and the chickens can see how to do things in daylight. Some people like it bright, I prefer it a little darker. There is a lot of personal preference in a lot of this. Lots of different things can work.

In Northwest Arkansas my 8' x 12' walk-in coop had ventilation on all four sides up at the top, mostly under overhangs to keep rain and snow out. My one window was on the north side. It let in plenty of light. Chickens can handle cold so well I pay no attention to any heat from windows.

Maybe you can get an idea of what the ventilation looked like from this photo of a corner.

speaking of ventilation - building ideas for ways to adjust as needed?

As I said, I had permanent ventilation up high all around, never closed. My lowest temperatures were -8 F. I never had problems with those temperatures. In summer I had a window I'd open at roost height and in a cool spot in the shade I had a hardware cloth covered vent down at ground level. Warm air rises if cooler air if can replace it. Your coolest air is probably one the north or at least in a permanent shaded area and at ground level. In winter I closed the window and covered that low vent to stop breezes hitting them when in the roost.

Insulation - what do you suggest covering inside walls with if using insulation.
Insulate ceiling? If so - same question as above about covering - USB??

I never insulated. With a metal roof you might want to so you stop condensation from forming, especially in spring. Chickens will peck and eat insulation so you need to cover it with something they can't eat.

Roof vents or solid?

Roof vents can move a lot of air. Some people use them. Ridge vents can move a lot of air as long as snow doesn't block them in winter. If you want cute and fancy, a cupola can work. I had a solid metal roof not insulated.

 

[poultryprofessor]

Looked through several threads and didn’t find answers. Sorry if this has been answered before.
Like the title said I’m in Missouri (central near Jefferson City) Planting zone 7 if that matters or relates.
Getting ready to build coop.
What side (direction) is best for window placement? How about other ventilation - certain side or position?
speaking of ventilation - building ideas for ways to adjust as needed?
Insulation - what do you suggest covering inside walls with if using insulation.
Insulate ceiling? If so - same question as above about covering - USB??
Roof vents or solid?
Thanks in advance!

Hi from Jeff City! I'm the State Poultry Extension Specialist at Lincoln University here in Jeff City, MO. It's great to see that you are asking questions before you've started building. With you being so close, I'd be happy to do a site visit to help you in your planning. My contact information can be found here.

As mentioned by @Ridgerunner, the answers to your questions will depend on the style of coop you are building and what breeds you plan to raise.


At Lincoln, we have a few different coops that we've successfully used year round: hoop coops, kennel coops, and prefab coops. These might give you some ideas of what will work in our area.

Site placement will depend on both the general climate of the area and the specifics of your property. In my experience, most of the prevailing winds and bad weather in central Missouri come from either the west or the north, but it isn't unusual for winds to gust in all directions on our farm. For us, that means the most important thing is making sure that the structures we use (which are largely lightweight tarp-covered structures) are anchored to the ground.

As you know, it can get very hot and humid in the summer and it can also get very cold in the winter. That means adjustable ventilation is your friend. Our coops are more open in the summer to allow for air flow to keep the heat and humidity down. In the winter, we have to close things up a bit more to keep cold winds from chilling our birds.

I would recommend against insulation for most coops. It isn't necessary and can cause more harm than good. In the winter, the general goal with chickens is to keep them dry and make sure they have a space where they can get out of the wind. They can keep themselves warm as long as they can fluff up their feathers. Even our tiny Seramas made it through winter in uninsulated coops. We do run electric to our coops in the winter, but that is purely for the waterers. We have too many birds to be hauling fresh water on a daily basis, so we use heated waterers.

In the summer, the most important thing is to provide plenty of water, make sure they have shade where they can get out of the sun, and make sure you have air flow in your coop and run.