nelsondr
In the Brooder
Hi there-
My first coop lasted over 10 years and my hens lived many years even though there were many design flaws, including the only ventilation was cracks in doors or windows at the same level as the roost. So I read and "learned" about my mistakes.
We recently built a new coop, and I thought we had everything covered. Winter is now in full swing here in Chicago suburbs, and I am realizing some insulation/ventilation issues. There are likely other issues, too, so any thoughts you have are appreciated. That said, my primary concern right now is making it through the winter. These pictures show the layout in various stages of construction. At this point, the metal roofing covers the whole run, and the interior walls have been insulated.
In terms of insulation, I did not think of the doors, which are on both ends and are just plywood. No insulation there. :-/ In addition, I thought I thought about the roof, but no, not really. There's just plywood and roofing felt that goes up to about 5-6" to from each end, and then the metal roofing. The ventilation is meant to be from the open spaces in the roof between the 'bumps' in the metal, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if this picture shows it well:
I've been told if I add insulation to the ceiling, it will retain moisture. And if I do that, won't it cover the ventilation? I've read all about heat/don't heat, which seems to be a frustrating 50/50 split in the community overall. I was going to try going without, but don't feel I have the insulation/ventilation figured out.
This community has always come through for my questions, and I appreciate you all so much. I welcome any thoughts or suggestions as to what to do at this point. Thank you!
My first coop lasted over 10 years and my hens lived many years even though there were many design flaws, including the only ventilation was cracks in doors or windows at the same level as the roost. So I read and "learned" about my mistakes.
We recently built a new coop, and I thought we had everything covered. Winter is now in full swing here in Chicago suburbs, and I am realizing some insulation/ventilation issues. There are likely other issues, too, so any thoughts you have are appreciated. That said, my primary concern right now is making it through the winter. These pictures show the layout in various stages of construction. At this point, the metal roofing covers the whole run, and the interior walls have been insulated.
In terms of insulation, I did not think of the doors, which are on both ends and are just plywood. No insulation there. :-/ In addition, I thought I thought about the roof, but no, not really. There's just plywood and roofing felt that goes up to about 5-6" to from each end, and then the metal roofing. The ventilation is meant to be from the open spaces in the roof between the 'bumps' in the metal, if that makes sense. I'm not sure if this picture shows it well:
I've been told if I add insulation to the ceiling, it will retain moisture. And if I do that, won't it cover the ventilation? I've read all about heat/don't heat, which seems to be a frustrating 50/50 split in the community overall. I was going to try going without, but don't feel I have the insulation/ventilation figured out.
This community has always come through for my questions, and I appreciate you all so much. I welcome any thoughts or suggestions as to what to do at this point. Thank you!
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