Chicken Coops for Sale in Shirley, Massachusetts
Chicken Coops for Sale in Shirley, Massachusetts
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 Plans in Shirley, Massachusetts
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Shirley Massachusetts" 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 Shirley Massachusetts chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Shirley, Massachusetts With the big increase in chicken keeping there has been a similarly huge increase in the range of fowl materiel for sale. Poultry real estate is a situation in factor. It's additionally a timeless instance of the excellent old bandwagon being got on as various potential poultry real estate professionals market a range of accommodation declaring to be the perfect solution to your chicken housing demands. Commonly the rate looks desirable, your diy-chicken-coop-planshome looks desirable, heck also the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look desirable. Surely they understand a professional chicken house when they see one? There are many inexpensive and also horrible coops swamping the market. I understand this as I've checked a variety of them in the area, and seen a ewe run straight with one when the feed pail showed up. The outcome was just an expensive heap of fire wood and a tiny flock of bemused and currently homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Adelaide in Shirley, Massachusetts
Generally these standardized versions are constructed of fast grown lumber - come the initial drop of rainfall they swell, leaving you either fortifying a doorway that won't close, or ripping the door furnishings off in a vain effort to release the squawking residents. The initial cozy day implies the hardwood dries out and also splits, the felt roof bubbles and also boils, and come nightfall the hens choose not to enter. This is not because of their disappointment at the decrease of their as soon as attractive home however since the hovel is currently a place for, and most likely crawling with, the poultry keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add on that it said on the blurb that it would fit four huge hens when that stocking density was based on the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, and also just what are you entrusted? A few hinges and some kindling. A suitable coop for thee to four birds ought to cost you around ₤ 300 though this can rely on whether you choose for a totally free standing house or one with a run affixed. Assuming you are varying your birds in a huge space and also the pop opening door allows sufficient for the breed you keep, then the main needs of housing boil down to three points which will define the number of birds your home will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes as well as air flow. Most breeds of chicken will certainly perch when they go to roost in the evening, this perch ought to preferably be 5-8cm vast with smoothed off edges so the foot sits comfortably on it. The perch must be more than the nest box entrance as chickens will certainly additionally normally seek the highest point to perch. A perch lower than that will have the birds roosting in the nest box over night (which is by the way when they create one of the most poo) resulting in stained eggs the list below day. They should not nevertheless be so high off the floor of your house that leg injuries could possibly occur when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens require regarding 20cm of perch each (in tiny types this is obviously much less), plus if more than one perch is installed in the house they ought to be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their next-door neighbors but are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Ideally your home needs to have a the very least one nest box for each 3 birds as well as these should be off the ground and also in the darkest area of the house. The house needs to have sufficient air flow: without it then condensation will build up every evening, also in the chilliest of climate. Know, air flow works with the principle of cozy air leaving with a high space drawing cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a collection of openings on other wall surfaces of the house and also at the same degree, this is just what's called a draft. If you have a house with a run connected then the points above are still real, yet you ought to likewise think about the run size. The EU optimum lawful stocking density for a cost-free array bird is (and also allow's face it, among the motivations for keeping some hens at home is possibly enhanced or better well-being) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's optimal one bird each 4m settled. Take a close look at some of the deal homes - it could well be the house has the ideal perches, correct air flow as well as enough nest boxes for a practical variety of birds, but will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to spend the day on? Therefore as the saying goes, "you get exactly what you pay for". You may believe you've got hold of a deal, yet you and also your group might rue the day you did. Purchase the ideal house and also it will certainly last for a couple of decades, if not longer offered the right therapy. In the end your poultry and your fowl keeping experience will certainly be much the far better for it.diy plan
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