Close the coop door at night?

[chickencrazylady]

I use the back half of my garden shed as my chicken coop with the run attached at the side and a coop pop door. I live in Northern Alberta, Canada and this is my first winter with chickens. All my non chicken friends and family are telling me to close up the coop door at night to keep the chickens warm. Winter is upon us up here and it is known to get an average of -20 most of the winter. The run is fully plastic wrapped with a metal roof, I can still go in the run and feed and sit with my chickens with just sweat pants and shirt on and cotton gloves, but I know that will be ending soon.
I insulated and vapor barrier with 1/4 plywood walls, the loft above is about 1 1/2 feet to the peak of the roof stuffed solid with hay. I have an indoor/out thermostat which I can read in the house and so far it's only made it down to -2 in the coop I only have a 60 watt light in the coop at this time but plan on getting an heat light next week.

 

[Hunter0704]

Yes, the coop pop door should be closed, more for safety than anything else and from predators. It will also keep your chickens warmer and not let breezes blow inside. Drafts are not good for chickens. I live in the US in Missouri and my coop has house siding on the outside, insultation between that and the wood walls and it does get down to zero degrees in the winter here. I don't know how your chicks will make it with plastic wrapping????

The roof needs to be ventilated and the ventilation should be open all winter...to remove all moisture that accumulates in the winter from your chickens breathing and the moisture from their poop. It will rise in the coop. The vent should be placed high in the coop on a wall....also take some 1 inch foam insulation sheets and attach them to the inside of the roof to keep condensation that will collect on the metal roof, from dripping on your chickens. Chickens have to be kept dry. Take that hay out of the roof of the coop...it will get wet from condensation and rising moisture and it can cause your chickens to get pneumonia.

I don't know how old your chickens are, or how tall your coop is inside. If they are at least 8-10 weeks old and are fully feathered out, and are somewhat familiar with cold temps, a light bulb placed in the top of the coop roof should be 150 watts for really cold weather. My coop roof is 3 1/2 feet from the coop floor. If they are older birds and are used to cold weather, then I would still put in at least 100 watt bulb. Chickens if warm will move away from heat, but if they are cold you will find them on roosts high up in the coop under the light.

I hope these suggestions are helpful??? Good luck with your flock!

Sorry, I didn't see your coop roof is 1 1/2 feet from the coop floor...so yes, a 60-75 watt bulb should work.

 

[chickencrazylady]

The inside of my coop 4x8x5.5 feet high. from the coop ceiling to the peak of the roof is 1 1/2. 4 foot wide south wall with an 1x2 window with pop door.