solar fans and lights

[George Ann]

Wow, I havent been here for awhile, many new members! Well, I finnaly got the chicken house built and have some 5 doz baby chicks that are all doing well. (they are sooooo cute!) It is a ways away from electricity though so I started looking for solar powered light and fans for it. I remember looking at vent fans a couple years ago and found many around 25.00 Now the ones I saw then (as I remember) are 89.00, 99.00 and up. Can someone please advise me on the least expensive way to get some light and ventalation going before the chicks grow up and dont need it to be so warm any more?

[TeeByrd]

I wonder if you made a black foundation around the outside of the building that soaked up the suns warmth that would rise through the roof it you had a vent in the roof and combined that with a small room configured as a dehumidifying vent at floor level would keep the air circulating and provide a small breeze. the temperature would stay warm but it would be easier to maintain and closer to a natural evironment. Maybe you would need to set the floor to pull some of the warmth to certain areas of the room so that there are cool pockets and such but it may make sense.

I've been playing with thermal ventilation this summer because my room is the top floor of a house and I am refusing to use house fans or an air conditioner (at least for now)

[George Ann]

Actualy we built it to self ventilate. 8 X 15 with one long side about 3" higher than the other. On the high side we made an 8 in wide area with just hail screen to let out heat and keep varmits out. There are 2 windows with hail screen on the oposite side, but it is still 110 with the door closed. I have read that hens lay eggs around 80. This is still a few months off but I need to solve the problem before they get that old.