Closing coop windows at night? Yea or nay? What says YOU?

[Sarkchick]

Hi neighbor, what part of Arkansas are you in? I'm in the SE, just south of Monticello.

 

[Bear1978]

Hi neighbor, what part of Arkansas are you in? I'm in the SE, just south of Monticello.

Howdy! I’m up in central Arkansas north of Conway!

 

[Kiki]

70 is not cold.
Can you get pictures of your coop please?

 

[Bear1978]

These are pics of it from last week prior to me getting everything done. But you can get the idea.

 

[Bear1978]

It’s a 6x4 coop. 6 young pullets in it. Aside from
The windows as ventilation the open soffets at the top are screened in with HW cloth. But that’s it beside the 3 windows; 2 on the north side under the covered run and the larger one on the south side. Not under the run.

 

[Bear1978]

Ventilation is most important! If the hardware cloth is well attached, leave those windows open!
Consider changing the solid window shutters to being hinged at the top of each window, so you can prop them open that way, as awnings to keep the rain out.
Mary

Yep! The smaller ones that are in the pic are actually under the covered run. The bigger one I’ve fashioned as you mentioned so that when it’s open the shutter acts as a cover for the rain.

Is 1/4in HW cloth just as sturdy as the 1/2in variety? Because that is what I have covering the smaller windows and soffits vs the 1/2in covering the larger, putter window.

 

[Bear1978]

1/4" is usually thinner wire so less strong than typical 1/2" but I'd say generally it should be good enough on most coops against most predators.

All my windows have 1/2" HWC, but all other vents (under eave, gable, floor, ridge) have 1/4".

Gotcha, luckily the 1/4 covered windows are under the secured chicken run. That just leaves the smaller soffits with the 1/4in covering it but they are up high. Everything else is the 1/2in stuff.

 

[Sarkchick]

Beautiful area. We travel thru yearly going to Eureka Springs. We only have flat land with a lot of timber. And Hot Humid weather. Down right nasty