External nesting box and door

[NorthGeogia]

Here's a coop I built from stuff people were throwing away. The screened doors are where the hens live. The solid panel on the right swings out to expose the nest boxes. I removed the rollers from some discarded kitchen cabinets and put them on the bottom of the nest boxes. They pull out smoothly, like a cabinet door. The upper level (behind the solid panel door) is for nest boxes. A large space under the boxes is for storage. That saves a lot of trips back and forth from the house.

 

[lazy gardener]

No. Chickens wear a down jacket all the time. MY birds have come through a winter with temps as low as minus 14 F. No supplemental heat provided. By far, the most important consideration is providing enough ventilation, which must be there year round, no matter how cold! Birds can get frost bite at 30* in a poorly ventilated coop, while going through my sub zero nights without getting frost bite b/c they have good ventilation.

Give your birds a nice wide perch to sleep on, and they will hunker down at night, tuck their head under their wing, their breast feathers will cover their toes, and they will be as snug as a bed bug in a sleeping bag!

 

[NorthGeogia]

If it's going to be a cold, windy, sleety night, I cover the large openings in the coop.
I kept the wood pieces that were removed from the original plywood sheets, and fill the openings with those. There's still ventilation at the top and sides of the coop, and the hens huddle together for warmth. If its really bad night with freezing rain,etc., I've loosely hung a tarp over the coop. Occasionally, a smart hen will find warmth in the nest box. In the morning, I open it all up again and let them free range. I never had a problem with this method.

 

[NorthGeogia]

No. Chickens wear a down jacket all the time. MY birds have come through a winter with temps as low as minus 14 F. No supplemental heat provided. By far, the most important consideration is providing enough ventilation, which must be there year round, no matter how cold! Birds can get frost bite at 30* in a poorly ventilated coop, while going through my sub zero nights without getting frost bite b/c they have good ventilation.

Give your birds a nice wide perch to sleep on, and they will hunker down at night, tuck their head under their wing, their breast feathers will cover their toes, and they will be as snug as a bed bug in a sleeping bag!

Minus 14!!! Wow, you grow 'em tough in Maine, and I've been spoiling my girls!

 

[lazy gardener]

During the month of Feb, long term forecast only shows 5 nights that are scheduled to be above single digits.

 

[TomZilla43]

During the month of Feb, long term forecast only shows 5 nights that are scheduled to be above single digits.

Yeah us southern folks have trouble wrapping our head around how cold the chickens can deal with. I know when it was forecasted to be near 0 here in TN I was absolutely concerned that the girls would be ok, but after reading how cold it gets in the more northern regions I just went with it and they have been fine during this colder than normal winter. I wonder if it's not actually a lil tougher on our chickens because of the crazy weather swings we get here though. Wednesday was like 50-60ish, this morning when I got up it was 16(felt like 4)

 

[pkgal21]

Lol yeah it's 55 today and I'm in a thick jacket and got the heater going.

 

[bruceha2000]

Geez LG, I thought you got as cold as we do We hit -22°F a couple of weeks ago. The birds do fluff up in those temps. I've posted this elsewhere but will add it here. +10°F and the girls aren't even fluffed up. The people door into the coop is open as is the metal PulletShut auto door. This old drafty barn isn't going to hold any heat.

You can see the side of the 4' long exterior community box past the people door. There is also an open 3 nest box in the coop. The bottom is 18" off the floor so it doesn't take away usable space from the girls.

If space is an issue, and I think it's best way anyway, have just a single community nesting box, you don't need several nesting boxes. Mine is rated for up to 20 hens and I have 12.

A TOTAL of 2 linear feet of nest box for 12 girls? I guess it is working for you but I go a bit fewer/nest since there are times when 4 or 5 are laying at the same time.

Lol yeah it's 55 today and I'm in a thick jacket and got the heater going.

Time to toughen up @pkgal21! I do understand though, I grew up in So. Cal. 50°F there is "winter jacket" weather. Here it is "put on a sweater if you are going to stay out very long" ... unless it is sunny and not windy . But you do have to remember, your chickens only take their down coats off once a year - when they get their new one.

 

[pkgal21]

Good to know!

My 6 year old is better about the cold than I am. I always try to get him to wear a jacket and he tells me "look mom, I'm not even cold." LOL

 

[bruceha2000]

That is when you say what my mother used to say
"Put on a sweater, I'm cold"