Thank you. I'm building a 25 chicken coop and I have been trying to figure out how much ventilation to put on it. I think I finally found the answer I've been looking for by this video!
Oh good! I’m proud of you for looking - that’s one thing that no one thinks of and once it’s built it’s often a lot harder to add. Remember hot air rises, and cold drafts are bad news. I’m always here to help too! theMama@realsimplemama.com
I have the exact coop. I decided to take the litter tray out. I still put the pvz (thank you btw) on the coop floor, and rake out every morning. The ramp is not attached so i can get the rake all the way in. Also put a small desk fan in there with a frozen juice bottle for a poor chickens AC unit.
Hello RSM, I know I'm a little late on commenting but I just watched your video and didn't know if you had found a solution yet. I'm new to watching your channel and have been really enjoying all the informative chicken vids :) I have a thought on an electric free option to keep the air moving in your coop. My husband and I are building our homestead based on being off the electric grid and using solar and water catchment for sustaining. With that in mind, we've had to do a lot of research in how the normal day to day stuff will take place without electricity or that will run off of solar. Anyway, one of our solutions was an outdoor bath house with composting toilets and to keep the air circulating (in a mostly closed/boxed unit) we will be venting the box that the compost toilet is in with a 2in diameter black pvc that exits out of the bath house wall and gets exposure to the sun during the day so it'll heat up and cause a thermal vacuum of sorts to pull any possible odors out. During days without sun, the system will also use a wind turbine(since the wind rarely stops blowing here) at the top of that pvc pipe to achieve the same purpose but without electricity. Keep in mind the wind turbine doesn't have to be extravagant(I'm very frugal with our money lol). It can be made from the attic roof vents that can be found at a local hardware or home supply center or by making a diy version of similar design. I'm not sure if you have thought about doing that already, but it could possibly work for your chicken coop and the ammonia from the feces breaking down.
Hi! I use a staple gun to put them around the corner that has the chicken feed. That way even if we get wind and rain, it doesn’t get wet. Those thicker plastic-feeling bags are water resistant! They can be saved and used against the winter wind too. 👍🏼
You’re welcome! I’ll do a video too to explain why I do this 😄 people ask me all the time. I even had some tiny man go on a rant about how my neighbors would think that’s ugly. 🙄🤦🏻♀️ But to me it’s free and useful so hey!
I’m so glad you haven’t had a loss! I’ll never know for sure, but I did know that I could smell ammonia when I went to do a clean out/investigation. So I thought I’d be proactive and make a video just in case I can help someone one day. ❤️
We are first-time chicken owners, and I will definitely be building more vents this weekend. Thank you so much, we are so attached to our chickens it is ridiculous. I tell everyone we have chickens and they look at me funny.
I am a first time chicken owner to 3 chickens. I do my best to learn,but it can be overwhelming sometimes.. I have read that you only need to clean out the coop once a week, but you suggest it should be done every day? Is it enough to just pick out the poops every day, and only change the entire bedding once a week? I use wood shavings for bedding, is that okay?
Hi! You’re right - I clean the poop out daily and don’t change all of the bedding that often. 😆 I fluff up and fill up the pine in their nesting boxes as needed, and only have to fill up or replace the PDZ under the roost bars a few times a year. I have a “materials” video and a “coop chores” video too if you’d like to see! ✌🏼❤️🐓
Thank you. I'm building a 25 chicken coop and I have been trying to figure out how much ventilation to put on it. I think I finally found the answer I've been looking for by this video!
Oh good! I’m proud of you for looking - that’s one thing that no one thinks of and once it’s built it’s often a lot harder to add. Remember hot air rises, and cold drafts are bad news. I’m always here to help too! theMama@realsimplemama.com
I have the exact coop. I decided to take the litter tray out. I still put the pvz (thank you btw) on the coop floor, and rake out every morning. The ramp is not attached so i can get the rake all the way in. Also put a small desk fan in there with a frozen juice bottle for a poor chickens AC unit.
All good ideas! If you think about it, take a pic of your fan setup and send me an email at theMama@realsimplemama.com
Ryobi makes a very nice battery operated fan. It runs for long time before needs recharging..
Ooh now that’s a good idea! I hadn’t thought of that - thanks for posting!
Hello RSM, I know I'm a little late on commenting but I just watched your video and didn't know if you had found a solution yet. I'm new to watching your channel and have been really enjoying all the informative chicken vids :) I have a thought on an electric free option to keep the air moving in your coop. My husband and I are building our homestead based on being off the electric grid and using solar and water catchment for sustaining. With that in mind, we've had to do a lot of research in how the normal day to day stuff will take place without electricity or that will run off of solar. Anyway, one of our solutions was an outdoor bath house with composting toilets and to keep the air circulating (in a mostly closed/boxed unit) we will be venting the box that the compost toilet is in with a 2in diameter black pvc that exits out of the bath house wall and gets exposure to the sun during the day so it'll heat up and cause a thermal vacuum of sorts to pull any possible odors out. During days without sun, the system will also use a wind turbine(since the wind rarely stops blowing here) at the top of that pvc pipe to achieve the same purpose but without electricity. Keep in mind the wind turbine doesn't have to be extravagant(I'm very frugal with our money lol). It can be made from the attic roof vents that can be found at a local hardware or home supply center or by making a diy version of similar design. I'm not sure if you have thought about doing that already, but it could possibly work for your chicken coop and the ammonia from the feces breaking down.
That is an amazing idea! Thanks so much for taking the time to share.
@@realsimplemama you are so welcome, I hope all goes well with the chickens :)
Hiya! Love your videos! What are the empty feed bags used for? X
Hi! I use a staple gun to put them around the corner that has the chicken feed. That way even if we get wind and rain, it doesn’t get wet. Those thicker plastic-feeling bags are water resistant! They can be saved and used against the winter wind too. 👍🏼
@@realsimplemama Ah that's a great idea!!!! Thank you for replying!
You’re welcome! I’ll do a video too to explain why I do this 😄 people ask me all the time. I even had some tiny man go on a rant about how my neighbors would think that’s ugly. 🙄🤦🏻♀️ But to me it’s free and useful so hey!
@@realsimplemama So what if its not the most aesthetically pleasing it's FREE & you're repurposing it! X
I need to be better about cleaning the coop out. We havent had a loss yet, but this is something i need to do better.
I’m so glad you haven’t had a loss! I’ll never know for sure, but I did know that I could smell ammonia when I went to do a clean out/investigation. So I thought I’d be proactive and make a video just in case I can help someone one day. ❤️
We are first-time chicken owners, and I will definitely be building more vents this weekend. Thank you so much, we are so attached to our chickens it is ridiculous. I tell everyone we have chickens and they look at me funny.
Yes! Well some people just don’t get it. :)
I am a first time chicken owner to 3 chickens. I do my best to learn,but it can be overwhelming sometimes.. I have read that you only need to clean out the coop once a week, but you suggest it should be done every day? Is it enough to just pick out the poops every day, and only change the entire bedding once a week? I use wood shavings for bedding, is that okay?
Hi! You’re right - I clean the poop out daily and don’t change all of the bedding that often. 😆 I fluff up and fill up the pine in their nesting boxes as needed, and only have to fill up or replace the PDZ under the roost bars a few times a year. I have a “materials” video and a “coop chores” video too if you’d like to see! ✌🏼❤️🐓
What are your thoughts on the deep litter method?
I think it has the potential to work in a larger coop space. I personally have never tried it because my coops are smaller and harder to access.