Closing coop at night?

[hbchicknmama]

So here in Southern California it's starting to cool off at night and here in HB the lows are dropping down to the high 40's (48ish?) and I'm struggling with closing the door to the coop. They are in an enclosed run and go inside by themselves when it gets dark and I have left it open for ventilation so far but I don't want them to get cold. I know some of you have chickens outside in colder temps than this but do you think I need to close the door and just have a small window for ventilation? Or leave it open because the fresh air is more important? How cold is cold for chickens?

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Presuming you don't have some rare, tropical chickens, 40s aren't cold at all, in fact, they are probably loving it! Heat is much harder on chickens than cold. Remember they have down coats on 24/7. As long as your set-up is predator proof, the door can be left open.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The only reason to close the coop door is for protection from nighttime predators. Many like myself can't wrap our minds around hundreds to thousand dollars on a weasel proof run. Opting for a secure run to stay roaming dogs, foxes, etc. during the day and a coop that keeps weasels out with latched door racoon can't open at night.

 

[JackE]

If your run is secure, leave the door open. It doesn't get cold enough on southern Cal, to ever worry about the chickens getting cold. Check out the pic below, the whole wall is open, it's about 10F, and the birds are right up front. They are waiting on me, to clear the snow for them. (Yes, they are spoiled)

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

In my large chicken shed, there's always an open door facing east so the donkeys can come and go so it's never closed up, in my bantam coop the pop hole faces north unfortunately, it will stay open until it really gets colder or the snow starts to blow in, I do use hay bales to make a wind break both inside and out. For us colder is teens and twenties.

 

[Pork Pie]

I personally close the shed door for security purposes, but theres a large window opposite so no real ventilation issues.

 

[hbchicknmama]

So they should be ok if I leave the door open? I worry that the little window, maybe 6x6 inches, is not enough clean air if I close the door.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

As long as there's no drafts on them they should be fine, if you smell ammonia or you are getting condensation or frost than there's not enough ventilation, your coop shouldn't be moist or smelly.

 

[fresnofarmer]

Here in fresno I have a smaller coop right now with tons venitilation, maybe too much, but my two girls seem fine so far with me leaving the door open at night. Actually that coop dosnt even hAve a door just a hole. Although I am about to start on a new 4 x 8 coop which I plan on keeping a little tighter on Drafts and ventilation but keeping the pop door closed at night only for security purposes.

 

[Spartan22]

We'd been having low 30s here in Ohio @night I leave all my 4 windows of the coop and pop door open to the run. I also have two 12x12 vents up high that's open all year round. I only closed the windows when it get to teens or very windy. Like others said chicken have feathers/downs to protect them and they warm each other by sleeping side by side. I have panel heater in the coop but I rarely used them, just to keep the water from turning solid on cold days.