How do i winterize this coop

[Lenny loves chickens]

How to keep this warm for negitive degree weather my chickens got frostbite. The bottom is the inside it has two roost above....I am using pine shavings and hay in the run and in coop. And a tarp over the run. Idk what else to do put I need to do something

 

[azygous]

Check the air flow and ventilation. That, more than anything, is what can cause frostbite when water vapor from the chickens' breathing condenses on combs and freezes. Cold air, being heavy, comes in through low openings and pushes at warmer air inside causing it to rise toward the ceiling. If you have proper vents at the top, this warmer air carries the moisture out through the vents. If there are no vents, this moist air is trapped and accumulates as humidity, and it can freeze into dangerous ice crystals.

For the small space inside, you can keep the temp from going below freezing by hanging a ceramic heat emitter or a Cozy coop heater which is flat and hangs on the wall. Be aware that a light of any color will interfere with the hormonal development of chicks. It's not a good idea beyond age six weeks.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Check the air flow and ventilation. That, more than anything, is what can cause frostbite when water vapor from the chickens' breathing condenses on combs and freezes. Cold air, being heavy, comes in through low openings and pushes at warmer air inside causing it to rise toward the ceiling. If you have proper vents at the top, this warmer air carries the moisture out through the vents. If there are no vents, this moist air is trapped and accumulates as humidity, and it can freeze into dangerous ice crystals.

For the small space inside, you can keep the temp from going below freezing by hanging a ceramic heat emitter or a Cozy coop heater which is flat and hangs on the wall. Be aware that a light of any color will interfere with the hormonal development of chicks. It's not a good idea beyond age six weeks.

That's when they were younger....they were born the week before easter.....anyway.....the humity is 90% and I cant figure out how to get it down when I open the ventilation it gets higher what should I do

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Check the air flow and ventilation. That, more than anything, is what can cause frostbite when water vapor from the chickens' breathing condenses on combs and freezes. Cold air, being heavy, comes in through low openings and pushes at warmer air inside causing it to rise toward the ceiling. If you have proper vents at the top, this warmer air carries the moisture out through the vents. If there are no vents, this moist air is trapped and accumulates as humidity, and it can freeze into dangerous ice crystals.

For the small space inside, you can keep the temp from going below freezing by hanging a ceramic heat emitter or a Cozy coop heater which is flat and hangs on the wall. Be aware that a light of any color will interfere with the hormonal development of chicks. It's not a good idea beyond age six weeks.

When I open ventilation I get high humidity and when I close it I get 16% what happens when theres low humidity

 

[azygous]

If the humidity is 90% when you open the vents, then you need more vents. How are you measuring humidity? I think you are confusing yourself unnecessarily by the humidity. Forget it.

Try to picture air flow. I know you can't see air, so plug in your imagination. Warm air is light and it wants to rise, so you need vents up high for the warm moist air to escape.

Picture cold air now. It's heavy, much heavier than warm air. So it pushes in through the pop holes down low and exerts pressure on the warm air inside. This causes a natural air flow pattern from down low to up high, and air escapes through vents at the top. You need to make sure there are large enough openings up high for the warm moist air to escape. This is air flow, not drafts, which are bad.

Now, go back and read my first post and consider adding a little amount of heat to counteract the freezing temps. You only need to raise the temp to 33F not 75F. Wrapping coop and run in plastic will hold in the moisture and risk of frostbite becomes higher.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

If the humidity is 90% when you open the vents, then you need more vents. How are you measuring humidity? I think you are confusing yourself unnecessarily by the humidity. Forget it.

Try to picture air flow. I know you can't see air, so plug in your imagination. Warm air is light and it wants to rise, so you need vents up high for the warm moist air to escape.

Picture cold air now. It's heavy, much heavier than warm air. So it pushes in through the pop holes down low and exerts pressure on the warm air inside. This causes a natural air flow pattern from down low to up high, and air escapes through vents at the top. You need to make sure there are large enough openings up high for the warm moist air to escape. This is air flow, not drafts, which are bad.

Now, go back and read my first post and consider adding a little amount of heat to counteract the freezing temps. You only need to raise the temp to 33F not 75F. Wrapping coop and run in plastic will hold in the moisture and risk of frostbite becomes higher.

I have a device in there coop that measures humidity and temp. I have two things for a vent on top. Those are the things on top in pic.....

 

[3KillerBs]

Try to picture air flow. I know you can't see air, so plug in your imagination. Warm air is light and it wants to rise, so you need vents up high for the warm moist air to escape.

This.

Here is an illustration. It's from an article on cattle barns, but the principle is the same:

The Usual Guideline is to have at least 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per adult, standard-sized hen -- best located above the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

This.

Here is an illustration. It's from an article on cattle barns, but the principle is the same:

View attachment 2945993

The Usual Guideline is to have at least 1 square foot of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation per adult, standard-sized hen -- best located above the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

Thanks so much

 

[aart]

When I open ventilation I get high humidity and when I close it I get 16% what happens when theres low humidity

This make no sense.

How are you measuring humidity?

Ditto Dat.

 

[Boise-girls]

My previous sensors always read 16% when the temp hit 32 or below. Inside the coop, outside the coop, didn't matter. I think they were just intended for indoor use. Could that be happening with your sensor that's reading 16%?

I have sensors now that are specifically for outdoor use, and now my numbers make more sense.