Here are the answers to some of the most frequently asked questions we are asked:
POULTRY HOUSING
Q. Do the chicken houses get awfully cold in winter, especially when compared to a wooden house?
A. The plastic we use is a surprisingly good insulator, even though it is a solid material. Our houses are no colder than a wooden house would be. You still need adequate ventilation which means that the temperature inside the house will be quite near that of the ambient air temperature whether you have a wooden or plastic house. Also, remember that chickens are quite tolerant of the cold, as their feathers provide good insulation. You can get insulated plastic houses, but they tend to have a two-walled construction with a foam layer between. Great for insulation but a disaster if a crack opens up (as can easily happen) as mites just love the cosy little internal spaces made available and are then almost impossible to eradicate.
Q. Do the chicken houses get awfully hot in midsummer?
A. As we said above, the plastic we use is a surprisingly good insulator, even though it is a solid material. We thought that this might be a problem for our houses, but have been delighted to find that this is not the case. One early prototype house, with a black roof, sat outside our workshop in the reflected heat from two large galvanised doors on the hottest day of the summer, and we were amazed to find that the temperature inside was quite cool - certainly no warmer than any wooden house would have been.
Q. Do the chicken houses suffer from condensation?
A. Our houses can have mild condensation, but this should not be a problem if there is sufficient ventilation. Most people, we suspect, provide inadequate ventilation, thinking that the birds need to be kept warm on chilly winter nights. However, as you probably know, the birds need plenty of fresh air to prevent respiratory problems. If you are ventilating well, the air flowing through the house will tend to make an insulated house pretty much pointless!. Since all of our poultry houses have one fixed (non-adjustable) vent (i.e. it remains permanently open) this should not be a problem.
Q. How long does it take to make a chicken house, and is it difficult?
A. We provide comprehensive instructions, and most people manage to put their house together successfully in well under an hour. You certainly don't have to be a DIY expert. It's no harder than putting together a flat-pack from IKEA, and our instructions have both clear diagrams and text written in English.
