As you probably all know by now, my coop is a vaulted ceiling that used to be a cow stable until the 50's, and the house is built on a slope, so that both the coop and our kitchen right above it are buried on one side.
I checked temperatures in the coop and outside since we had a bit of cold. The last three mornings, it was -5/23 outside when I opened the coop, and 6/43 inside the coop near the door (which has ventilation), likely one or two degree more at the back which is buried in the ground and where most of the chickens roost.
So it does make a nice difference. The first winter the chickens moved in, we had -10/14 for nearly two weeks in a row and it did fall down to 0/32 at the front of the coop. We had only six chickens then so they produced less body heat.
It stays warmer if I close the second door that blocks the ventilation, but since I've come to understand ventilation is more important than gaining a few degrees I don't do that anymore.
I do think that in colder weather than we have, if you included some kind of heat source inside that type of coop, it would keep the heat better than any other type of structure.
The door is a typical stable door with mesh in the part above for ventilation.
The marten broke in between the upper part of the wood frame and the house's wall.
Sorry for repeating myself but please, everyone, do safety checks regularly. We were sure our coop was super safe and didn't see that the wood had slightly twisted throughout the years.
She was a little runt who was very lucky to survive, and was all crooked and twisted...So no, she was one of a kind !
2024 was a good rainy year, but since november it looks like the drought is settling in again. Makes me so mad that the ski resorts around are all using snow guns. One normal year and everyone forget that we need to be careful with water !
Congrats to Mr LC for winning a beauty contest, whether he's a softer version of an OEGB, or something else ! To me he looks nearer to red jungle fowl than OEGB, but what do I know ?
Well, I do know that bantams roosters with a touch of game blood are obsessed with fighting.
You're talking to me ?
Mugs for Mondays.
Three sisters :
Laure
Annette, who started laying again three days ago.
And Mélisse who started laying again five days ago.
They are all backyard mutts but Mélisse's shape and comb remind me of my leghorns a bit.
And Lilly, who is having health issues again.
Have a nice Monday and a good week, everyone !
