Colorado

[colowyo0809]

Try maybe corner moulding?

 

[IdealisticRoo]

As far as sealing corners, I wish you could see the gaps and cracks in my chicken house!

My chicken house was built by my father out of scrap lumber more than 20 years ago, and we have had some VERY cold winters and not lost any chickens due to freezing! The only chickens lost were predators, when we would forget to "shut them up" for the night.

We have never had disease and the chickens all seem hearty. Most of mine sleep with their heads under their wings on cold nights.

Not saying that this will work for everyone, but my birds are happy and healthy!

 

[alpinefarm]

Quote:
That is what I've done...our temps are so cold at times, I was afraid my caulking might ultimately be brittle/short-lived. And we have an abundance of weasels, so I have to have everything very tight. (We actually like the weasels around for rodent control...seldom see a mouse anymore.)

I just made my own moulding strips on the table saw and nailed them into every corner.

I've never lost a chicken to the cold. It is amazing how well they do. I think heat is much harder on them than cold.

 

[ShysCreations]

Good idea Alpinefarm for the sealing corners using strips of moulding. We've also used thin metal flashing... normally used on roofs.... but we put it over the outside corners of the coop. If your worried on insulation, some inexpensive stuff is the rolls of metal...kinda like popits. It has bubbles in it but is on a very flexible roll in various widths. Just very easy to put up with a staple gun....we found the rolls at Home depot.

 

[jdopler]

also, don't worry so much about your chickens they are extremely hardy and adjust to their environment, do a little online research on Hoop coops and open hen houses, I think theres even a book about it.
http://www.nortoncreekpress.com/fresh_air_poultry_houses.html
http://attra.ncat.org/attra-pub/poulthous.html

just a couple to get you the idea.. but a couple cracks wont be the death of your girls!

 

[Rockpile99]

So long as critters can't get in, don't worry about the cracks as much as ventilation. More chickens die from respiratory disease due to poor ventilation than from the cold.

 

[alpinefarm]

Quote:
Folks always say chickens can tolerate the cold but not drafts. I am intrigued by these open-sided coops, though, as I've certainly found that humidity in my coop + extreme cold leads to frostbit combs. My solution, for now, is to open the coop window every day, but close it at night so there is no drafting while they sleep. This dries out the air and bedding during the winter when everyone is inside all the time. I am contemplating building an open air coop, though.

 

[Coopa Cabana]

Quote:
Folks always say chickens can tolerate the cold but not drafts. I am intrigued by these open-sided coops, though, as I've certainly found that humidity in my coop + extreme cold leads to frostbit combs. My solution, for now, is to open the coop window every day, but close it at night so there is no drafting while they sleep. This dries out the air and bedding during the winter when everyone is inside all the time. I am contemplating building an open air coop, though.

Rosemary, do you coop the Jaerhons with the Cochins?

 

[alpinefarm]

Quote:
Rosemary, do you coop the Jaerhons with the Cochins?

No, they are in different coops. The Jaerhons are part of my table laying flock, so they are in with other LF breeds.

 

[MyKidLuvsGreenEgz]

Quote:
Folks always say chickens can tolerate the cold but not drafts. I am intrigued by these open-sided coops, though, as I've certainly found that humidity in my coop + extreme cold leads to frostbit combs. My solution, for now, is to open the coop window every day, but close it at night so there is no drafting while they sleep. This dries out the air and bedding during the winter when everyone is inside all the time. I am contemplating building an open air coop, though.

=============
We're in the process of building more coops, and they are all gonna be open-air ... one side completely open, except for screening to keep predators out. I've found that my chickens did better this winter when I just left them alone to roost whereever in their run as opposed to when I tried to close up every gap and hole. Even the run with only 2 chickens in it are doing great.

Just my 2 cents.