questions about ventilation and insulation and too many chickens!

[libbyhan]

Mu husband is building our coop- 4-6 hens (He made it smaller than we planned- it's only about 4x4 and I think that we may have to cancel the other 2 chicks we ordered! We have 4 so far- the other 2 are coming next week).

We live in northern MA. We placed the coop in our tiny fenced in back yard. It's sheltered there and the chickens can free range back there when we are home. We hope to let them free range on the entire property (just over an acre) when they are ready.

The coop has a shed roof and faces the south east. We live at the top of a hill and the wind in the front of the house is unbelievable in the winter and during a regular storm. The only time that the back yard gets battered is duing a north east storm. We have maybe 4-7 of those a year. The back yard gets nice morning sun and is nice and cool in the afternoon. Although the back yard doesn't get sun to warm the winter afternoons, the fact that it's sheltered from the wind makes it more comfortable than the front yard.

My questions are:

1. with our coop being smaller than planned, do you think that I need to stick with 4 hens? It's 4x4 with nest boxes out to one side (not included in the 4x4). We are going with the PVC wall feeder (DH is a plumber!) and likely PVC wall waterer as well. That should save some floor space. Roost will go in the back of the coop on the low wall- poop board under it. The front will have double doors for cleaning. We are using a side pop door to what we plan on being a LONG run- at least 15 x4. They will be locked in the coop at night.

2. DH has an open space under the roof and above the wall that's about 4 inches tall. He plans on wiring that with hardware cloth and leaving that open for ventilation. The wind can blow through- front to back. Is that good or bad? Will we want to close those off in the winter? The hens will likely be about eye level with that space when standing on the roost. We will have some removeable panels on the sides for more summer ventilation and will screw siding over them for the winter.

I suppose we could all a "lip" to the roof to prevent wind blowing through? We could add a pre-fab vent to the side as well. Too much or too little ventilation?

3. Do we insulate this coop? With the foam board type insulation, I guess. DH has suggested that we put it on in the winter and remove it for the summer. We'd put it on the outside (UGLY). I'm wondering if I should convince him to insulate the coop for year round and put siding on the coop.

3. Just wanted to say THANKS for all the great discussions on this board. I'm trying to pick my battles with my husband since he is being so wonderful about doing this for me. He bought all chicken wire for the run and for the vents and windows in the coop. Thanks to the postings over the last few days, I've convinced him to take it back and get hardware cloth!

Libby

 

[patandchickens]

1. with our coop being smaller than planned, do you think that I need to stick with 4 hens? It's 4x4 with nest boxes out to one side (not included in the 4x4).

In your climate I'd either stick with just 4 (which will be tight enough already) OR build a good-sized enlargement/addition.

likely PVC wall waterer as well.

What are your plans for water in wintertime, though? By far (by FAR!) the easiest thing is to use a heated-base waterer, which gets you back to taking up a certain amount of floorspace.

2. DH has an open space under the roof and above the wall that's about 4 inches tall. He plans on wiring that with hardware cloth and leaving that open for ventilation. The wind can blow through- front to back. Is that good or bad? Will we want to close those off in the winter? The hens will likely be about eye level with that space when standing on the roost. We will have some removeable panels on the sides for more summer ventilation and will screw siding over them for the winter.

That sounds like a pretty good plan (with only one caveat, see below). Removeable panels (esp if you can have them only on sides that tend not to be exposed to strong t'storm rains) will keep things nice and airy-cool in the summer, and your eave vents should be good too.

Yes, you will want to close off the upwind-side eaves during wintertime. You can just jam rags in there if you have to but since you are in the construction phase now you'd probably thank yourself later on if you made something more purpose-built for it

The only caveat I'd offer, which is not in any way a defect in your planning, just an inescapable fact of life for 4x4 coops in the north, is that you are likely to have to choose between 'drafty/cold on chickens' and 'insufficiently ventilated' in the middle of winter, because in that size coop there just isn't anywhere to PUT the open vents that ISN'T right next to the chickens. In a perfect world, one would build a larger coop (say, at least 4x8) and put the wintertime ventilation all at one short end and the roosts at the opposite end, so you have some reasonable separation between chickens and incoming air; but in a 4x4 you just can't do that. So, you will have to exercise somewhat more careful observation and management.

3. Do we insulate this coop? With the foam board type insulation, I guess. DH has suggested that we put it on in the winter and remove it for the summer. We'd put it on the outside (UGLY). I'm wondering if I should convince him to insulate the coop for year round and put siding on the coop.

I would for sure insulate, if it were me -- it will somewhat ameliorate the effects of the above ventilation problem, and also if you do find yourself wanting to figure out how to stuff an electric heat source in there somehow, it will allow you to use a mcuh smaller and thus *safer* heat source. I don't personally see any point in removing insulation during summertime. Don't put insulation on the outside - it doesn't hold up real well to UV etc, and after the second winter you're going to have little schmeglies of broken-off insulation rolling all over your yard

Good luck, have fun, it sounds like you are planning this very well ahead of time and are likely to have good success with your chickens

,

Pat​

 

[libbyhan]

Thank you!

I will bring up insulation again tonight and see how far I get. I think that we can easily add a layer of insualtion between the plywood and siding. Even though he wasn't planning on the siding!

I think that I knew the answer to the "2 more chickens" question, but I am sad about it and didn't want to face it.

I guess I will cancell the other 2. Too bad! I can't ask him to make it bigger at this point. We planned on a 4X6, but he made an error in lumber calculations and it's a 4X4. Love him anyhow.

So I think that I will ask him to put a lip on the roof in front to block the breeze through the eaves. And, I hadn't processed the water issue. So, you are right, we will have to get a floor waterer for winter. There's an outlet right next to the coop, so I can easily access the electricity. I guess that I could also look at heaters for the winter, too.

What about adding a dryer or attic vent in the side next to the pop door? Now's the time for me to ask since he's cutting the plywood.

Truly- thank you!

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well, another option would be: get all 6 chickens. Then either build an addition to the coop before winter, and/or find homes for whichever 2 of the chickens you like least or get along most poorly with the others (or turn out to be roosters, lol -- remember that sexing is generally NOT AT ALL 100% accurate, even if you are buying sexed pullet chicks, so it is by no means impossible you might have an accidental rooster in there!) That's probably what I'd do, in your shoes

So I think that I will ask him to put a lip on the roof in front to block the breeze through the eaves.

Even if you do that, you will still need a way to CLOSE OFF those eaves openings on the upwind side. (Which remember can be *either* side, depending on the weather, so you need flaps or whatever on BOTH sets)

What about adding a dryer or attic vent in the side next to the pop door? Now's the time for me to ask since he's cutting the plywood.

Far be it from me to tell people they don't need more ventilation, LOL, but honestly if you are going to have your sides part-open in summer, and those eaves open, you may very well have plenty already.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[libbyhan]

Thanks, Pat!

I just called and cancelled the other 2. Sad. But, they have extra coming. So, if we've lost a cheeper before then or have more than 1 rooster, we might be able to get an extra chick or 2 of whatever breeds they have left. Looking at the coop now, it looks like 6 hens would be nice and cozy in there for the winter, but the numbers don't add up.

Since this is my first chicken experience, I should probably take it slow and plan on going CRAZY next year when the new chick order form comes in!!! Hopefully my husband will be in chicken love at that point and want an addition and another 6 hens. Wishful thinking?

Got it on the eaves needing to be blocked off. I will tell him about that. I assumed that the wind couldn't get to the back of the coop- it's about 4 feet from the house. But, you're right. We need a block option back there, too.

You are the best!

 

[elmo]

This way, when you build your second, bigger coop next summer, you can get even more chickens! I'm finding building chicken housing to be almost as addictive as getting chickens.