Urban farming is a trend that has taken off around the country, and Colorado definitely has its fair share of chicken coops and serious gardens cropping up in urban areas. This is great news for people who want fresh food right out of their backyard, but some issues can arise when you are raising animals in close proximity to a typical urban or suburban home.
Our concern over here at Sensible primarily relates to what chicken raising can mean for your air conditioning unit. Let’s just say that chickens and air conditioners are not a match made in heaven. So if you are trying to figure out where to build your coop, we highly recommend keeping it well away from your air conditioner. Worst case scenario, you might imagine chicken poop getting sucked through the unit and into your house. But the feathers can actually pose a much greater threat.
Feathers and down act much like cottonwood, which is known to have a very detrimental effect on AC performance. This type of substance can also lead to having to replace parts that have been clogged up and therefore have worn out from working so hard.
Chickens and air conditioners also don’t mix well because the unit blows out hot air. Unless you want a cooked bird, this is another reason for keeping your coop and external AC unit far apart.
If you already have a chicken coop sitting right next to your air conditioner, you should evaluate whether it makes sense to move it. And then we would also recommend getting a basic AC maintenance. When we do AC maintenance, we always wash down the outside unit to clear any debris, allowing the AC to work better and be more efficient.
If you have any additional questions about how to maintain chickens and air conditioners (just kidding, we aren’t chicken experts!), give Dan a shout at 720.876.7166 or [email protected].
