draft versus winter, um, breeze...

[Beau coop]

A chicken coop is supposed to be draft free, but well insulated for chicken health and well being.

A run is not insulated and definitely not draft free. Is this okay for chickens?

Can someone explain this to me? It is crazy windy -50mph- here and I am worried.

 

[vstoltzfus]

It is crazy windy here in Pennsylvania, too. I let my girls out in their run at 7 am, and they can go in and out of their coop as they want. I figure if they're cold they'll go in their coop, if they're not they'll go in the run. I let them decide. So far only snow has kept them in their coop. Apparently they don't like to put their feet in the white stuff! My hens seem happy (I still get 11 eggs a day from 11 hens) so I'm not changing anything.

 

[B'villechicken]

Patandchickens can probably say it better than I, but if you give the girls a place to get out of the wind and especially when they roost at night, they will be ok. Most free range chickens care little about the wind during the day. At 50MPH, however they probably would hunker down somewhere. The draft issue comes especially at night when they roost.

 

[patandchickens]

Explanation: they need a place they can get out of the wind, especially when it's coldest. (Like, really totally out of the wind in a sufficiently-comfortably-large area, not 'mashed back under a bush where there's less wind than out in the open). If the coop is draft-free, they can go in there if they find the run unpleasant/uncomfortable; also they will be in there at night when it's coldest and they're most vulnerable.

Pat

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, in winds like that you might want to keep your chickens contained in the coop. When the wind is howling and it's cold, my chickens are true to their name, 'cause they wan't nothing to do with it outside. At least in winter, coops are for warmth, hence no drafts of cold air. Honestly, drafts in warm weather probably feel good; but not in cold weather w/frigid wind. But many chickens do want to go outside for stretching, exercise, fun?, scratching around, etc. during the day, even in bad weather. A coop gives them a dry, secure area to go back to when they need a break, need to "warm up," a nap, etc. Many people do block off parts of their run though, for wind breaks and such. I have tarps up our prevailing wind sides (NW for me). It really helps cut down on the chill.

 

[LynneP]

We put up sow boards and they make a huge difference, but today we ran into a problem- the snow is granular, like sand and the winds are savage. I offered the hens the run but they would have none of it, so they are in for the day or until the wind dies down. Sometimes it's something other than the temp that you need to consider, and having lots of floor space indoors is so *great* in this situation.

 

[gotpoodle]

Lynne, I'm sure in real life it's freezing cold and blowing, but that is a beautiful winter photo of your barn!

 

[Amethyste]

Quote:
Agreed. My girls have the run of the roost as it were between the coop and the run at all times during the day, but if it is NASTY out like what you described, they go in lockdown. Yes, they get mad at me....but then I bribe them with goodies to get myself back into their good graces again. We only have to do Birdie Lockdown a few times during the year... last year we did it when we had almost 2 feet of snow. We never get that much here.... it was really terrible

We were pretty much snowbound for 2 weeks with the deep snow and then the sub-freezing temps....

So yes, as long as the weather isnt dangerous/nasty/whatever, I let them do as they wish.

 

[possumqueen]

Hey, LynneP,

That IS a gorgeous picture!

But what is a sow board, please?

 

[Amethyste]

Think she meant snow boards.... they are just pieces of matierial set up to prevent the snow fomr getting in teh run as much and act as a windbreak also.