Newbie getting ready for winter - Insulating? Closing down Windows?

[MaggieRose2001]

I have a string of CHristmas lights on a dusk to dawn switch. The lights are on the outside of the coop. Some light does get into the hen house and run. I like them for a few reasons:
*Security- dimmly lights my back yard
*ambiance - looks cool
* Night light - does give the chickens a tiny bit of light in case they fall off the roosts in the middle of the night.

As soon as it starts getting dark my ladies retreat to the hen house so the little bit of light that does get in the coop does not appear to interupt their natual bedding down routine.

View attachment 2858207
NOTE: I think my phones camera makes the above image look much brighter than it is in real life.


However, if you string up lights directly in the coop and have them on in the evening, I would be concerned about messing with their natural routine. It is funny that you mention dimming as I was just wondering the same thing and looking at smart timers that dim. Wonder if you could create a schedule with a smart dimming timer that would get dimmer ever 10 minutes or so to attempt to mimic natural sunset.

RIght now I have my hen house and run light coming on at 6:00am and off at 9am, Sunset is around 7:40pm. I leave for work around 6:30 am so I like having the coop lit so I can can feed and water them before I go to work. The kids collect the eggs mid morning.

View attachment 2858250

Super cute coop! I’m with you that the Christmas lights add a great ambience for a long dreary winter. Maybe I’ll just do the morning thing like you do. Last year, here in Maine, it was dark by 4pm. I just thought makes for such an early bedtime. Also, since I don’t keep water it good in the coop, it also makes for a long time without any. I guess I will just experiment. I obviously want to do what’s best for them!!

 

[Ray5809]

Hi. This is my first time owning chickens. We built a coop this summer. Now that it is getting into the 50's here in Maine, I am starting to become concerned for winter. I know there are a lot of posts concerning this - but I was hoping to get more specific help concerning my coop. After all my research, I don't intend on heating my coop. We have a lot of power outages here and I just don't think it's a good idea for my situation. I also have a covered, attached run that I plan on wrapping in plastic to keep the snow out and to help protect against wind so they can spend time outside this winter. I also thought that would help with the coop as well.

My coop is 4'X8'. It has 4" ventilation running along the entire top of both 8' sides - right under the roof. On top of that I have two windows on the 4' walls. These windows, unfortunately are at roost level. I didn't consider this when I was building and designing our coop in the heat of the summer. I was thinking I would put plastic over those windows - They also have shutters that close - but I didn't know if the extra ventilation would be good during the day and if I should try and put curtains instead so they are not permanently blocked. I also have a big window in the front, but it is just glass for light - no ventilation.

The coop is just built out of panel siding that is .35" and it has metal roofing. Do I need to insulate it? Right now at midnight - it is 50 degrees outside and it is 50 degrees in the coop. So no difference between outside temperature and that of the coop. I have 10 chickens in there, btw. Well, 2 of them are Polish - so more like 8 1/2. I have a lot of cardboard boxes in the basement - would putting those up against the walls help? Do I need to cover them so the chickens don't eat them?

Aside from wondering if I should insulate - I am also concerned about condensation on the metal roof. I intend on doing deep litter (at least I think that is what it is called - where you just keep adding more bedding when you notice a smell). I have researched that doing that during the winter using hay/straw will help to insulate and keep the coop more warm. But I don't want it to get wet from condensation drops from the ceiling.

Summary:

- what should I do about the windows next to the roosts?
- what should I do about the metal roof?
- Do I need insulation?
- Do I have enough ventilation without the windows - do I have too much - should I stuff rags in some of the soffit ventilation?

Thank you for your time and help. I really appreciate it.

I raised chickens for many years in Nebraska. Chickens have feathers for warmth in the winter. My 200 laying hen house was uninsulated and not heated. The most important thing to do is make sure the water isn't frozen. They must have water. I used a chicken waterer heater and set the waterer on top. They put out just enough heat to keep the water from freezing. Close the Windows and doors to eliminate drafts, make sure you have a light set on a timer to give 12 hours of light. Let the chickens go out doors for exercise. I never had a chicken freeze. The egg production did drop about 20% on the coldest days.he
Don't worry as long as your chickens have unfrozen water and feed they will be just fine.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

I raised chickens for many years in Nebraska. Chickens have feathers for warmth in the winter. My 200 laying hen house was uninsulated and not heated. The most important thing to do is make sure the water isn't frozen. They must have water. I used a chicken waterer heater and set the waterer on top. They put out just enough heat to keep the water from freezing. Close the Windows and doors to eliminate drafts, make sure you have a light set on a timer to give 12 hours of light. Let the chickens go out doors for exercise. I never had a chicken freeze. The egg production did drop about 20% on the coldest days.he
Don't worry as long as your chickens have unfrozen water and feed they will be just fine.

Thank you so much for the advice. I’ve been shopping around for a heated water solution. Wow - 200 chickens! I can’t imagine coming up with that many names.

 

[Bella Dominique]

Impressed with your coup. Won't let my chicks see it ‘cause they’ll be complaining that theirs isn’t cute enough. Here’s just an idea I use: In winter I deep litter in the secure run, but in the coop I place a deep amount of pine shavings for insulation but always clean out their droppings each morning so there’s no build up of moisture. Never had a problem with smell or moisture. I don’t use lights but they laid all winter just the same. I think it depends on breed.

 

[DSill]

Hopped in to answer this with the experience of others in cooler climates (not for me!), but @DobieLover and @3KillerBs have already offered excellent advice, while @RoyalChick has described the importance of ventilation in keeping the coop temp closely balanced with the outside, thus avoiding condensation issues.

So I'll add only that BYC has posters raising chickens with no heat in Alaska, Canada, and the like at true temps of -30F, sometimes worse. WHat we humans consider cold, and what our down jacket wearing chickens consider cold, are two radically different things.

Also, good looking build!

I agree. It’s the heat that is hard on them!

 

[DSill]

Hopped in to answer this with the experience of others in cooler climates (not for me!), but @DobieLover and @3KillerBs have already offered excellent advice, while @RoyalChick has described the importance of ventilation in keeping the coop temp closely balanced with the outside, thus avoiding condensation issues.

So I'll add only that BYC has posters raising chickens with no heat in Alaska, Canada, and the like at true temps of -30F, sometimes worse. WHat we humans consider cold, and what our down jacket wearing chickens consider cold, are two radically different things.

Also, good looking build!

I agree. It’s the high heat that is hard on them!

 

[Ethbay72]

Very nice job on the coop and run! It looks completely predator proof. I assume you installed a predator apron and I can't see it under the soil. Correct?

I would also leave the pop door open year round to promote better air circulation by allowing fresh dry air to enter through the pop door and push stale damp air out through the high vents.

The only issue I see with your plan is doing deep litter. For deep litter to work, it really does better on the ground. So you would actually be doing deep bedding. But by not removing the nightly poop load, moisture will build up in the coop and may very well condense on the roof and drip back down on the birds. You can leave things as is and see how your first winter goes but I'd be inclined to install a poop board under the roost. The problem is, it would partially block the nest boxes.

When you wrap the run, leave the top of the short wall open. The triangular section. That will allow more ventilation. I have a mono-pitched roof on my run and I leave the triangle open on the end. Some snow does get in, but it's not a big deal.

The window next to the roost would need to be closed for winter. I would just close the shutters and that's it.

There is a chance the metal roof will sweat.

You certainly do not need to install insulation. I'm in NY, we get sub-zero stretches overnight (we've gone as low as -23 since having chickens) and they all do fine.

The key is to keep the coop as dry as possible with no drafts directly on the roosted birds that is strong enough to open feathers. With your ventilation position, you shouldn't have a problem. You can always install baffles if you need to.

Definitely do not block off any of the ventilation. I calculated just over 6 square feet of permanently open ventilation. As long as you keep up on removing the poop load and keeping the coop dry, I think they'll do fine.

The birds will still come out during the winter. What have you added to the run since completing the coop? Do you have perces in there, things to fly up on, a good substrate for them to scratch around in and dust bathe in?

Do you have power out there? You will want to heat the drinking water. I keep all the water in the run because the pop door stays open in my setup permanently.

I recommend sand on the floor of the coop. Mine looks very similar to yours, except the roof is shingled. To clean, I just use a large kitty litter scoop. I used to use shavings until I read about using sand. It’s so much easier to maintain, absorbs the moisture, and no cost after initial sand. Tho I wonder if the sand should be replaced annually. Not sure about that.

 

[Ethbay72]

Thanks for the reply. When you say you leave the pop door open - does that include at night? I usually wait until the chicks put themselves to bed and then I go out and close the door. My run has hardware cloth and a skirt - but it just gives me peace of mind. Should I leave it open in the winter for better ventilation?
I like your picture, btw.

I love my automatic chicken door! I have it on a timer to open in the morning and close at night. Peace of mind, and allows me to be lazy!

 

[DobieLover]

I recommend sand on the floor of the coop. Mine looks very similar to yours, except the roof is shingled. To clean, I just use a large kitty litter scoop. I used to use shavings until I read about using sand. It’s so much easier to maintain, absorbs the moisture, and no cost after initial sand. Tho I wonder if the sand should be replaced annually. Not sure about that.

My roof is shingled in the picture I posted showing it so I think you may have quoted the wrong person.
Regardless, I would never use sand. It doesn't decompose, it packs down and stinks when it get's wet.
The wood chips work perfectly here. I never have to clean anything. The chickens just scratch around in it and turn everything. What they don't get well, I rake about once a month.

 

[FabledFeatherFarm]

I can understand your concerns, I’m in northwest NY, and the February days where it gets down in the negative teens always make me feel bad for them. What I do is put sand at the bottom of my deep litter to absorb moisture, put straw bails around the base of my coop and run for insulation, and put Vaseline on combs and wattles on the coldest days. The worst I’ve ever had happen was one rooster with a little frost bite spot on his extra large wattles, that healed quickly. But I’ve started buying northern chicken breeds like Chantecler, Breda, Icelandic, because I just feel like it’s unfair to the temperate climate breeds to make them shiver through our winter. Just my two cents.