Advice
It is important that the bedding does not become dense due to litter. To do this, they throw grain on the floor and the birds look for it and loosen the flooring.
Chickens are fed with vitamins B or B6 and they become more active. The fallen litter must be loosened with a rake yourself.
If there is no big frost on the street, then the birds are let out for a walk. Protect the site with natural brushwood, straw, reeds. They make such a fence, build a canopy on top, and throw a litter on the floor.
For dry bathing, they put basins with sand and ash.
From autumn to winter, daylight hours in the chicken coop are gradually increased, and gradually reduced by spring.
Eggs are harvested daily to prevent laying hens from eating them.
In the evening, dry grain is offered to the birds. It is high-calorie and gives energy at night, thanks to which they will not freeze.
It is necessary to clean the poultry house regularly in winter so as not to breed unsanitary conditions.
How to properly keep chickens in winter? It is important that the owner feeds the birds in a balanced way, provides the necessary air temperature, humidity, insulates the floor, closes the cracks, arranges a yard for walking, and encloses it with a fence. Chickens in a greenhouse in winter can walk. Watch an interesting video on how to insulate a chicken coop for the winter on a budget with your own hands
About the article
When not to heat
To organize the heating of the chicken coop, two methods are used - artificial and natural. Each of them has its strengths and weaknesses, differing from others in energy consumption, efficiency and the amount of money spent. So, for regions located in southern or temperate latitudes, the natural method is quite suitable. The main condition for the application of this method is the absence of a significant decrease in night temperatures and strong winds. If the temperature in an unheated room can be kept within 7 degrees, then the natural method is more rational, and, when carrying out a number of heat-saving measures, it can be safely used.
The first object of warming the chicken coop is the floor. This is due to the fact that due to the plumage, the bird's body is not particularly sensitive to cold, and the legs are the only weak spot. That is why floor insulation should be done in the first place. Before proceeding with the laying of the insulation, the floor surface must be sprinkled with powdered slaked lime at the rate of 1 kg / m2. The presence of lime will save the chicken coop from the appearance of fleas and ticks. Then the lime layer is covered with any heat-insulating material, which can be used as sawdust, fallen leaves or straw. The total thickness of the layer should be 25-30 cm.
The most effective means of natural space heating is manure. In the process of overheating, the mullein releases a significant amount of heat, which is quite enough to “heat” the chicken coop during the winter. The only condition for the use of manure is a ban on the removal of old, already trampled mullein. In such cases, a layer of new fertilizer is laid on top, while retaining the previously laid manure.
After insulating the floor, it is necessary to proceed with the thermal insulation of the walls and ceiling. To do this, you need to plug all the cracks, not forgetting to form a small ventilation window. When building a chicken coop that is not equipped with artificial heating, double walls and a ceiling should be made. The cavities between the two surfaces are filled with foam or mineral wool, and the thickness of the insulating layer must be at least 15 cm.A room built and insulated in this way will “work” according to the principle of a thermos: the heat generated by chickens and manure will remain for a long time, which will allow chickens to endure frosts up to 12 degrees. The final step in the insulation of the chicken coop will be the insulation of windows and doors, which is carried out using polyethylene or dense fabric.
How to insulate a chicken coop with your own hands
There are two ways to insulate a chicken coop - ⦁ Artificial way; ⦁ Natural way.
The essence of the natural method of heating is that nothing needs to be heated. That is, heating is due to the proper feeding of chickens. But this method is in no way suitable for harsh and frosty winters. But, let's take a closer look at the artificial method, how to heat a chicken coop in winter.
Floor, it is recommended that there be bedding about 8-12 cm high. Peat, straw or even sawdust can be used as bedding. The litter can be used in the future for a garden or flower garden as compost. Every month, the litter must be turned up using, for example, a pitchfork, and add another 4-7 cm each. Do not be afraid that the litter will be very high, with proper care, by spring, the height of the litter reaches 25-30 cm.
It should be noted that straw bedding has some advantages, namely: ⦁ Bedding, for example, from straw during the winter, emits heat, ⦁ Due to the fact that the bedding is warm, the process of decomposition of the litter occurs more slowly; ⦁ And most importantly, heat does not allow harmful bacteria.
But, all poultry farmers should remember that the litter is removed only in the spring, so good ventilation is needed. If the winters are very severe, then it is better to periodically open and close the ventilation pipe.
Walls it is desirable to insulate inside using, for example, foam, glass wool can also be used for insulation. Some poultry farmers also use other materials as wall insulation, it all depends on financial capabilities. The easiest and most economical method is to insulate the walls with bales of hay or straw. Ready bales are simply attached to the wall of the chicken coop. But this method can only be used for a small chicken coop, with a small number of chickens.
Ceilingalso should not be ignored. It needs to be insulated and for this you can use mineral wool or ordinary roofing material.
Windows, doors - as a rule, they are hung with rags. But, winter - winter is different. If one winter the minimum temperature is -100C, then another can be -250C. therefore, it is necessary not only to insulate the room, but also to heat it.
Next, consider how to heat the chicken coop artificially in winter - you can use a gas or electric heater.
This method of heating the chicken coop in winter is most beneficial for large poultry farms. It is also convenient for large poultry farms to heat with gas, since buying a gas boiler in this case will be justified, and for an ordinary poultry farmer, the best way to heat a chicken coop in winter is to use a potbelly stove.
"potbelly stove" - is a metal stove that is used for heating. The convenience of a potbelly stove is that ⦁ Easy to use, that is, it’s easy to heat; ⦁ you can heat with any raw materials; ⦁ the room heats up quickly.
But the "potbelly stove" has a significant drawback, which is that it quickly becomes covered with rust, so it needs care and the firebox process must be constantly monitored, that is, it is necessary to monitor the entire process.
Those poultry farmers who opted for this method of heating the chicken coop in winter should equip the chicken coop in advance, namely: ⦁ Install a “potbelly stove” in the chicken coop; ⦁ Make a chimney; ⦁ Isolate the entire heater from chickens, and also observe safety rules; ⦁ And most importantly, stock up on fuel in advance, that is, you need to purchase coal and prepare firewood or briquettes for the furnace.
So, in this article, all methods have been described on how to heat a chicken coop in winter. The poultry house decides which method to choose, but the main thing to remember is that if the chicken coop is warm, the egg production will not change, but will remain at the same level.And birds in a warm chicken coop will not only not get sick, but will honor themselves much more comfortably in the harsh winter.
Recommendations of poultry farmers
As an inexperienced poultry farmer, there is always the possibility of making a mistake when installing ventilation equipment. If the chicken coop cools too quickly, or vice versa, there is no ventilation, then the system was not thought out and installed correctly.
At the planning stage, it is necessary to correctly position the pipes so that there is an exchange of air inside the room.
You can evaluate the efficiency of the ventilation system as follows: go into the house and stay in it for a while. If during this period the state of health is normal, then the ventilation system works well. If this is not the case, then it will be necessary to make improvements to the design.
When equipping the ventilation system with fans, it is recommended to use sensors that will save energy. This option would also be more appropriate in houses using fermentation litter, as bacteria generate a significant amount of heat: elevated temperatures can adversely affect the health of the bird.
Based on personal experience and mistakes of poultry farmers, problems in the installation of the ventilation system are evidenced by:
- ventilation holes are located on adjacent walls. With this arrangement, there is no air exchange in the opposite part of the room, since the air is not able to circulate at a right angle. In a rectangular chicken coop, it will be correct to install ventilation holes on sides with a shorter length opposite each other;
- noise during fan operation. The functioning of the devices must be checked before installation, because due to increased noise in chickens, egg production may decrease or even stop;
- low reliability of the design. Equipping a large poultry house with a ventilation system, metal air ducts are fixed to the ceiling. Since chicken coops are often built of wood, the material can rot relatively quickly, causing the ducts to fall. Based on this, it is desirable to carry out the installation of metal structures to the truss system;
- if metal pipes are used for ventilation, they must be thermally insulated in winter. If this is not done, the chicken coop will be very cold even with the valves closed, and the constant formation of condensate can cut off the air supply.
In order for the hood in the chicken coop to work efficiently in winter, you should follow simple recommendations:
- periodically clean the premises from litter, dirty water, leftover food. A clean chicken coop is the key to a healthy bird;
- check the house for the presence of rodents and take measures to exterminate them. Extraneous living creatures can be the cause of not only a decrease in egg production, but also the appearance of diseases in chickens.
Having considered the purpose, possible options, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to properly ventilate a chicken coop in winter with your own hands with diagrams and photo examples, everyone will be able to equip their own poultry house without significant time and financial costs. Only with proper ventilation and maintaining a comfortable microclimate can high egg production and healthy offspring be obtained.
artificial heating
In areas with a temperate climate, heating is not always required, but in most regions of Russia, winters are cold and cannot be dispensed with. Many poultry farmers are considering installing heating in their coop, with most on a tight budget and looking for a cheaper way. However, it is necessary to take into account not only the price of heating appliances, but also monthly expenses in the cold.
Stove heating
Most often, a potbelly stove is installed to heat the chicken coop, this is due to the fact that the raw materials for the firebox are in abundance and it is cheap. The stove can be fired with both wood and charcoal.If you have the skills, you can make the design yourself, but if you don’t have them, then it’s better to buy a potbelly stove. The stove is placed away from flammable materials, this will reduce the likelihood of a fire. It is also better to protect it from birds so that they do not accidentally get burned.
On a note!
The oven must be monitored around the clock.
Water heating
This method of heating is used if the room where the birds live is located near a residential building. Then pipes and radiators can be installed in it and connected to the home heating system. It is not profitable to make separate water heating in a small chicken coop, as it requires large investments.
Gas heating
It makes sense to buy gas equipment only on an industrial scale or if there is a large farm. After all, the installation of a heating system requires the participation of specialists, and their services will not be cheap. You also need to make a project and buy the equipment itself. The heating system is divided into two types of water and convector. Water is as follows: when gas is burned, heat is released, with its help water is heated, which circulates through pipes. Convector heating consists of heating elements - convectors, which are combined into a system. Appliances heat up when gas is burned.
On a note!
Periodically it is necessary to carry out preventive cleaning of gas equipment.
Diesel heating
Does not require large investments in the early stages, but fuel consumption is quite high. In addition, most appliances, when burning fuel, emit an unpleasant odor and harmful substances that accumulate and can adversely affect the health of chickens.
Maintaining a comfortable temperature for birds in a chicken coop without electricity is not difficult. But before installing any heating, it is necessary to insulate the room, this will significantly reduce the cost of heating the chicken coop in cold weather. Warm shelter in birds will help protect chickens from colds and infectious diseases, as well as increase egg production in cold seasons.
poultry house insulation
Chickens do not tolerate severe frosts and often have respiratory diseases. Birds can easily get sick after drinking cold water or walking in the snow for a long time. Staying in drafts is also bad for the health of chickens. If the poultry farm is located in a cold region, then the poultry house needs to be seriously insulated. If the temperature drops below seven degrees in the room where laying hens live, then it is necessary to artificially heat the room. For this you can use:
- - electric heaters
- – thermal gas guns,
- - bourgeoisie.
When using artificial heating, it is imperative to hide all the wires, because chickens are very fond of pecking at objects of interest to them.
In most cases, a fairly deep litter is organized. She will not only warm the chickens in the cold, but also then become a good fertilizer for the garden. Initially, the floor of the house should be insulated with straw or sawdust eight centimeters thick. Since the chickens will constantly trample it, the litter will need to be added periodically. In spring, the thickness of the litter can already be up to thirty centimeters. To keep the litter loose, it should be agitated with a fork.
Deep bedding is very good at keeping the coop warm, as heat will be released during composting. Thanks to this, the temperature in the house will remain up to seventeen degrees. Also, thanks to such a litter, the processes of rot and decomposition of chicken excrement will be delayed. Sawdust and straw are excellent insulating materials. But if you fill the floor with such bedding, the house must be well ventilated, due to constant ammonia emissions.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=ow28iFr8CJQ
Also, a huge number of poultry farmers are worried about whether chickens can take walks in winter. Fresh air has a very good effect on the health of the bird, but at the same time, the walking area must be prepared. The snow should be cleaned there and a small bedding should be poured so that the birds do not freeze their legs. It is advisable to build a small canopy to protect the chickens from snow. If the frosts have crossed the bar of twelve degrees, then it is advisable not to let the chickens go for a walk. If the chickens do not freeze in winter, then their egg production will be at a good level.
Many farmers are puzzled by the question of what temperature chickens can withstand in winter. Will chickens survive the winter frosts? In order for the bird to feel comfortable and continue to delight you with good egg production, the temperature in the chicken coop should not be allowed to drop below ten degrees. Chickens, like all living creatures, love comfort, coziness and will not refuse good feeding. They should not be allowed outside after the temperature drops below twelve degrees below zero. Only under such conditions will overwintered birds have good health and egg production.
How to feed and water laying hens in winter
Water and feed provide chickens with a favorable existence, provide additional warmth in winter, support the normal metabolism of their body, allow them to get everything they need for good productivity, so this is one of the main issues for keeping chickens in the winter months.
For a constant supply of food for chickens, automatic feeders and automatic drinking bowls are installed in the room, which can be purchased in stores or made independently from auxiliary material, the main thing is that they can be easily cleaned and washed.
If you have the opportunity to visit the chicken coop daily, then there is no need for automatic devices, these items will replace the usual feeders and water containers.
How to do without electricity
The artificial method of heating requires the use of heating equipment, the choice of which depends on external temperatures, the size of the room and the financial capabilities of the farmer. Electric, gas and solid fuel appliances are used to heat flocks and chicken coops. The simplest is the electric heating method, however, with frequent power outages or with constant power surges in the network, it is better to refuse this heating method and use others.
Burn with gas
There are two types of gas heating: convector and water. The water system works according to the following principle: the heat generated during the combustion of gas heats the water in the heat exchanger to the desired temperature, after which the coolant, moving through the pipes and entering the radiators, heats the room. The essence of convector heating is that the device is devoid of pipes and has no connection with radiators, it heats up exclusively by itself, and outwardly resembles a large electric heater. Among the advantages of gas heating, one can note the possibility of quickly heating the chicken coop and high energy efficiency.
The disadvantages include the high cost of equipment and the need for constant human presence. In addition, when installing a gas boiler, you will need permission from the gas services and strict compliance of the building with fire safety standards. It is advisable to use this type of boiler equipment in large poultry farms, where constant monitoring of the device and its maintenance will be carried out.
potbelly stove
Heating with metal stoves is the simplest and most affordable way to heat chicken coops. The potbelly stove is distinguished by a simple device, does not need expensive maintenance and regular maintenance.The essence of the work of the potbelly stove is quite simple: when solid fuel is burned, the metal walls of the stove become hot and begin to give off their heat to the room. The advantages of this method are the low cost of fuel, quick installation and ease of use.
The disadvantages include the need to comply with fire safety rules, which obliges to carry out a set of measures aimed at preventing a fire. Such measures include the construction of a fireproof pallet and the protection of nearby wooden walls from high temperatures. In addition, the use of a potbelly stove requires the constant presence of a person, which is due to the need to constantly add fuel. But the most significant disadvantage of heating with a potbelly stove is that it will not be possible to maintain a constant temperature in the room.
Diesel oven
Heating with diesel appliances is also used for heating chicken coops. Such installations are able to quickly warm up the air in the room and, unlike bourgeois stoves, have a temperature regulator. This allows you to change the intensity of the flame burning and create the required temperature in the room. Diesel plants are completely fireproof and environmentally friendly. The disadvantage of such systems is the high cost of diesel fuel, which most likely will not cover the profit received from the sale of chickens.
Buleryan
This type of oven belongs to air-convection and is a good solution to the problem of heating chicken coops. The devices are characterized by high energy efficiency and can operate on any fuel. In addition, buleryans, like all convection models, are quite economical and have high power. This allows you to use them for heating large-scale chicken coops of subsidiary farms and farms.
Water heating
The water heating method is considered the most efficient and fireproof. If the dwelling is heated with a water-heating boiler, then the ideal option would be to connect the chicken coop to the heating circuit of the residential building. To avoid heat loss during transportation of the coolant from the house to the chicken coop, it is better to build a room for keeping chickens right next to the house. In the case of a remote location of buildings, pipes running along the street should be insulated.
Comfortable stay indoors in winter for laying hens
The room in which the chickens live should be insulated for the winter, close the manholes for access to the paddock, and cover the floor with deep bedding. It is made from dry sawdust, straw or peat. As the litter is trampled down, a new layer should be laid. Mixing with chicken manure, the litter begins to warm up, providing the room with warmth. At 10-12 degrees indoors, the hens feel good and continue to lay. If it is not possible to maintain the optimum temperature naturally, the house should be additionally equipped with heaters. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure the flow of fresh air into the room, and make a place for the birds to sleep on poles located 60 cm above the floor.
Considering that the maximum egg production in chickens is observed with a day length of 12-14 hours, it is necessary to additionally illuminate the room with the help of artificial light lamps. The usual schedule for turning on llamas is from 6 to 9 am and from 5 to 8 pm. The lamps are arranged in such a way that the birds could not damage them.
Of particular concern is food.
The duration of the molting period and the egg production of the chicken population depend on their quality. The predominant share in the diet is given to cereals, these include wheat, barley, corn, it is better to give grain crushed or germinated. Cereals give the birds the energy they need. Chickens receive vitamins by eating succulent feed. These are chopped root crops: carrots, beets, boiled potatoes. Chickens willingly eat fodder taverns, well stored all winter.
Mixers are a great opportunity to provide the bird with the necessary trace elements. Mixers are prepared from bran, sunflower cake, egg shells, bone or fish meal are added to them. In the summer, it is worth stocking up on dried grass: clover, nettle, chicken millet, mouse peas. Bundles of such hay can be hung at a certain height from the floor.
Crushed chalk, shells, fine gravel, pebbles, drinking water should be in separate bowls in the chicken coop, this is especially important for thoroughbred Brahma chickens. At negative temperatures, water should be given heated, sometimes potassium permanganate should be added to it
Juicy feed should be given in the morning, at night it is better to feed chickens with grain.
In moderate frosts, chickens should be able to walk. Usually, for these purposes, a site is fenced off on the south side of the room, open to sunlight and cleared of snow. On the walks there are baths with ash and sand, which must be dry. In cold and windy weather, the paddocks are kept closed.
This entry was posted in Chickens and tagged chicken coop, chicken breeds, chicken breeding by admin.
Types of chicken coop ventilation systems and their installation
There are several ways to equip a poultry house with ventilation:
- Natural. This design works due to the movement of air due to the temperature difference between inside and outside the room.
- Forced. In this case, the system operates due to the operation of the fans.
Let us consider in more detail the schemes, the principle of the device and installation of ventilation with our own hands in the chicken coop in winter.
Natural
This ventilation option will be convenient for chicken coops with a small number of chickens due to the ease of installation. The construction of the system does not require any financial costs and additional devices, such as a fan, filter, etc. For the manufacture of the system in the wall, you need to provide a small ventilation window. It is best to place it above the perches. Thus, when the door is open, the air will go out the window.
To be able to regulate the air flow, the ventilation window is made in the form of a window.
However, this method has a significant drawback: in winter, a heater will have to be installed in the chicken coop, and in summer there will be no ventilation as such due to the lack of temperature difference between the street and the house.
Supply and exhaust
If you listen to the opinion of experienced poultry farmers, ventilation of the supply and exhaust type is the most effective in operation. Such a system can be used in winter. In order for such a ventilation scheme to work without electricity and drafts, it is recommended to watch a video on this topic.
In contrast to the option discussed above, the supply and exhaust ventilation is structurally provided with two pipes: for the inflow and exhaust of air.
This method has several significant advantages:
- work does not require human participation;
- no electricity costs;
- The system is quiet and does its job perfectly.
To make this version of the hood you will need:
- plastic pipes with a diameter of 150 mm and a length of at least 2 m;
- jigsaw;
- pipe plugs;
- 2 through nodes;
- caps for pipes.
To establish ventilation, measure the height of the house. Then 2 holes are made in the ceiling according to the diameter of the air ducts. The exhaust pipe is mounted near perches for better removal of ammonia vapors. The installation is carried out under the ceiling and taken out into the street so that the pipe protrudes 1.5 m in height.
The air supply pipe is installed at a height of 40 cm above the roof and lowered almost to the floor. The distance between the floor and the pipe should be about 40 cm.
In order for the structure to be airtight, passage nodes are used, and the pipes themselves are fixed to the roof with stretch marks.Air ducts protect from precipitation, and the plugs are adapted as dampers.
Mechanical
In most cases, such a system is equipped with large poultry houses, in which the supply and exhaust system will simply be inefficient. Ventilation works by analogy with the previous version, with the only difference being that fans are used. The use of fans will incur energy costs, which must be taken into account in advance. If there is a power outage, there will be no ventilation and air stagnation will occur.
The principle of operation of mechanical ventilation is quite simple and comes down to installing the fan in a window, wall or exhaust pipe. This air exchange option has the following advantages:
- a large chicken coop can be provided with fresh air;
- the operation of the system is not affected by the weather;
- when installing climate control, human participation in the operation of the system is not required.
Manual option
For installation, a fan is used, which is installed in the exhaust pipe. Then lay the wiring and fix the switch near the door.
Wiring must be carefully insulated, as the humidity in the house is always slightly high.
The peculiarity of this version of the hood is that its work is controlled by a person. Depending on the microclimate in the room, the device is turned on for 2-3 hours a day.
Auto
This ventilation option does not require human intervention. Despite the fact that the system is of a mechanical type, manual control is completely excluded.
Installation consists of the following steps:
- The air supply and exhaust are made from two plastic pipes with different diameters and lengths according to the area of the poultry house.
- Lay the wiring to the fan. If a supply air device is installed, then the fan is installed in the supply pipe.
- A switch is attached to the wall.
- Sensors are used to control the system. When the desired value of humidity and temperature is reached, the automation is activated and the system turns off.
