Chicken Coops for Sale in Poplar Grove, Arkansas
Chicken Coops for Sale in Poplar Grove, Arkansas
How-To Monday: Successfully Ventilate the Cold Climate Chicken Coop
Being that we’re in the heart of winter, it’s likely you’ve come across an article or two pertaining to protecting your flock against the elements or at least on how to keep them comfortable. On my own blog I’ve discussed and the , and I’m back at it again today with a cold weather focused article, this time on how to add proper ventilation to the cold climate chicken coop. And it’s easier than you think.
Many fear that by adding ventilation they are putting their chickens in danger. After all, the vents will allow the warmest air to escape- how on earth will the flock survive without it? But the fact of the matter is, it’s that warm air that is the most dangerous to your birds. For in that warm air, the moisture is trapped- your worst enemy when it comes to frostbite not to mention exposing them to respiratory issues}. If proper ventilation is not in place, the moisture produced by your chickens will condense on available surfaces- ceilings, walls, windows, and of course frostbite-susceptible appendages such as combs, wattles, and feet. Add cold temperatures to the mix and you could be looking at frostbite. Think of it this way: have you ever gotten your hands wet while outside in the winter? Wet hands as opposed to dry} when exposed to cold air will freeze much faster and accelerate frostbite. The same applies to too much moisture in the coop.
Proper ventilation is key in aiding in the prevention of a frostbit flock.
So how and where do we add ventilation and how much? Let’s discuss that now.
1. How much ventilation is needed?
According to the book “Raising Poultry the Modern Way” by Leonard S. Mercia, one fifth of your coop wall space should be ventilated. You can go by the books or you can go by your nose which is what I would personally suggest}. If it smells stuffy or ammonia is present, you probably need some more ventilation. In fact, you probably need more ventilation than you think. The great thing is if you believe you’ve ended up with an excess of ventilation which generally the opposite is the case}, you can always cover it up or close it off. It’s more damaging to have too little ventilation than too much. Typically frostbite occurs from too much moisture and lack of ventilation than from the cold itself.
2. Where to place ventilation?
This is a really important question. In cold climates where sub-zero temperature winds are blowing, you don’t want that cold air passing through your chickens while they are roosting or in the nest boxes. You want that air exchange to happen above their heads, which means above the roosting area. Chickens do quite well in consistent cold, but not real great when exposed to drafts. So make sure that where you place your ventilation will not expose your flock to drafts. Additionally, placing your ventilation up high will ensure that the warmest air and with it the highest content of moisture}will makes its way up and out of the coop.
Ideally, add ventilation to the tops of all four coop walls. The reason for this is then in the extreme cold/blowing snow/blizzard weather, you can close off the vents most susceptible to those extremes. That way, you can keep the majority of your vents open, even in the worst of weather. Second best is cross ventilation through venting opposing walls. But if for whatever reason} you are unable to do multiple sides and perhaps can only ventilate one side}, your best bet is to add ventilation to the south side of your coop.
3. How to add ventilation?
If you’re not a carpenter, chances are the idea of altering a building in any way is a scary thing. I get it. But even the most green DIY-er can add ventilation to a chicken coop. You will need some basic tools, however:
-power drill I suggest an electric drill as you might need the extra muscle, depending on your coop walls}
-round drill bit, preferably 4″ or larger though 3″ will suffice in most cases}
-hardware cloth
-screws and washers
-optional: vent covers
We experienced a little bit of trial and error when adding this type of ventilation to our coop. I was really excited about vent covers, especially one that would open and close for easy vent management- and they were even backed with 1/16″ hardware cloth. But as it turns out, moisture escaping the coop combined with -20 temps brought about some issues.
Here is what to do and what not to do} when adding ventilation to your cold climate coop:
-The larger the hole, the less you will be fighting the frost. Smaller holes will quickly plug up as the exchange of moisture and cold air results in rapidly formed frost. Hence, the suggestion of a 4″ or larger round drill bit.
-I was planning on using metal vent covers with the 1/16″ hardware cloth backing. We drilled five holes the maximum number of holes that would fit under the vent cover}. I quickly discovered, however, that the hardware mesh with its tiny holes} plugged up with frost almost immediately. I’d chosen to add vents to both the north and south peaks of my coop. So I ended up removing the vent completely from the south side and covered it with 1/4″ hardware cloth secured with screws and washers to prevent predators from tearing the cloth off}. I would suggest two different things here: (1) place your hardware cloth over the holes on the outside of the building rather than the inside it’s easier for a predator to push in on the cloth than to pull it off}, and (2) if you do not have predators which can crawl through a 1/2″ hole like weasels}, go with 1/2″ hardware cloth. It won’t frost up quite as quickly as the 1/4″ stuff will.
View of the south side peak} of our chicken coop from the outside. 1/4″ hardware cloth has been secured over and beyond the holes to supply a healthy amount of protection from possible predation. This photo was taken after two days of brutally cold -25 and colder air temp; -50 and colder windchill}. There was little frost buildup on the mesh over the holes, but as you can see there is a little bit of ice built up between.
-On the north side of our coop, I simply removed the 1/16″ hardware cloth backing that the vent came with and placed the vent back over the holes on the outside of the coop, secured with screws}. This way, when the cold north wind blows, it cannot as easily blast right into the coop, but it still allows that warm, moisture-laden air to escape. I still have had a little bit of frost form on the vent, but I simply brush it away in the morning. The vents will be a non-issue once we’re out of winter.
View of the north side peak} of our coop from the outside.
It really is that easy.
This is just one simple way to add ventilation to your coop. There are endless options out there for other ways if you do some research, but I hope I was able to provide a relatively easy fix to those DIY’ers lacking in carpentry confidence and/or experience.
Thanks for coming by
Sources:
Raising Poultry the Modern Way Revised & Updated Version} by Leonard S. Mercia
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Chicken Hut in Poplar Grove, Arkansas
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Poplar Grove Arkansas" into any one of the numerous search engines and a wealth of information will pop up. This information will provide links to other websites that will be informative and will provide the right direction for finding Poplar Grove Arkansas chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Poplar Grove, Arkansas With the substantial boost in chicken keeping there has actually been a just as large surge in the array of poultry materiel on sale. Poultry real estate is an instance in point. It's additionally a timeless instance of the good old bandwagon being got on as different potential chicken real estate experts market an array of lodging declaring to be the excellent solution to your chicken real estate needs. Often the price looks attractive, your house looks attractive, heck even the clean-cut household standing there feeding the chickens look attractive. Definitely they recognize a top quality chicken house when they see one? There are many economical as well as awful coops swamping the market. I understand this as I've checked a number of them in the field, and also seen a ewe run straight through one when the feed bucket showed up. The result was only a costly stack of firewood and a tiny group of bemused as well as currently homeless bantams.
Baby Chicks Hatching in Poplar Grove, Arkansas
Generally these mass produced models are constructed of fast grown up hardwood - come the first decrease of rain they swell, leaving you either barricading a doorway that won't shut, or tearing the door furnishings off in a vain attempt to release the squawking citizens. The initial cozy day suggests the timber dries out and also fractures, the felt roofing bubbles and boils, and come nightfall the chickens refuse to go in. This is not due to their frustration at the decrease of their when desirable building however considering that the hovel is now a place for, as well as possibly abounding, the poultry keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add on that it claimed on the blurb that it would match four huge hens when that stocking density was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and exactly what are you entrusted? A few hinges and also some kindling. A respectable coop for thee to 4 birds should cost you in the region of ₤ 300 though this can depend on whether you choose for a totally free standing house or one with a run connected. Assuming you are ranging your birds in a large space and the pop opening doorway allows enough for the type you keep, after that the major needs of real estate boil down to three points which will certainly specify the number of birds your home will hold; perches, nest boxes and ventilation. A lot of breeds of chicken will perch when they visit roost in the evening, this perch should ideally be 5-8cm wide with smoothed off sides so the foot sits conveniently on it. The perch should be more than the nest box entrance as chickens will certainly additionally normally look for the acme to perch. A perch less than that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box over night (which is incidentally when they produce the most poo) causing dirtied eggs the list below day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the flooring of your house that leg injuries can occur when the bird comes down in the morning. Chickens need regarding 20cm of perch each (in small breeds this is obviously much less), plus if more than one perch is set up in your home they ought to be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their neighbors however are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally the house should have a the very least one nest box for each three birds and also these ought to be off the ground as well as in the darkest location of your home. Your home ought to have adequate air flow: without it after that condensation will certainly develop every evening, also in the coldest of climate. Realize, ventilation works with the principle of warm and comfortable air leaving through a high gap attracting cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a set of holes on other walls of your home and at the very same degree, this is just what's called a draught. If you have a house with a run affixed then the points above are still true, but you must also consider the run dimension. The EU optimum lawful equipping thickness for a totally free array bird is (and let's encounter it, one of the motivations for maintaining some hens at home is possibly boosted or much better well-being) 2,500 birds per hectare, that's optimal one bird per 4m settled. Take a close consider a few of the deal homes - it could well be your house has the appropriate perches, appropriate ventilation as well as sufficient nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized piece of ground to invest the day on? Therefore as the claiming goes, "you obtain exactly what you spend for". You might think you've grabbed a deal, but you and also your group might rue the day you did. Acquisition the appropriate house as well as it will certainly last for a couple of decades, if not longer offered the proper treatment. Eventually your chicken and also your poultry maintaining experience will be a lot the better for it.chick plan
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