Moisture when winterizing??

[wyododge]

Sounds like you have it figured out but just to let you know 'drafts' do not hurt chickens. They are perfectly capable of living in a tree in temperatures far below many believe possible. Our coop is exposed to high wind in -15f. We have openings at the bottom, in the ceiling and the top of the highside wall, in addition to the door. It is 'drafty' by design.

Your birds are remarkably resilient and extremely tough.

I am not by any means knocking what your doing, just letting you know you can open your coop up with little if any concern. Looks like you have everything under control and it only took you a page and a half to get your original question answered!! Fwiw we use DE to help dry the bedding. Poo gets a crust and does not really dry in the center. The addition of a desiccant helps dry the poo quickly. The desiccant dries more efficiently.

 

[dsfrango]

Haha, yup a page and a half...Could I get DE somewhere like tractor supply? Is DE short for desiccant or is there an actual name? Thanks

 

[dsfrango]

Now the difference between drafts and ventilation.....are drafts like air going up or coming in? And ventilation air/moisture going out? Might as well as the question now since I've been wondering this for awhile

 

[wyododge]

DE is diatomaceous earth. ask around for it, just make sure to get food grade.

Ventilation is simply air movement or replacement in your coop. You simply can not have enough ventilation as your birds have evolved to live out doors. Drafts are air flow(s) which are directed onto or in close proximity to your birds. Personally I am not concerned with drafts, birds can live quite comfortably in a tree which provides little if any protection from 'drafts'.

We have ventilation holes cut into the bottom of the coop, a window on the north side (which gets blocked if it snows). The exhaust portion consists of a grated opening in the ceiling,the sliding door which has a screened opening. which is always open, and the high side of the coop which is open 12". Unless you get temps significantly into the negative (10 or lower), your birds will be fine in a screened cage. I have a neighbor who keeps birds in a two walled coop, and it gets into the -30f range regularly.

This is also why heating a coop is a waste of resources. A properly vented coop will by definition not hold any heat as the air is exchanged with outside air, completely defeating the purpose. But to each their own. There are many a member asking why their birds roost outside instead of their nice cozy coop, who never considered it may be too hot in the coop. Their personal temperature gauge is completely irrelevant to the birds, they simply can not understand the efficiency of the systems these birds have to stay alive. Most often they can not comprehend an animal being comfortable at -20, but they are.

If in doubt about air quality open your coop, you can always drape a towel over an opening to slow wind down and still provide for some air movement.

Just my opinion, although based on what I have seen and experienced here. Your experience may prove different.