Woods-style house in the winter

[Avonlea22]

Quote:
I am. I've been to PEI 5 times. Want to go back. So Beautiful.

~Brian

 

[chicken grandma]

I am confused. I thought the ventilation should be at the top of the coop? This looks like the top is enclosed.

 

[Felony]

so far this is my favorite coop on BYC. I'm not even entirely done building my first chicken coop from this summer that I already make plans to build one like this in the future. I live where it gets very cold(minus 20-30 celcius without the wind factor) and unfortunatly it's hard with my little tiny 4X4 coop to create a well ventilated coop with no draft. I have managed (3 barred rock doing really well but my 2 mutt chickens with large combs have a bit of frostbite) but I think this design is awesome as it gives kind of an inside winter run for the girls and alot of sunlight for them. I think I would make a couple of changes...like putting even more windows on the sides and also making it so that the middle of the coop, where the 2 ''sections'' of the coop meet, would have two little walls on each sides so that in the back part of the coop, I could put the roosts behind these little walls to create an even more draft free place in case of high winds for them to roost, yet still leaving it quite open in the middle. does that make sense??

Anyways, thanks for the pictures, it's a really great coop!

 

[karlamaria]

I love that coop, but not for here it snows also and I would never leave my girls open to the cold and wind like this, but would make them enclosed windows. Also worry about snow and rain coming in. But it's a lovely coop ! I think my mind set is it gets 20 and 30 below, cold enough to freeze Ntthing out there. I hate to think of my girls out in that. My coop is well ventilated but not open, and it'd dry and has solar windows and insulated. Just my preference, but whAt ever works for you is awesome

 

[Felony]

I love that coop, but not for here it snows also and I would never leave my girls open to the cold and wind like this, but would make them enclosed windows. Also worry about snow and rain coming in. But it's a lovely coop ! I think my mind set is it gets 20 and 30 below, cold enough to freeze Ntthing out there. I hate to think of my girls out in that. My coop is well ventilated but not open, and it'd dry and has solar windows and insulated. Just my preference, but whAt ever works for you is awesome

I do also wonder about snow and wind coming in, and I think I would make a bigger eave on the front wall. I don't think this coop is windy inside though, because the coop is ''long'', or more deep than wide, you know what I mean?? The desin has to be so that the girls can go to the back of the coop where it will be totally draft free, but very fresh air. also the windows at the top bring in the sun and create a bit of a greenhouse effect I would imagine?

My coop is also fully insulated. I have a window on south wall where sun gets in, and the pop door, the window opened a crack (window hinged at the top) and some ventilation hole made at the top of the mini human door makes it not very humid in there. Draft free but still almost as cold as outside I think. And so far like I said the Barred rock are really doing well, no frostbite. I plan on getting 2 chanteclerc chickens to replace my 2 too large comb chickies. sorry for them but I need cold weather adapted chickies here.

By the way I have been to montana and I thought it was beautiful....just at the bust stop but got a great feeling from that place!

 

[jackson41]

Don't worry about the cold worry about the moisture! They are birds just like Robins and Chickadees. My Girls withstand 30below just fine and I leave the pop door open and the ceiling in my coop has 3 large hardware cloth holes. I do cover three sides of their run just to keep the snow out they love going outside every day!
Added I do have a covered run.

 

[Felony]

Don't worry about the cold worry about the moisture! They are birds just like Robins and Chickadees. My Girls withstand 30below just fine and I leave the pop door open and the ceiling in my coop has 3 large hardware cloth holes. I do cover three sides of their run just to keep the snow out they love going outside every day!
Added I do have a covered run.

I totally agree with you about the moisture...even though I would still suggest a beginner in a cold weather to get cold adapted breed. I don't know but I'm not sure that all breeds of chickens would be ok with -30 celcius weather. what about those lean kinds of chikies with no down feathers...wondering if really all chickens are made for very cold weather. especially large floppy combs. Like someone else said, chickens are NOT wild birds, after all they were genetically altered by us for different purposes, so not all will be as adapted to cold weather. Just like i'm not sure parakeets who live year long in the south would do so well here in canada!

 

[jackson41]

You are correct I should have qualified my statement to hardy breeds. I guess I didn't consider someone raising delicate chicken in a cold climate! Sorry about that.

 

[Felony]

You are correct I should have qualified my statement to hardy breeds. I guess I didn't consider someone raising delicate chicken in a cold climate! Sorry about that.

No prob don't be sorry! I was just rambling, I wonder wich breed of chickens people on BYC would consider NON cold hardy breeds...what about the silkie? I read an article about indian game chickens and I thought to myself...maybe they wouldn't do so well either. anyways don't want to divert form this great coop thread!

 

[jackson41]

Thanks. I think the woods style coop would work perfectly for all the wonderful cold hardy heritage breeds which I think it was intended for. I have heard conflicting messages about silkies hope someone chimes in about their hardiness.