post your chicken coop pictures here!

[junebuggena]

We are planning on cold hardy breeds, however, we do feel insulation in Upstate NY is a given for us, and I do admit to having both heat and ac capabilities if needed in the goat barn.

I will have to consider heat in the chicken coop. Thankfully, April l is a bit away, so we are gathering up all info. Thank you.

As already mentioned, if the coop is closed up enough to hold in heat, there isn't enough ventilation. Ventilation is more important. It's moisture, condensing on the comb that causes frostbite. You need lots of venting to prevent that. If you've got enough ventilation, insulation will be a complete waste of money.

 

[MelissaNY]

As already mentioned, if the coop is closed up enough to hold in heat, there isn't enough ventilation. Ventilation is more important. It's moisture, condensing on the comb that causes frostbite. You need lots of venting to prevent that. If you've got enough ventilation, insulation will be a complete waste of money.

Is there a reason that one could not use a dehumidifier system to alleviate the humidity? Serious question. My goat barn is highly insulated, has heat and ac available if needed, but the insulation alone keeps it at 50 to 55 in the winter. They have the same concerns for humidity/respiration, and we run a dehumidifier just to be sure during hot humid weather (have had no issues in winter)

 

[junebuggena]

Is there a reason that one could not use a dehumidifier system to alleviate the humidity? Serious question. My goat barn is highly insulated, has heat and ac available if needed, but the insulation alone keeps it at 50 to 55 in the winter. They have the same concerns for humidity/respiration, and we run a dehumidifier just to be sure during hot humid weather (have had no issues in winter)

It's not just humidity that venting helps to eliminate. Chickens poop an unbelieveable amount at night. All that poo gives off ammonia. Ammonia, if not removed from the air via ventilation, will cause serious respiratory illness. Birds do have more sensitive respiratory systems compared to mammals.

 

[bruceha2000]

Quote:
If you are going to use a dehumidifier, you need the room to be pretty darned tight or you are trying to dehumidify the world

Dehumidifiers are expensive to run if humid air is coming in to keep good air quality. Of course humid outdoor air isn't such a problem in the winter when the temps are below freezing, the humidity we are concerned with in the coop comes from the chickens during that time. And then there is that ammonia thing. If one was trying to build a "cheap to heat/dehumidify/ventilate" coop, they would need it tight, insulated and have a heat recovery ventilation system. Of course they aren't all that cheap to install and I don't know if they make coop size (even fairly large coops like yours) HRV units

How big is the goat barn and how many goats? Could be the goats are heating their space and yes, insulation helps keep that heat in. I don't know goats so I don't know if they have the same issues with humidity and air quality in the winter. I don't think they are as naturally well suited to cold temperatures as are down insulated chickens.

 

[TJordan]

Is there a reason that one could not use a dehumidifier system to alleviate the humidity? Serious question. My goat barn is highly insulated, has heat and ac available if needed, but the insulation alone keeps it at 50 to 55 in the winter. They have the same concerns for humidity/respiration, and we run a dehumidifier just to be sure during hot humid weather (have had no issues in winter)

I've found that chickens are amazingly hardy critters. If you have a good cold hardy bird like a black australorp you will be amazed at how cold they can get and be just fine. Just remember that if you live in a

type cliemate then be sure that the roost poles are wide enough for the bird to cover its toes with body when roosting. I use a 2"x4" on the wide side. This gives plenty of area covered for toes.

 

[MeepBeep]

We are planning on cold hardy breeds, however, we do feel insulation in Upstate NY is a given for us, and I do admit to having both heat and ac capabilities if needed in the goat barn. I will have to consider heat in the chicken coop. Thankfully, April l is a bit away, so we are gathering up all info. Thank you.

As already mentioned, if the coop is closed up enough to hold in heat, there isn't enough ventilation. Ventilation is more important. It's moisture, condensing on the comb that causes frostbite. You need lots of venting to prevent that. If you've got enough ventilation, insulation will be a complete waste of money.

Again I beg to differ that insulation a complete wast of money, i can easily reduce the level of heat in the coop all summer long... Go in an attic of a house during a 100°F summer day and note the temperature difference between that attic and the floor bellow due to the layer of insulation on the house ceiling... The same insulation can help keep a coop cool during the summer... And as I said the same insulation can prevent frost from forming and dripping down on the birds depending on roofing materials...

In my area the average ambient humidity during the winter is plenty high enough to cause frost as is evidenced on multiple winter mornings by frost on the car window... No matter how much ventilation you have you are not going to reduce the humidity in the coop below the ambient levels...

Is there a reason that one could not use a dehumidifier system to alleviate the humidity?

If you have enough ventilation to remove the ammonia gasses, chances are the dehumidifier will be ineffective in a small coop, in larger building this can flip flop easily...

If your building is above freezing by heating or solar boost, it doesn't matter what the humidity level is inside as there is absolutely no frostbite risk when the temps are above freezing, so humidity removal is not much of concern... In this case if you heat the coop or it's held above freezing, the ventilation only needs to remove the ammonia gas build up not the humidity... In this case when you start dealing with barns and other larger buildings with a low chicken or animal count to building cubic footage, the amount of ventilation needed to remove the ammonia gasses alone can be drastically reduced... Consider people that have house chickens, to my knowledge most house chicken keepers don't cut holes in their walls for additional ventilation, as the ammonia gas never builds up to dangerous levels due to the high cubic feed of building space...

Also consider that many commercial egg farms and broiler farms have heat and AC, proving it can be cost effective and beneficial to heat and cool a chicken building if circumstances are favorable...

but the insulation alone keeps it at 50 to 55 in the winter.

My insulated coop holds about plus 10°F or more over ambient winter temps, and that is with the windows open and sufficient ventilation, this is why it's so economical for me to heat it in the end, most days as long as the sun is out it never falls bellow freezing...

The thermostat on the furnace in my coop is set at 34°F (just above freezing = zero frostbite risk) and it rarely comes on...

 

[Rosey516]

 

[pennyJo1960]

Nice maybe I could be one of your chickens

 

[MelissaNY]

I've found that chickens are amazingly hardy critters. If you have a good cold hardy bird like a black australorp you will be amazed at how cold they can get and be just fine. Just remember that if you live in a

type cliemate then be sure that the roost poles are wide enough for the bird to cover its toes with body when roosting. I use a 2"x4" on the wide side. This gives plenty of area covered for toes.

if you have t h e 4 inch side for sitting, do you find they poop on them more?

 

[pennyJo1960]

Quote: I have a 6 ft Table made from pallets so the boards do not connect
my 18 birds all nest on them pained the table with outdoor paint scrape in every day wash it down
1 time a week my favorite tools a putty knife plastic variety and a plastic snow shovel