Chicken Coops for Sale in Bonners Ferry, Idaho
Chicken Coops for Sale in Bonners Ferry, Idaho
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 Coop Kits in Bonners Ferry, Idaho
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Bonners Ferry Idaho" 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 Bonners Ferry Idaho chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Bonners Ferry, Idaho With the huge rise in chicken maintaining there has actually been an equally huge increase in the range of fowl stuff for sale. Poultry real estate is a situation in factor. It's also a timeless example of the excellent old bandwagon being got on as different potential fowl real estate professionals pitch a range of holiday accommodation claiming to be the excellent remedy to your chicken real estate needs. Commonly the cost looks appealing, the house looks desirable, hell even the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Certainly they recognize a high quality chicken house when they see one? There are lots of inexpensive and nasty coops swamping the market. I understand this as I've checked a variety of them in the area, and also seen a ewe run straight via one when the feed pail showed up. The outcome was just an expensive heap of firewood as well as a small flock of bemused and also currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Accessories in Bonners Ferry, Idaho
More often than not these standardized models are created of quick grown hardwood - come the initial decline of rainfall they swell, leaving you either defending a door that won't shut, or ripping the door furniture off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking inhabitants. The first warm and comfortable day implies the lumber dries as well as splits, the really felt roof bubbles as well as boils, as well as come nightfall the chickens choose not to enter. This is not as a result of their frustration at the decrease of their when appealing residential property but due to the fact that the hovel is now a sanctuary for, as well as possibly abounding, the fowl caretaker's bane, red mite. Add that it said on the blurb that it would certainly suit four big chickens when that stocking thickness was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and exactly what are you entrusted? A number of hinges and some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to 4 birds must cost you approximately ₤ 300 though this can depend upon whether you choose for a totally free standing house or one with a run connected. Thinking you are ranging your birds in a large space as well as the pop opening door allows enough for the breed you maintain, after that the major needs of real estate boil down to 3 points which will specify the variety of birds your home will hold; perches, nest boxes as well as air flow. Most breeds of chicken will perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch must preferably be 5-8cm vast with smoothed off edges so the foot sits easily on it. The perch needs to be above the nest box entrance as chickens will certainly additionally naturally look for the acme to perch. A perch below that will certainly have the birds roosting in the nest box overnight (which is incidentally when they produce one of the most poo) bring about stained eggs the following day. They should not nonetheless be so high off the flooring of your home that leg injuries might happen when the bird comes down in the morning. Chickens need concerning 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is certainly less), plus if more than one perch is set up in your house they must be greater than 30cm apart. They will hunker up with their neighbors but are not that crazy about roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally your house ought to have a least one nest box for every three birds as well as these need to be off the ground and in the darkest location of your house. The house needs to have sufficient air flow: without it after that condensation will certainly accumulate every evening, even in the coldest of weather condition. Be aware, ventilation deals with the concept of cozy air leaving with a high gap drawing cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a set of openings on other walls of your home and also at the exact same degree, this is exactly what's known as a draft. If you have a house with a run attached after that the points above are still true, yet you ought to also take into consideration the run size. The EU optimum legal stocking thickness for a cost-free array bird is (as well as let's face it, one of the inspirations for keeping some chickens in your home is perhaps boosted or better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m squared. Take a close consider some of the bargain homes - it could well be the house has the best perches, proper air flow and sufficient nest boxes for a sensible variety of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything greater than an A4 sized piece of ground to spend the day on? Therefore as the stating goes, "you obtain what you spend for". You could assume you've got hold of a bargain, yet you as well as your group can rue the day you did. Purchase the appropriate house as well as it will last for a couple of years, if not longer given the appropriate treatment. Eventually your chicken as well as your poultry maintaining encounter will be a lot the far better for it.for sale plan
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