Unheated coop in the North?

[salem747]

I am Mammal_Mommy's "dh". We are planning on 2x4 construction with R16 Batts. Elevated on cinder blocks but with an equally insulated floor. As far as heat goes we were thinking a $35 oil filled 500W heater (no fan to get plugged and a thermostat built in). We would also have a light, thinking a small flourescent strip (if we have a heater) We are planning on a large south facing window but the position of our lot means the house will be in the way of the sun, particularly in the winter months and in the morning.

We are thinking a small flock of barred rocks, probably 6 hens. The "DW" doesn't want a rooster but it is my understanding that they can help keep the ladies happy and protect them somewhat from predators.

People mentioning birds of prey makes me wonder if the pen should have a chicken wire "ceiling", we do have turkey vultures around us. Do people use chicken wire for the "walls" of the pen or do you need something more substantial, like chain link?

 

[NorthernOntario]

You will find a wide range of building preferences... often based on what people could get for cheap/free...

Heat:
oil-filled heater... I would skip this. You're better off either adding no heat (insulate and ventilate well), or use a heat lamp (clear) to provide some heat and winter-time light to keep them laying.

Fencing:
Looking through the coop-design section, people do it lots of different ways...
-chainlink with chicken wire along the bottom
-wood frame with 2x2 wire mesh (or similar fencing) + small hardware cloth around the bottom perimeter (hardware cloth is stronger than 'chicken wire')
-covered run with clear plastic panels (SunTuf at HomeDepot), or chainlink, or some other fencing... WELL SUPPORTED! Snow will drag it down.
-no cover on the run

Insulating:
-Don't forget to provide adequate ventilation
-either use 'faced' batts (integrated vapour barrier), or buy a roll of vapour barrier plastic... vapour barrier on the warm side. If you're going to insulate, do it right!
-extruded foam and styrofoam is more expensive, but prevents thermal bridging. R5 of extruded foam (pink stuff for example) is a better insulator than R5 of fiberglass... it acts as a solid vapour barrier, prevents thermal bridging (if layed over the studs), prevents air infultration. You could literally lay a sheet on the floor of the coop, then put a layer of linolium (with or without a layer of plywood between). Keeps a floor much warmer; just have to seal the edges to keep the birds out of it. And the extruded foam (pink/blue stuff) can handle weight... walking on it, especially with a layer of plywood to distribute the load, won't damage it.

 

[LynneP]

I should have had 15-20 hens for more heat, but we're insulated, it's -19C with a chill factor of -35C and high winds and the coop is at -4C, so not too bad.
Think of yourself, too, out at the craack of dawn every day in there. And buy warm liners for your boots!!!

 

[patandchickens]

oil-filled heater... I would skip this. You're better off either adding no heat (insulate and ventilate well), or use a heat lamp (clear) to provide some heat and winter-time light to keep them laying.

OTOH, me I think that if a person is going to run 500w of *something*, it is better for it to be an oilfilled heater than heat lamps. Much much safer. Also it uncouples heating from lighting, so that you can heat during the times of day that need it most and light whenever you want to. THis is not *necessary*, but is convenient, and is a natural byproduct of using the safer heater.

JMHO,

Pat, having known too many heatlamp-related barn/coop fires.​

 

[salem747]

We were thinking oil-filled heater to give us a constant temperature (thermostat) and since they are convection devices, no fans to get bunged up. That way we could use a low draw lighting source like a fluorescent strip light that can be on a timer. Especially since they have a 500W oil filled heater at Cambodian Tire for $35.

I do plan to insulate with batt and vapour barrier, the heater would just be a backup for those wicked cold -30 C mornings so we don't wind up with a bunch of frozen nuggets in the coop. We are planning on a small coop, 8x4 about 7' high but only about a half dozen hens so it is quite a bit of space for them to keep themselves warm.

 

[fordmommy]

And ......

 

[Oopoo]

I'm only in Northern IL, but I have an open front coop. I only have a double layer of beach towels covering it and a 4 by 16 inch wire mesh covered opening in the back of the coop for cross vent. I have 6 hens ( buff orps and barred rock). When we hit -15 I left the red heat lamp on all night--they party all night those girls and don't sleep--as I've gotten better adjusted (this is their 1st winter) I've realized that they do fine without it. I've tarped the top and ends of the coop to slow down the wind thru the cracks, but that's about it. I've only had a little bit of frostbite on the biggest comb and it's better now. Still.... I can't wait for Spring.