Recycled Chickens: Let's share what we do to save money and build with recycled materials

[kimmerjo]

Anyone know more about the tire idea? I live in western ny the temp get down pretty low in winter . There isn't any electric to the coop so I have to come up with some idea for a little extra heat. My husband suggested heating rocks in the oven and putting them in the coop at night... Anyone ever try this?

 

[Stetson]

Anyone know more about the tire idea? I live in western ny the temp get down pretty low in winter . There isn't any electric to the coop so I have to come up with some idea for a little extra heat. My husband suggested heating rocks in the oven and putting them in the coop at night... Anyone ever try this?

We have't tried that yet, because our chicks are brand new so we haven't wintered with them yet. We do have a couple outdoor bunnies, though, and when it's really cold we fill glass beer growlers with hot hot water, wrap them in old blankets or towels, and put them in the rabbit hutch. It's amazing how long they retain heat. When we wake up in the morning they the growlers+towels are still warm to the touch.

 

[steveurkel]

My husband built our run and coop with a combination of reclaimed and new lumber, and the door was salvaged from Urban Ore. Oh, and please excuse the mess!

 

[Nambroth]

Anyone know more about the tire idea? I live in western ny the temp get down pretty low in winter . There isn't any electric to the coop so I have to come up with some idea for a little extra heat. My husband suggested heating rocks in the oven and putting them in the coop at night... Anyone ever try this?

I'm not far from you. We don't heat... LOTS of ventilation but no drafts. Does that make sense? My chickens haven't had frostbite, even with the super cold temps of last winter. Only the roo had a little bit on his comb, and that was my fault as I had accidentally closed up a vent. The moisture from their breath/water/poo is what harms them in the extreme cold.

 

[kimmerjo]

My coop doesn't have vent it has two window that are now broke from use moving it from my sister in-laws. I was going to put expanded metal over them and a flap door with a slide lock .... Will this work? There is also a small gap at the peek that I think is where moisture exscapes...??? It was built by Amish like 7 years ago

 

[Nambroth]

Hmmm, ideally in the cold winters, you want vents at the top, above the chickens, so that it won't really blow on them when there is a wind. Drafts can make them colder, but if you don't have enough good ventilation you are very likely going to have some frostbite issues, unless you have all pea/rose combed birds. Do you have a photo?

Here's a good article to help you out: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[shaelynn]

I also converted and old dresser that had draws that were to shallow into a coop. I also had a nightstand that was way short so I hollowed it out and attached it to the side of the dresser/coop as a nesting box. It took some engineering because I wanted them to still look some what like what they were but somewhat "French Country-ish"..

Do you have pictures of the coop that you made? I have a dresser that might work for that too!