Solar Chicken Coop

Posted by Dylan Moore on May 20, 2008, 03:25:48 PM

Solar Chicken Coop
I am building a chicken coop in northern New Mexico, it will be fairly efficient; straw bale walls minimal windows E and W a good sized S facing window, all recycled from a friends remodel.  The winter extremes here are around -10F overnight, the coop should have an R of around 40 depending on how much clay I slap up on the walls, the floor and ceiling are going to be ~30 so the birds should be kept alive through the winter  but I am interested in making them thrive enough to lay through the winter which means light and heat.  I am planning a tiny little solar system to power a ceiling fan for ventilation, and have been thinking about the feasibility and economics of expanding that for my other needs.

Looking around for lighting I think a 2 15W full spectrum florescent tube would address the lighting needs, but heat seems prohibitively expensive.  Solar Air heaters seem to be overkill as the square footage will be well under 200 feet, and ceramic heat emitters would keep it warm but place a 12 hour 75-150W load and require what appears to be substantially more investment in PV panels and batteries.  I think I can whip up a little DIY passive solar air heater scaled down from one described in Mother Earth News (I think) a few months ago, but that wont do much over night.  Any problem solving ideas anyone can share?
 

Posted by Robert R on May 20, 2008, 04:49:59 PM

Re: Solar Chicken Coop (Reply #1)
Hi Dylan,

Sounds like an interesting project. A DIY passive solar heater might be a good alternative providing that there is a enough solar energy during the winter & thermal mass in the coop (bricks, rocks, adobe, etc) to store the heat during the day and release it in sufficient quantity during the night.

As you mentioned, electric heating utilizing PV panels is probably not economically feasible.

Another option that you might consider is the use of a backup propane catalytic heater system for use during extreme lower temperatures when solar heating may not be enough. These heaters are very efficient and would use little propane for the space that you describe. The only thing that you would want to make sure of is that there is adequate ventilation to prevent oxygen depletion in such a small space.

Bob
« Last Edit: May 20, 2008, 05:03:37 PM by Robert Reynolds »
 

Posted by Kerry Lipp on May 20, 2008, 11:04:37 PM

Re: Solar Chicken Coop (Reply #2)
Have you looked at builditsolar.com for ideas?  -Kerry
 

Posted by Kerry Lipp on May 20, 2008, 11:09:59 PM

Re: Solar Chicken Coop (Reply #3)
Also, A friend of mine was able to get his six chickens to lay through the winter by wrapping the chicken tractor with greenhouse poly and putting a lightbulb in the roosting/nesting box. 
 

Posted by Dylan Moore on May 21, 2008, 09:42:10 AM

Re: Solar Chicken Coop (Reply #4)
I wonder where the greenhouse poly wrap was?  My main concern is that last winter when we got 2 feet of snow my neighbors who had a 2x4 frame unheated but insulated (blown pink fiberglass) chicken shed had their flock freeze solid, literally one while sitting on an egg.  I figure the R in that house was only 10-15 and I should be able to triple that with out much effort but I am still concerned. 

Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a full spectrum (or even just enhanced spectrum) compact fluorescent bulb somewhere, I have only been able to find 18 and 24 inch regular tubes.

-thanks for the replies so far
dylan.
 
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