- Jul 25, 2011
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Hi all,
First, thanks for being such a wonderful source of information - I'm a little obsessed with building just the right home for my ten new chicks! I have a few questions before I build the coop walls.
The run is complete Here's a pic.
As you can see, it's tucked in around a large Russian Elm tree.
Here's the coop.
My questions are:
1. Window placement is a big question. The tall, 4' wide side faces west and will have a ladder-style roost leaning against it. The southern side will have the people door. The east side will be the nesting boxes. The north side will have the pop door into the run. I've purchase a few old windows and would install them (with hardware cloth for protection) so they would hinge at the top and I could prop them open in the summer. Since they're single pane I plan on adding a layer of plexiglass on the inside for additional insulation.
My current plan is to put one on the west wall so the ladies can look out while they're roosting, one on the north side either above the pop door or looking out on the tree trunk, and one on the south next to the people door. Is this too many?
2. As you can see, where the galvanized steel roof is attached there is a 1" gap all the way around the roof line. I plan on leaving that for ventilation. Is that o.k.? Do I need more built-in ventilation? If so, should I put it on the east and west walls or the north and south? What size vents would I need to add? We have very strong winds in winter and spring.
3. Do I need to insulate or will a heat lamp do? We have consistent 85 to 95 degree days in the summer with a few 100's. Winters are below freezing at night and we usually have a week of sub zero nights as well.
Thanks so much for all your help!
First, thanks for being such a wonderful source of information - I'm a little obsessed with building just the right home for my ten new chicks! I have a few questions before I build the coop walls.
The run is complete Here's a pic.
As you can see, it's tucked in around a large Russian Elm tree.
Here's the coop.
My questions are:
1. Window placement is a big question. The tall, 4' wide side faces west and will have a ladder-style roost leaning against it. The southern side will have the people door. The east side will be the nesting boxes. The north side will have the pop door into the run. I've purchase a few old windows and would install them (with hardware cloth for protection) so they would hinge at the top and I could prop them open in the summer. Since they're single pane I plan on adding a layer of plexiglass on the inside for additional insulation.
My current plan is to put one on the west wall so the ladies can look out while they're roosting, one on the north side either above the pop door or looking out on the tree trunk, and one on the south next to the people door. Is this too many?
2. As you can see, where the galvanized steel roof is attached there is a 1" gap all the way around the roof line. I plan on leaving that for ventilation. Is that o.k.? Do I need more built-in ventilation? If so, should I put it on the east and west walls or the north and south? What size vents would I need to add? We have very strong winds in winter and spring.
3. Do I need to insulate or will a heat lamp do? We have consistent 85 to 95 degree days in the summer with a few 100's. Winters are below freezing at night and we usually have a week of sub zero nights as well.
Thanks so much for all your help!
