HELP with ventilation please, frostbite on comb

[Folly's place]

Feed their normal diet, they will eat more of it to stay warm. Adding too much grain will decrease the protein level and alter the mineral balance, not a good thing.
Mary

 

[AEG]

We live in SE Georgia where it is normally hot and humid. It's been abnormally cold and windy for a couple weeks, but naturally we still have the humidity. We can handle the hot, we know what to do, but this cold and damp is different.

It is cold and windy today. Tonight, it is going to be 24 with 20+mph winds, so the wind chill will be in the teens. (temps are Fahrenheit)

My coop is a 10x12 converted shed with several large windows as well as ventilation we added in the roof peaks. This ventilation works well for us in our normal climate.

Currently, the inside temp is the same as the outside temp. So, at night it's been 30 outside - inside temp is the same.

No drafts, no unsealed holes. There is no condensation inside - walls, ceiling, or windows. The floor is suspended, wood, and I have it covered with vinyl flooring for easy clean up. I have about 4 inches of pine shavings on the floor. I cannot smell any ammonia. Their roost is about 4.5 feet off the floor with a poop tray underneath that I clean daily. I use DE and PDZ on the poop tray, but have added dry shavings daily to help with the cooler temps. Since the roost is near the wall - which is uninsulated metal - I hung curtains a week or so ago as a barrier between them and the wall, so they wouldn't be directly up against the cold metal. Behind the roost only, not the whole coop. Just used what I had to be frugal, since we don't normally need to winterize much, and it won't be up there long.

Seven chickens, big walk-in coop space with high ceilings.

I have been closing the windows and the pop door. Windows are the same height as their roosts. Pop door is, of course, on the floor.

*I'll post a picture of the roost, window, pop door relation.

This morning, I have two chickens with mild frostbite on their combs. Obviously, that is moisture related and likely due to our humidity combined with the abnormally cold, windy temps. I can't change the humidity. I keep the coop clean and dry.

My question: Should I keep the pop door open to increase circulation from the floor up to the roof vents? What else can I do?

You are doing everything right. Lucky girls. Only advice I can give you from Canada where today my girls are facing -30C is we use Vaseline on their combs. They let you just rub it on once a day and it protects them

 

[BethKimco]

I brought each of my hens with frostbite in the house for 20 minutes and then applied mushers secret. Helped a lot and all doing well.

 

[catballou]

I’m in a much colder climate than you (0 F last night and tonight) and my chickens have been spared frostbite so far. This may be due to the breeds I have. I’ve left my coop unheated on nights that go down to ten, which is more typical here in winter. When it dips below that, I have an electric space heater that works with my phone app. It’s running right now. One thing I’ve come to like about it is not only does it quickly heat the coop 20 degrees above ambient, but it also quickly brings down humidity. As you point out, humidity plays a key role in frostbite. My coop is well ventilated with no drafts, but also no insulation. I think with my arrangement I am doing well uninsulated. One serendipitous plus for my coop— we built a hoop coop, but used greenhouse grade tarp rather than heavy dark tarp. This lets in plenty of natural sunlight during the day and, on those days when we don’t let the chickens out, the greenhouse effect can heat it to 60 degrees even on a very cold winter day, with no added heat. I’m sure the warmth coupled with sunlight lifts their spirits.

Can please post a photo or two of coop? I'd love to see how you have it set up for winter.

 

[Couchmo]

We live in SE Georgia where it is normally hot and humid. It's been abnormally cold and windy for a couple weeks, but naturally we still have the humidity. We can handle the hot, we know what to do, but this cold and damp is different.

It is cold and windy today. Tonight, it is going to be 24 with 20+mph winds, so the wind chill will be in the teens. (temps are Fahrenheit)

My coop is a 10x12 converted shed with several large windows as well as ventilation we added in the roof peaks. This ventilation works well for us in our normal climate.

Currently, the inside temp is the same as the outside temp. So, at night it's been 30 outside - inside temp is the same.

No drafts, no unsealed holes. There is no condensation inside - walls, ceiling, or windows. The floor is suspended, wood, and I have it covered with vinyl flooring for easy clean up. I have about 4 inches of pine shavings on the floor. I cannot smell any ammonia. Their roost is about 4.5 feet off the floor with a poop tray underneath that I clean daily. I use DE and PDZ on the poop tray, but have added dry shavings daily to help with the cooler temps. Since the roost is near the wall - which is uninsulated metal - I hung curtains a week or so ago as a barrier between them and the wall, so they wouldn't be directly up against the cold metal. Behind the roost only, not the whole coop. Just used what I had to be frugal, since we don't normally need to winterize much, and it won't be up there long.

Seven chickens, big walk-in coop space with high ceilings.

I have been closing the windows and the pop door. Windows are the same height as their roosts. Pop door is, of course, on the floor.

*I'll post a picture of the roost, window, pop door relation.

This morning, I have two chickens with mild frostbite on their combs. Obviously, that is moisture related and likely due to our humidity combined with the abnormally cold, windy temps. I can't change the humidity. I keep the coop clean and dry.

My question: Should I keep the pop door open to increase circulation from the floor up to the roof vents? What else can I do?

Can you possibly put up a temporary wall to reduce their space? 10 x 12 is larger than they need. If their space was smaller, their body heat would help raise the temp inside. Also, if you cold insulate even a bit on the walls, it would help. Cheap insulation such as empty water/soda bottles, crumpled up paper/newspaper, old clothing/rags, styrofoam packing. If you have a local sheep farmer, they may have some wool that would work. Any combination of these materials & if you can’t do all the walls, start with at least the north, then the east facing sides. Best wishes

 

[aart]

Can you possibly put up a temporary wall to reduce their space? 10 x 12 is larger than they need. If their space was smaller, their body heat would help raise the temp inside. Also, if you cold insulate even a bit on the walls, it would help. Cheap insulation such as empty water/soda bottles, crumpled up paper/newspaper, old clothing/rags, styrofoam packing. If you have a local sheep farmer, they may have some wool that would work. Any combination of these materials & if you can’t do all the walls, start with at least the north, then the east facing sides. Best wishes

Adequate ventilation, which is essential, makes a space 'holding heat' moot.

 

[catballou]

Chickens need heat.cozy panels work well.they can stand near.
I have many in each coop.Small coops work better though.
bring them in ,-21 last week by me,their in.dog kennels whatever.Fed ,warm their happy.Let out short times to stretch Outside day.
My farmer friends use the scary heat lamps but they are careful.They have on on off thermostat at ,tractor supply has them.Comes on below freezing.

I turn on my hanging heat lamp when it goes below 20°. It keeps it 10° warmer than without it. It's hanging 7' up. I may lower a bit next weekend - it's going down to 0° again.

 

[catballou]

Can you possibly put up a temporary wall to reduce their space? 10 x 12 is larger than they need. If their space was smaller, their body heat would help raise the temp inside. Also, if you cold insulate even a bit on the walls, it would help. Cheap insulation such as empty water/soda bottles, crumpled up paper/newspaper, old clothing/rags, styrofoam packing. If you have a local sheep farmer, they may have some wool that would work. Any combination of these materials & if you can’t do all the walls, start with at least the north, then the east facing sides. Best wishes

Bubble wrap works well too!