This is my HI-TECH HOME. We're probably the most pampered Chickens around. The coop has to withstand temps from minus 40 to 120 above.
For Winter: It has thermostatically controlled radiant floor heating for the Minnesota Winters. The fully insulated coop never goes below freezing and the nests stay at 45 deg so the water does not need to be heated. Thanks to the gravity air lock to the outside thru the skyway (Door is always open), the expense of heating is a mere $5 per year. With a small draft-free muffin fan providing negative air pressure, frost never forms around the doors, and all ammonia laden exhaust is ducted to the outside, also removing dust and the very high humidity (98% down to 45%). In Winter I use a 40 watt standard light bulb on a timer which adds a bit of extra heat.
Summer: On 100 deg Summer days, a programmed set-back thermostat cooling system with cool air ducted from the cool cement floor in back, keeps the temp between 73 and 86 degrees even though the pole barn which contains the Coop, reaches 120 deg. On really hot days the coop is always cooler than outside in the shade. When the large cooling fan is not needed, a small muffin fan is automatically switched on to force a small amount of fresh air in which is then vented outside thru the skyway. Wireless remote alarms sound if the temperature exceeds the set limits (32-86). Summer and Winter, the inside always has 13 hours of “Daylight” on timers (for maximum egg production). In Summer I use a 25 watt (3watt) LED bulb on a timer which add NO heat to the coop. During the day, the lights are automatically switched off and soft outside light is provided thru the skyway (somewhat darkened, good for nesting).
30 remote controlled wireless color cameras monitor inside the coop and the entire yard, front/back. The remote controlled pan/tilt cameras are all wired to the computer for broadcast on the internet, and also to every TV/VCR/DVD recorder. This also provides CCTV surveillance of the entire property, all activity anywhere day or night can be recorded on the computer or VCR. From any TV, we can watch the full-time “Chicken Channel”. At nite the infra-red cameras allows a normal view even with no light at all, or just a small 1.5 watt nite light. It’s easy to see on TV the instant any eggs are laid and need collecting.
Cleaning is nearly automatic. All “fertilizer” drops into the waterproof hopper where it then falls into the trough. Every 2 weeks or so the trough is slid out and a clean trough put in it’s place. The trough is emptied into the compost pile. If necessary, the hopper is easily cleaned with a “Mr Swifter” using paper towels. The inside of the coop is always shiny clean white with no “aroma” at all. It helps keep the Chicken healthy and free of any diseases or ailments. The coop is designed so it would need no attention/cleaning at all for up to a month if desired. It has automatic food/water.
UPDATE : THis picture is before the Solar Aviary addition,
(Ace L ) ----- Although Chickens don't like snow, the cold doesn't bother them so they are free to leave the coop and roam around the back yard all day (Our Roving Lawn Ornaments). Below 10~ degrees, their combs can freeze so then they are not allowed outside. They LOVE to eat any bugs they can find (we have none left) and they also cultivate all the weeds. Unfortunately, they also LOVE tomatoes in the garden. They have no fear of machinery and the lawnmower discharge will send them rolling across the yard (Scrambled eggs). I have to be careful while using the leaf blower and the weed whacker (naked Chickens). When I'm working on things/equipment, they will climb all over my tools and equipment, they are very curious and get in my way, I have to keep pushing them aside. Sometimes they will land on my shoulder or on my head. Bert (the rooster) gets very upset whenever one of the hens is missing and crows until they are all together again. They keep us entertained. The German Shepherd Diesel, and the Cat Tuna, and the Chickens, are all good friends.
I'm SO impressed. More power to your elbow, Art, and to your, erm... knuckle, Bert?
ReplyDeleteThose lucky chickens! I would LOVE to have a state-of-the-art set up like that. Alas, they will have to make do with a plain old drafty barn. Fortunately 40 below is rare here. 20 below (in Celsius) used to be fairly common, but no longer. Bad for pine trees, because the pine beetles don't get killed off any more, but good for chickens.
ReplyDeleteThat is so fabulous. Where on earth did you get these ideas? You should write a book on raising chickens the humane way!
ReplyDeletebarb - I started with 3 goals... 1)Chicken comfort, 2)Low operating cost, 3)Easy to clean. All three were very successful. I have a lifetime of experience in innovative ideas (due to necessity). I am an "inventor" with about 80 inventions... but stupid me, I have patented none (yet). I never reveal my real name on the internet but... I will PM you with a link to an article about product design (inventions). In the article I am in good company along with experts in the field (product design).
ReplyDeleteThe City Animal Control officers have been over to study my Coop/aviary, and numerous Chicken and Pigeon clubs come and inspect it. I am very proud of it (the coop/aviary). It's always very clean and sanitary and I have never seen a single fly or insect around. I do intend to publish (a blog?) about building a freestanding solar coop/aviary. It's SOooo nice to enter the nice warm balmy aviary when it's nasty cold and windy or rainy while you tend to the chickens, water, food, cleaning, and egg collecting in comfort. Their water never freezes and it's not (specifically) heated, mostly warmed by "Chicken heat". I have already taken numerous pictures and prepared a lot of text about it and will be drawing detailed plans on how to build one. I will probably publish it as a blog?
.....Also I have many many more ideas that make it SOOooo easy to have Chickens and Pigeons.... feeding, cleaning, exercise, everything is automatic with sensors and alarms, and CCTV, etc). I can leave them alone for up to 2 weeks with no human attention, although I do tend to them daily.