Cold Tonight - Close Shutters?

micstrachan

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Apr 10, 2016
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Santa Cruz Mountains, California
So don’t laugh, but it’s going to dip below freezing for a few hours tonight here in California, and I’m wondering if I should keep my coop windows wide open, as usual. Here are the details:
Original coop is about 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 and 6 feet tall. All four walls have an 18-inch square window, but one is really a doorway that heads into the second floor of the coop (addition). Three chickens sleep in there. Two snuggle up, but my Barred Rock is queen of her roost and sleeps alone. The roosts have towels wrapped around them. There is no insulation (but there is a shed over the roof), and there are a few inches of pine shavings on the bottom.
The second story is about 51/2 x 3 and about 5 feet tall. Two walls have windows. One has ventilation holes drilled. There is no insulation on any wall, floor, or roof and there are a couple inches of rice hulls on the floor and the roosts are wrapped in towels. Six chickens sleep in there. Four on a lower roost and two up high.
Should I leave all the windows wide open? I know how important ventilation is, but this is a pretty drastic swing in temperature considering I was out in shorts and a tank top on Saturday.
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. I’m inclined to leave it alone. I just wish the temperature had changed more gradually.
 
They are wearing down coats, they will tuck their heads under their wings. They will be toasty. The important thing with cold is that you MUST have good ventilation, while not producing any draft on the chickens as they roost. That is what you need to assess. Only you can assess that, given your climate, and your coop set up.

Night time temps in my area have been between minus 14* and rarely reaching + teens this winter. Only recently am I seeing temps getting up to 20s and we are having a heat wave now with temps in 30's. I keep some ventilation open all winter long.
 
So don’t laugh, but it’s going to dip below freezing for a few hours tonight here in California, and I’m wondering if I should keep my coop
So don’t laugh, but it’s going to dip below freezing for a few hours tonight here in California, and I’m wondering if I should keep my coop windows wide open, as usual. Here are the details:
Original coop is about 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 and 6 feet tall. All four walls have an 18-inch square window, but one is really a doorway that heads into the second floor of the coop (addition). Three chickens sleep in there. Two snuggle up, but my Barred Rock is queen of her roost and sleeps alone. The roosts have towels wrapped around them. There is no insulation (but there is a shed over the roof), and there are a few inches of pine shavings on the bottom.
The second story is about 51/2 x 3 and about 5 feet tall. Two walls have windows. One has ventilation holes drilled. There is no insulation on any wall, floor, or roof and there are a couple inches of rice hulls on the floor and the roosts are wrapped in towels. Six chickens sleep in there. Four on a lower roost and two up high.
Should I leave all the windows wide open? I know how important ventilation is, but this is a pretty drastic swing in temperature considering I was out in shorts and a tank top on Saturday.
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. I’m inclined to leave it alone. I just wish the temperature had changed more gradually.
I'm in CA. Too, I closed up my coop as best I could added wood over open ventilation to keep my hens safe, also be sure to check water in the morning. The chickens can't drink ice!
windows wide open, as usual. Here are the details:
Original coop is about 5 1/2 x 5 1/2 and 6 feet tall. All four walls have an 18-inch square window, but one is really a doorway that heads into the second floor of the coop (addition). Three chickens sleep in there. Two snuggle up, but my Barred Rock is queen of her roost and sleeps alone. The roosts have towels wrapped around them. There is no insulation (but there is a shed over the roof), and there are a few inches of pine shavings on the bottom.
The second story is about 51/2 x 3 and about 5 feet tall. Two walls have windows. One has ventilation holes drilled. There is no insulation on any wall, floor, or roof and there are a couple inches of rice hulls on the floor and the roosts are wrapped in towels. Six chickens sleep in there. Four on a lower roost and two up high.
Should I leave all the windows wide open? I know how important ventilation is, but this is a pretty drastic swing in temperature considering I was out in shorts and a tank top on Saturday.
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated. I’m inclined to leave it alone. I just wish the temperature had changed more gradually.
 
Ok, thanks. I don’t feel a draft, but do wonder if there is a draft in the doorway between coops, since the lower floor windows are below it and the upper floor windows are beneath it. One of the chickens roosts bear that space. However, she can put her head in the corner and her tail out into the space if she wants.
If it had gradually gotten cold, I wouldn’t think a thing of it. It’s the sudden drop that (mildly) concerns me.
 
We have had some temperature swings like that here. I have left everything alone, didn't close any windows. They just huddle closer together on those nights.
 

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