At what temperature should I start shutting their window at night?

[Messipaw]

@JackE. Thank you for your reply. The roost bar does run along the back of the coop. The back vent window is runs along the rear wall of the coop it runs the length of the two front windows and is about 10 inches wide.

 

[aart]

Jack makes good points...I wonder tho where is the roost in relation to the vent?
Would be nice to see all of the coop, do you have a link to the product that shows all of the coop inside and out...or can you post pics?


Also depends on the climate where you live (post your location in your profile), what other buildings, fences or trees are near the coop and what direction the coop is facing in regards to prevailing winds.

Looks like you have some adjustability with regards to the windows and vent so when the winter winds start to blow you can adjust for the situation.

 

[Messipaw]

 

[Messipaw]

Hi This is my coop the only difference is that I only have one roosting bar. Hope this helps and thank you

 

[aart]

Nice!

Sooooo where are you located?

 

[Messipaw]

Long Island NY

 

[Messipaw]

this is interesting. Its from the Chicken Whisperer on FB!
The Chicken Whisperer · 71,628 like this
3 hours ago ·


Well, it's that time of year again when people start posting questions about keeping their chickens warm in the winter. This means it's time for me to post my opinion on the topic, which has not changed in over two decades, so here I go...Chickens have been domesticated for about 6,000 years, yet we have only had electricity in America for the past 125 years, and the chickens have been doing just fine for the past 5,875 years without a heater in their coop. When you wake up on the morning, and it's -10 degrees, what is the first thing you see when you look out the kitchen window? Tiny little birds flying around looking for food and water, and I can assure you that they do NOT have a heater in their nest up in that tree. Chickens have feathers to keep them warm, and they do a good job of doing so. Have you ever slept under a down comforter? I have never in over five years of broadcasting over 850 episode had a poultry expert including certified avian vets, poultry scientists, poultry professors, APA, ABA, American Livestock Breeds Conservancy, Society for Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, USDA, and other poultry experts recommend heating a chicken coop, and believe me, I have asked them all because I am so passionate about this topic. That said, this by no means you don't have to use some due diligence this winter to keep your birds healthy. I will post about this a little later. You can't argue with someone that says, "I will sleep better at night knowing that my precious chickens are warm ans toasty" so I don't. However, I will try to get them to at least use a safe heat source to prevent them killing their precious chickens with kindness. Every year I post a countless number of articles about coop fires that have been caused by an unnecessary heat source. Not only are their precious chickens all dead, but their coop has been destroyed, and is some cases even their own house or neighbors house was also caught on fire!!! In most all cases in the United States, including Alaska, a heat source is not needed in your coop! Yes, this includes Silkies and Seramas! However, if you still choose to heat your coop, PLEASE PLEASE, PLEASE, use a safe heat source! If you use a dangerous heat lamp, then incorporate several safety back up devices like once you clamp the heat lamp to something, duct tape it, and then spring clamp it, and then use a chain to secure it to the ceiling! Then, four things have to fail before your coop burns to the ground! The heat lamp clamp has to break, the spring clamp has to break, the duct tape has to fail, and the chain has to break all at the exact time for the lamp to fall into the shavings and cause a fire! Or, just spend a little more money and get a safer heat source for your precious chickens. I won't even get into the possibility of doing more harm to your chickens by providing heat, and then the power going out in the middle of the night, and you chickens are not acclimated to the cold due to them having a heat lamp every night. My basic point for this post is to let my fans know that in most all cases anywhere in America that heat is not needed in your coop. Please don't kill your precious chickens with kindness. Take it or leave it, but I will continue to be passionate about not using heaters in coops.

 

[aart]

Long Island NY

You'll probably have wind coming every which way, good thing you have some options to open/close windows/vents.

 

[Skfla]

Messipaw

I'm curious how many chickens you have in your coop (if you only have 1 roost I'm thinking 5-6 tops?). That can make a big difference.

If you only have a few chickens right now & you're very worried, you can turn the roost so they roost on the "4in" (actually 3.5") side. This will allow them to sit on their feet. If you want to experiment, leave your original roost the way it is and put in a 2nd 2x4 with the wide side up. Then see which they like better on the cold nights.

If your coop is already electrified you can put a 60-100 watt bulb (just a normal Incandescent bulb, NOT a heat lamp) in the socket-check what your socket is rated for- & set the timer to come on at about 3 or 4 am. This would typically be the coldest time of night. You will get a little extra heat from the bulb & the chickens would also start moving around. You can also give them some corn, etc (we call it chicken crack down here) at night & this would warm them up.

You may want to check their combs/wattles every couple of days if you're actually worried that its cold enough for frostbite.

Any of these would be fine but only if you're worried. To be honest, I would review the "chicken whisperer's" information & listen to his web-cast. I believe he still takes call ins/emails.

Good luck & let us know what you did & how you fared!

 

[Dee5385]

I have this very same coop....and I'm wondering the same thing. I've kept my windows closed and had a heat lamp on the coop for the past week. (just got them) and the temp ina dn around 40 degrees. I've been leaving the chicken coop door open so they can come and go as they please but other then that....I sleep better knowing they can get themselves warm if they so choose to.