JoshfromMN
Hatching
- Apr 1, 2018
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Hello everyone,
I'm looking at getting my first chickens and building a coop right now and had an idea regarding the construction of the roof that I might steal from a dead french beekeeper. In a beehive during winter you want to have adequate ventilation to allow moisture to escape while at the same time allowing the bees to stay warm - just like chickens. The bees vibrate their wing muscles to maintain a cluster temperature of 50-95 degrees no matter what it is outside. Their respiration builds up moisture which can kill them if it builds up. It seems like the same principle applies to chickens in the winter, so I'm thinking of copying the warre hive's attic design.
For those not familiar with it, the warre hive has just a cloth covering over the top hive body with something insulating yet breathable covering the top. This could be wood shavings, sawdust, etc. The roof fits over this with an attic area with ventilation on the sides so air circulates through the attic carrying the moisture away without blowing into the living area. In relation to a chicken coop, I'm thinking leaving the top of the coop living area open, covering with an old sheet or something similar, then adding a layer of sawdust or wood shavings over the sheet with a well ventilated attic and roof above that.
I thought it would be best to throw the idea out there to you all before I start construction. I don't see any chicken coops with this design so there could be something I'm overlooking. This is the northern midwest where it gets very cold in the winter and I haven't done this before. Planning on getting some icelandic chickens which do well in winter but are still susceptible to frostbite.
Thanks for any opinions
I'm looking at getting my first chickens and building a coop right now and had an idea regarding the construction of the roof that I might steal from a dead french beekeeper. In a beehive during winter you want to have adequate ventilation to allow moisture to escape while at the same time allowing the bees to stay warm - just like chickens. The bees vibrate their wing muscles to maintain a cluster temperature of 50-95 degrees no matter what it is outside. Their respiration builds up moisture which can kill them if it builds up. It seems like the same principle applies to chickens in the winter, so I'm thinking of copying the warre hive's attic design.
For those not familiar with it, the warre hive has just a cloth covering over the top hive body with something insulating yet breathable covering the top. This could be wood shavings, sawdust, etc. The roof fits over this with an attic area with ventilation on the sides so air circulates through the attic carrying the moisture away without blowing into the living area. In relation to a chicken coop, I'm thinking leaving the top of the coop living area open, covering with an old sheet or something similar, then adding a layer of sawdust or wood shavings over the sheet with a well ventilated attic and roof above that.
I thought it would be best to throw the idea out there to you all before I start construction. I don't see any chicken coops with this design so there could be something I'm overlooking. This is the northern midwest where it gets very cold in the winter and I haven't done this before. Planning on getting some icelandic chickens which do well in winter but are still susceptible to frostbite.
Thanks for any opinions