Coop Temperature confusion

[KnARanch]

Pop doors, wind breaks, humidity controls, horse sawdust, poop insulation?? I'm so confused about keeping my chickies comfortable over the winter!!  



Our shoop is tight. We have a 4x4" solar powered fan (battery backup) and 2 large doors. The doors fit securely to the shoop, but there are minor cracks where light gets through. He has installed a tarp to place securely over the doors at night to protect from snow and wind. There is a tarp over the enclosure to the west but not to the east (we rarely get wind from the east.)
It has a sturdy wood & plywood floor and is raised about 1 foot off the ground.

We now have a thermostat and heat lamp inside & ready to go as it has already been in the 20s overnight here

What in-coop temperatures are best for the hens? We live in Zone 4a in East Central Minnesota. We are sticking with straw for bedding and nesting.

Thank you!

 

[rosemarythyme]

What lows do you get (real temperature, not wind chill)? It sounds like your coop is completely sealed up, what's the humidity like inside vs outside with the fan running?

General recommendation on here is to NOT heat or insulate a coop, and to have ample ventilation to allow moisture to escape. Feathers will keep healthy, standard chickens warm down to -10F or even more as long as they can stay dry and protected from drafts.

 

[KnARanch]

What lows do you get (real temperature, not wind chill)? It sounds like your coop is completely sealed up, what's the humidity like inside vs outside with the fan running?

General recommendation on here is to NOT heat or insulate a coop, and to have ample ventilation to allow moisture to escape. Feathers will keep healthy, standard chickens warm down to -10F or even more as long as they can stay dry and protected from drafts.

Without wind chill, it can get as low as -15. Couldn't tell you the humidity level - but we do want them to be comfortable not just surviving. Do they just go dormant?

We want to let them out in the winter. Is that not a good idea either?

still confused!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Without wind chill, it can get as low as -15. Couldn't tell you the humidity level - but we do want them to be comfortable not just surviving. Do they just go dormant?

We want to let them out in the winter. Is that not a good idea either?

still confused!

See if you can get a hygrometer. Barring that, keep an eye on any windows or metal surfaces in the coop - if you see condensation inside, then humidity is higher inside.

No they don't go dormant but assuming you don't supplement light they'll spend more time resting/sleeping and less time eating. If they're still laying, you'll likely see a drop in egg production.

Many chickens don't like snow. Some do. My flock is spoiled and I shovel pathways in the snow so they'll come out. I think the common approach is to leave the pop door open and let them decide if they want to be in or out. Forcing them to stay confined, especially if you don't have an overabundance of space in the coop, can cause behavioral issues.

 

[rjmyooper]

Without wind chill, it can get as low as -15. Couldn't tell you the humidity level - but we do want them to be comfortable not just surviving. Do they just go dormant?

I live in the same climate as you, in the U.P. of Mi. Our Winters are dry. Not worried about humidity at all. I'm more concerned about warm water and ventilation vs draft.

 

[rjmyooper]

I like these for my mushroom operation, but I'm hanging a set in the coop. They have probes on long wires, and extra outlets are included.

 

[Debbie292d]

Pop doors, wind breaks, humidity controls, horse sawdust, poop insulation?? I'm so confused about keeping my chickies comfortable over the winter!!  



Our shoop is tight. We have a 4x4" solar powered fan (battery backup) and 2 large doors. The doors fit securely to the shoop, but there are minor cracks where light gets through. He has installed a tarp to place securely over the doors at night to protect from snow and wind. There is a tarp over the enclosure to the west but not to the east (we rarely get wind from the east.)
It has a sturdy wood & plywood floor and is raised about 1 foot off the ground.

We now have a thermostat and heat lamp inside & ready to go as it has already been in the 20s overnight here

What in-coop temperatures are best for the hens? We live in Zone 4a in East Central Minnesota. We are sticking with straw for bedding and nesting.

Thank you!

A consideration is what breed of chickens do you have? Some are very cold-hardy, and some aren't.

We heat our coops to 40/45°F, for two reasons: one, these are silkies and I'd rather not have to worry about them fighting to stay warm when it's subzero, and two, I am getting too old to be trudging out to the coops lugging water and to gather frozen eggs.

If your breeds of chickens aren't so cold-hardy, or are elderly, very young, or frizzled, then maybe consider just getting a radiant panel heater like sweeter heaters or the smaller, less expensive ones called Cozy Coop. We have three of those and use them in our growout pens. They each have a hutch or a shed, and they cuddle together next to the Cozy Coop at night. They could be hung on the wall next to the roosts or set on the ground. They will not heat your coop, but the chickens can stand next to them if they're cold. They are safe because they shut off if they are somehow tipped over.

 

[Debbie292d]

Without wind chill, it can get as low as -15. Couldn't tell you the humidity level - but we do want them to be comfortable not just surviving. Do they just go dormant?

We want to let them out in the winter. Is that not a good idea either?

still confused!

Like @rosemarythyme's, our silkies will come out if you shovel for them. I won't let them out if it's below 15/20F, though, or windy.

 

[TheChickenGirl16]

What breeds do you have?

 

[KnARanch]

See if you can get a hygrometer. Barring that, keep an eye on any windows or metal surfaces in the coop - if you see condensation inside, then humidity is higher inside.

No they don't go dormant but assuming you don't supplement light they'll spend more time resting/sleeping and less time eating. If they're still laying, you'll likely see a drop in egg production.

Many chickens don't like snow. Some do. My flock is spoiled and I shovel pathways in the snow so they'll come out. I think the common approach is to leave the pop door open and let them decide if they want to be in or out. Forcing them to stay confined, especially if you don't have an overabundance of space in the coop, can cause behavioral issues.

I have no idea what a pop door is and i don't think we have one.
The gauge we have shows temp & humidity, supposedly. Can humidity get too low?
I'm sure I'll be tasked with making a path for them out the door and into the run.
The light they will get is from the opening of the west door, enough for them to go in and out, but not so much to let the wind in.

So, only use the heat lamp if it gets below -10?