Chickens wont get water in the snow

[RobertaD1]

If you notice the wind coming in that window at a pretty good clip... Take a furnace filter and cut it down to fit the window. That will cut down the wind but still allow for ventilation.

 

[RobertaD1]

I could do something like that, your idea makes sense and doesnt seem too hard

I just went back and looked at your coop... It is VERY doable! Nice square design... easy to move walls....

 

[RoyalChick]

By looking at BYC I learned 'more ventilation the better'. Just search on ventilation in articles and you will find a lot. @aart I think may have one and can weight in.
To give you a sense I have 5 hens and I have:
- A roof ridge vent so the whole of the peak of the roof is vented
- Open soffits on both sides (covered with hardware cloth of course)
- Fully open gable ends (the triangle where you show your vent is what I mean) - I left the whole triangle open (again covered in hardware cloth) and I put a baffle inside just to deflect any snow or rain blowing in - some snow did come in last night but nothing much
- Like you, my coop opens into a covered run so on that wall I have some other holes cut in the walls
- And finally I leave the tops of the windows open
Basically, high up above the roosts it is pretty free flowing air, but at roost level it is out of the wind.
I may have overdone the ventilation - but I was convinced from what I read about the importance of ventilation so I just put in as much as I could figure how to fit in.

 

[Acre4Me]

During the day I would I would put water in the coop. If no electric, get black rubber livestock bowls - easier to deal with in the cold.

Space requirements. Don’t overly stress over that. Your flock will tell you if they have enough space - not enough and they start to have issues. Sometimes you have issues bc of a particularly unpleasant hen - even with tons of space. My coop does not provide 4 sqft per bird...but it has ample roost area. We do not have problems.

Ventilation. Yes, you need more, but you have some- that is good. Structurally, I don’t know that you can just cut away the entire side to open it up...just be thoughtful with that. Next spring you can do a variety of things to improve the ventilation. You could put in roof vents so air moves up and out without blowing in the birds. Maybe you can raise the roof off the sides, using 2x4 to get that1.5” height all around the base if the roof - air comes in, but above the heads of the roosting birds. Cover openings with HWC. For 4 birds, you won’t need to do too much, but additional ventilation will be beneficial for them.

snow - you may be able to cover 1-2 sides of run with a board or plastic to keep out prevailing winds and some Of the snow.

 

[aart]

Keep in mind that they drink a lot less water in cold weather and they will also eat snow for hydration.

Mine drink just about as much, unless they've been noshing snow.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Should we keep the windows open?

Absolutely, if you want them to live.
Unless they are extremely fragile breeds.

 

[CIuck]

Thank you guys. I will talk to my fam about changing the coop

 

[Sueby]

If you notice the wind coming in that window at a pretty good clip... Take a furnace filter and cut it down to fit the window. That will cut down the wind but still allow for ventilation.

I do this in one of my windows & it works great.

My littles also wouldn't go out to eat or drink. I put down leaves & scratch & chased them out of the coop & locked the door behind them. They got over it quick & ate & drank so I let them back in.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Should I cut it on all sides?

Plan on vents on sides that don't face into prevailing winds - only you know the answer for your lot.

As a general rule, the wall facing into the covered run is an ideal place for large vents as the roof provides a lot of protection.