painting coop dark or light?

[patandchickens]

I truly do not believe that the color of a coop makes any difference for its wintertime temperature. Basically I say this from experience with various sheds and other little outbuildings, not from any theoretical analysis

; but if you want a reasonable rationale as well, a) the sun is much weaker in the winter and heat losses to the air are greater (b/c greater temperature differential between wall and air), and b) if it gets cold enough for you to really care about every leetle bit of warming, you are much better off putting some effort into insulation and thermal mass, and if you got insulation then it *really* don't matter what color the coop is wink

I agree that in SUMMERTIME dark buildings get hotter; but the o.p. seemed to suggest this was just a wintertime question?

Pat

 

[abhaya]

Quote:
Coop size 5'x5' silkies only

The east side of the coop is shaded
the south side is shade in pm
west no shade
North no shade

North Windows and nesting boxes(exterior)
East 1/2 galvanized fencing with cover for winter.
SouthHuman doors fencing in summer wood winter.
West Run solid wall with poop door most of or wind comes from west I live in a hollow.

Run is west but It will be covered mostly with tin for shade. (I have tons of used tin)

I will have tin roof insulated with 1 inch styrofoam board. Not reused tin

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Coop size 5'x5' silkies only

The east side of the coop is shaded
the south side is shade in pm
west no shade
North no shade

North Windows and nesting boxes(exterior)
East 1/2 galvanized fencing with cover for winter.
SouthHuman doors fencing in summer wood winter.
West Run solid wall with poop door most of or wind comes from west I live in a hollow.

Run is west but It will be covered mostly with tin for shade. (I have tons of used tin)

I will have tin roof insulated with 1 inch styrofoam board. Not reused tin

Sounds to me like you're in good shape.

Using a screened wall during the summer will be excellent...I don't think that there's ever to much good ventilation, especially in the summer.

The cover over the run to the west should shade that side of the coop well.

The rest of the coop seems to be out of the direct sunlight.

A 5x5 coop isn't the smallest one around, but yet it will heat up (and cool off) quicker than a larger coop. Taking into consideration the shading and color of the paint seems to be a smart thing to do.

With what you've described it would seem the darker color might work, but I would tend to lean toward making sure it doesn't overheat...I'll be painting mine coop white with extensive overhang on the east, west, and south sides....but my coop will be in the open field without benefit of natural shade.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Aria]

Going to try sending photo of Silkies Chicken Barn out side and inside.

 

[Aria]

Photos should be coming.

What am I doing? A get the name and no photo

 

[Aria]

Guess I did not wait long

enough? Now the inside coming?