My greenhouse friend

isnt he cute LOL, he does help keep those bugs off the ground. I have a hen that stays in there too, Their free to roam in and out and their water is in there.

awww...I love chickens..unfortunately so does our neighborhood fox family
:(

kathy_ann, I can't see what your talking about?? I must be blind again....lol.
:) Donna

The little chicken way back in the back on the floor LOL

kathy

Oh....lol. I see something spotted but couldn't tell it was a chicken....lol.
:) Donna

I tried to lighten it up so you could see her better

thanks, Actually it's a him, LOL.

I see him, I see him clearly know....lol. Thanks, Jazz!
:) Donna

I think integrating chickens and greenhouses is a great idea, for bug control and for keeping the birds from freezing in the winter.

I'm in the planning stage for a passive solar-heated greenhouse with an adjoining small coop for perhaps a half dozen birds. Our temps regularly go down as far as minus 40 F. during the winter here in the mountains. The thought is that the greenhouse will be in full use for raising seedlings from March to May. Over the colder winter months, it could provide some heat for the birds, possibly keeping them above freezing.

Does anyone have any hands-on experience with this scheme? If I provided a passage way between coop and greenhouse, would the birds be smart enough to leave a super-heated greenhouse during sunny winter days before they prematurely roasted?

Wayne

Do you think you could get a greenhouse to be super heated withtemps that low? I'd be scared to even try that one LOL. That's just too cold if you ask me. I hope you get some help here, but I sure don't know a thing about this.

kathy

>Do you think you could get a greenhouse to be super heated withtemps that low?

Probably not at minus 40 but when it warms up to a balmy 0 degrees perhaps. (Plus, I've seen 60 degrees F here in Feb.) The frigid temps are usually the result of very clear skies. My goal is to capture enough solar radiation to keep temps up near freezing when it does bottom out. I'm thinking of a 9'x12' pit greenhouse with eight 55 gallon water drums for heat absorption and insulating covers for nights. I have no illusions of growing tomatoes all winter but it would be nice to transfer some of that free heat to the birds without cooking them.

Wayne

Wayne, You probably need to start a new thread in the greenhouse forum, so You can get some proper answers to your questions. There are quite a few folks there that can help you out, but won't be coming to this thread cause they don't want to see a chicken in the greenhouse LOL.

I've always thought chickens were ugly myself. BUT yesterday at my mom's doc's office, the nurse had photos on her bulletin board and two were the oddest critters--white and fluffy with furry feet, like a cross between a snow white persian cat and a chicken. They were incredible! I asked about them and was told they are "Silkies". They're beautiful!!! Have y'all seen them? If I were going to raise chickens, those are the ones I'd have. And I imagine they'd be "lap chicks". They look too soft and adorable to put down. LOL Here's a link to some pics.

http://www.backyardchickens.com/breeds/bantams_silkies.html

NancyAnn

Just look at those furry feet! Now ya gotta admit, that's just CUTE!

N.

yep, Ihave heard of them, quite diff looking aren't they LOL. They have some weirdo chickens out there, I"ve even seen pictures of them being featherless. LOL can you imagine, No feathers. They'd be dead in the wintertime without feathers.


Kathy

Your right, of couse kathy_ann.

But who wouldn't want to see a chicken in the greenhouse? :)

Wayne

I don't know, LOL. I've seen some threads in the greenhouse forum, on heating with rabbit pellets, they had rabbits down thecenter of the greenhouse and the pellets heated the greenhouse, and this one was way up northlike you and they said the temps in the greenhouse . I just can't remember them, but it was a nice toasty warm greenhouse and that twas the only way they heated it. I wish I could find that thread.


kathy

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/478244/

There ya go :)

Thanks jazzpunkin


Go look at that thread Wayne, it's really neat.

Nothing on solar heating though. Just about the rabbit pellets heating the greenhouse.

Thanks jazzpunkin & Kathy_ann.

I'll take a look at it. Long ago I had a small-scale rabbitry. I've been thinking about getting back into it, if I could find a steady market for them. Something to consider in addition to the chicks.

A greenhouse menagarie?

Wayne

I have a rabbit but no greenhouse..hmm.. I wonder if one rabbit would be enough for a little harbor freight GH?? I am sure the rabbit would appreciate the extra shelter during the winter but I would have to move him out in the warmer months