Chicken Coops for Sale in Plymouth, Pennsylvania
Chicken Coops for Sale in Plymouth, Pennsylvania
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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Baby Chick For Sale in Plymouth, Pennsylvania
A good place to start any search is the internet. Simply plugging in the phrase "chicken coops for sale in Plymouth Pennsylvania" 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 Plymouth Pennsylvania chicken coops. What to look for when buying a chicken coop in Plymouth, Pennsylvania With the massive rise in poultry keeping there has been a just as huge surge in the variety of fowl materiel on sale. Poultry housing is an instance in point. It's additionally a timeless example of the excellent old bandwagon being got on as various potential fowl real estate specialists pitch a selection of cottage asserting to be the excellent remedy to your chicken housing demands. Typically the price looks eye-catching, your house looks desirable, hell also the clean-cut family members standing there feeding the chickens look eye-catching. Definitely they recognize a quality chicken house when they see one? There are numerous affordable and awful coops flooding the market. I understand this as I've checked a variety of them in the field, and also seen a ewe run directly through one when the feed container appeared. The result was nothing but an expensive heap of firewood and also a tiny group of bemused and also now homeless bantams.
Chicken Coop Near Me in Plymouth, Pennsylvania
Generally these mass produced models are built of rapid grown up hardwood - come the very first drop of rainfall they swell, leaving you either barricading a doorway that won't close, or tearing the doorway furniture off in a vain attempt to launch the squawking inhabitants. The first cozy day implies the hardwood dries out and also splits, the really felt roofing system bubbles and boils, and come nightfall the hens refuse to go in. This is not because of their disappointment at the decline of their when desirable property yet due to the fact that the hovel is currently a sanctuary for, as well as possibly abounding, the chicken keeper's nemesis, red mite. Add on the fact that it claimed on the blurb that it would fit four large chickens when that stocking thickness was based upon the Circle Line at 5pm on a Friday, as well as exactly what are you entrusted? A number of hinges and also some kindling. A decent coop for thee to four birds ought to 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 attached. Thinking you are ranging your birds in a large space and also the pop hole door allows sufficient for the type you maintain, then the major requirements of real estate come down to three points which will certainly specify the variety of birds your home will certainly hold; perches, nest boxes and also air flow. A lot of types of chicken will perch when they visit roost at night, this perch should ideally be 5-8cm broad with smoothed off sides so the foot sits pleasantly on it. The perch needs to be above the nest box access as chickens will certainly likewise normally try to find the highest point to perch. A perch less than that will have the birds roosting in the nest box over night (which is incidentally when they create one of the most poo) leading to soiled eggs the list below day. They should not nonetheless be so high off the flooring of your house that leg injuries could possibly occur when the bird gets down in the morning. Chickens need concerning 20cm of perch each (in little breeds this is obviously less), plus if greater than one perch is set up in the house they must be more than 30cm apart. They will certainly hunker up with their next-door neighbors yet are not that keen on roosting with a beak in the bloomers of the bird ahead. Preferably the house needs to have a least one nest box for each 3 birds and these ought to be off the ground and in the darkest location of your home. Your house ought to have sufficient ventilation: without it after that condensation will certainly develop every night, also in the coldest of climate. Understand, ventilation works with the principle of cozy air leaving via a high gap attracting cooler air in from a reduced space - it's not a collection of holes on other walls of the house and at the exact same level, this is just what's called a draught. If you have a house with a run attached then the points above are still true, however you must likewise think about the run dimension. The EU maximum lawful equipping thickness for a free range bird is (and also allow's face it, among the inspirations for maintaining some chickens at home is perhaps boosted or much better welfare) 2,500 birds each hectare, that's maximum one bird per 4m settled. Take a close consider several of the bargain homes - it could well be the house has the appropriate perches, right air flow as well as ample nest boxes for an affordable number of birds, yet will each of the chickens have anything more than an A4 sized item of ground to invest the day on? Therefore as the stating goes, "you obtain what you pay for". You may believe you've got hold of a bargain, however you and also your group might rue the day you did. Purchase the right house and it will last for a few decades, if not longer offered the proper therapy. In the end your chicken and your poultry maintaining encounter will certainly be a lot the better for it.chicken coop
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