How cold is too cold?

[WisconsinGardenChick]

Thanks so much, Pat for the thoughtful and detailed response. Much of what you are advising is what we were thinking we should do. I'm just having a lot of anxiety since this is my first experience of chicken-keeping. It's very reassuring to get advice from someone with experience.

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Here are a couple of photos of the ventilation holes. There's a space between the top of the roost box and the roof of the entire enclosure. The ventilation holes open into that space.

View of a ventilation hole from inside the roostbox (you can see the roost bar at the bottom of the photo):

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We plan to do this.

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That's where we are planning to put the additional window that opens. I.e., above the hinges in the photo below - a long horizontal window.

We don't have a droppings board yet, but I do remove the droppings from beneath the roost every morning while they are still on top of the bedding.

I'm hoping not to have to heat - for a variety of reasons.

Thanks again for all your help, Pat!

Katherine

 

[patandchickens]

Oh ok, I hadn't "gotten" the part before about the coop having a drop ceiling that opens onto the run -- that should be really GOOD for ventilation. If you add additional holes in the ceiling, I'd put them at the edge furthest from the roost (you may find that having them right over the roost like that creates a cold downdraft, you will sort of have to wait and see).

Sounds like you are aware of the issues and on top of them, and should be fine

Good luck, have fun, cute coop,

Pat