New to the forum, New coop questions

Hi Everyone--I've been a member of Dave's for a while, but I'm new to this forum. In a few weeks we'll be getting eight guinea keets and later this summer we hope to add a few chickens as well, probably Rhode Island Reds. I was wondering if I could ask the folks here some questions about our new coop. I'll post some pictures so you can get a good look at it. It's a beautiful coop, but I knew when we bought it that we were going to have to do something to improve the ventilation. It has three windows, but even with them all open it gets tremendously hot inside (the roof/ceiling is insulated with that thin silver insulation--can't remember the name of it right now). I'm thinking we need to add some sort of fan, like an attic ventilation fan that is used in houses. Any suggestions would be very appreciated--the keets won't be arriving for another two weeks, and even after that they will probably spend a week or two in a makeshift brooder in our mudroom to make sure we keep them at a nice even warm temp. So we have about a month until the little guys will be going into their new home. And yes, we will have it wired for electricity.

Thanks for any and all suggestions!

*Edit*--the coop's overall size is 8'x10'.

This message was edited May 26, 2010 1:12 PM

The "front"

As you walk in there's a little feed storage agea--we'll likely keep this open to give the birds more room and close it off only when we are acclimating new baby keets to older ones in the years ahead. You can also see the drop down doors for the nesting boxes.

There is one window in the feed storage area...

The nesting boxes.

The roosts--we are going to re-do these so we can have both a steady progression of lower to much higher roosts.

Again, any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

*Edit*--yes, we are going to be adding some fencing as well--any suggestions in that regard would also be appreciated. :)

This message was edited May 26, 2010 1:10 PM

Welcome to the forum! What a cute coop. A screen door would be a simple way to add air. Is there any sort of cross-ventilation provided by the windows? I don't know how much you want to do to it, but a vent in the roof would be good. Cupola or ridge vent perhaps?

I agree. On all counts, lol. I think a cupola would be simplest and far cooler in summer. And easier to stuff to retain heat in winter. I know there are some ready made ones available or you could try and build.

That's a great looking coop and it sounds as though you've really thought things out. One suggestion; if you haven't already done so, put rat wire over the windows and any other opening that won't have a wood closure at night. We have an Amish-built structure, 8x12', that we modified for a coop, and last winter, our first with the new quarters, a mink got in through the louvered window even though it was only open a crack, and it ripped the light screen to get through.

I agree with all the great advice you've been given. Another thing you can do - it looks like the windows don't open all the way up - same with the coop I have. I bought blinds from Lowes, the roll up kind (so chickens wouldn't get tangled up in them) and put them on the windows. I only pull them half way down to the point where the window is open so the the air can circulate. It helps to keep some of the heat from the sun out.

Good luck, you have a really nice home for your babies! Please send pics when you get them!


Annie

Porkpal--a screen door is a great idea, I hadn't even thought of that. Thanks! :D There's really no cross-ventilation between the windows--just two on the one side and one on the other.

Grownut--a cuppola is a great idea--I'll have to see if I can find one online pre-made that would be relatively simple to install. I was thinking about one of those wind-driven fans that you often see on top of houses--do you think that would be sufficient?

Greenhouse gal--it's hard to see, but there is wire over the window openings. I would love to put window boxes under the windows, but why give the fishercats a place to sit and drool? ;) :D

Annie--you're right about the windows, and I love the idea about the blinds, thanks!

I will absolutely send pictures when they arrive--I've had chickens before, but not guineas, so this is entirely new territory for me. Thanks for all your kind comments and the advice! :)

A screen door covered with hardware cloth would work great

A roof vent would be great, or you could also add some vents in the gable ends at the peak. Just need somewhere for the hot air to go out near the top of the coop. You could install a vent in one end and a fan in the other of the gable ends to draw hot air out, and it would pull cool air in from the opposite vent, and the windows and the chicken door.

I think if you have cross-ventilation you'll be fine. Great coop! Where did you get it?

Green--I think we may end up doing that at some point, definitely. It's a great idea!

Gallesfarm--I think we may end up doing something like that--I just wish we were more of the "handy" type--I'm good with gardening, not so much with a hammer and a saw. Good thing my father-in-law is good with this sort of thing!

Gwen--we ordered it from a little company called "Bay State Structures" across the state line in Massachusetts. I know they get their coops from somewhere down near Amish country--they claim it's Amish made but that seems to be a new sales buzz-word these days, so who knows. I do know that they travel down to PA weekly to pick up their orders. They showed us a brochure that we ordered the coop from--I haven't been able to find the brochure online.

Did you modify the inside in any way or did it come partitioned like that? I think the partioning is so useful. That's the kind I want.

Gwen, it came like that. We will probably keep that door open most of the time to give the birds some extra room. We will then close the area off and use it as a keet holding area so baby keets can slowly adjust to older guineas and chickens in the future. :)

Wow! I'd LOVE to have a feed storage area! That is awesome!

Forgive me for my excitement I forgot to welcome you Niere! Welcome to the Poultry & Livestock forum! I hope you can post a ton of pics.. those are great!

niere, guinneas like to roost high. keep that in mind when you do your roosts

Ours were just as happy with the regular chicken roosts, though, so you may not have to go to extraordinary efforts to please them even though left to their own devices they like taller branches.

Thanks ZZ! And yes, we do plan on completely re-doing the roosts. We'll have a graduated ladder sort of set-up, something higher for the guineas and something lower for the chickens. A little something for everyone. :)

My experience with roosts of different heights is that everyone wants to be on the top one.

Hey, same for people!

i have learned guinnea and turkeys are not the smartest creatures on earth

Oh, really?

yeah, i tell my husband mine are retarded

Yours are probably about average for guinea hens. Have you noticed the size of those heads and pictured how large a brain could possibly fit in there?

not a very big one. same with the turkets. now they don't have the sense they were born with

the only other thing i see is around the base needs to be closed off with 2X2 but the smaller rabbitt wire is better and bured inthe ground at least 8 to 10 inches to keep critters from gitting in th ebottom of the building . critters are crafty and will figure out how to get in trust me . upper ventalation it important as others have noted the insulation you spoke of in bubble wrap white on one side and silver on the other . i have it in my building its equal to R12 insulation . good luck

That is not Tennessee:0)

No Cat that is : Sasabe Arizona LOL


Heres Tennessee or a spot of it any way

What is rabbit wire?

1/2 inch square mesh

Oh, so just what is commonly called hardware cloth?

yes . i forget not all folks use it for raisen rabbits and critters lol sorry. its a southren thing.~;) but you got it varmet will find a way to get to your lil fether friendt and they will have a feast . just warning you one day alls good next day call CSI. ;(

i use rabbit wire on the bottom of my chicken wire

The Angel of Kudzu?

lol your close

Welcome to the Poultry & Livestock forum Sgt_Yates! This is my "hang out" and it's a super fun place.

thank you ZZ I still want some chickens just havent made it that far yet maby next year