How Do You Draft-Proof the Lowe's Playhouse Coops?

[Beau coop]

Quote:
What is prees and seal? I will be building a playhouse coop this spring and this is a great thread to gather ideas.

 

[flakey chick]

Quote:
It's a bit like saran wrap, but instead of stretching it to get it to stick, you press and rub in on. To me it seems like it has tiny wax dots that warm up when you rub it and conform to the mount surface, then solidifies and clings on solid.

 

[fiftyfifty]

You really don't need to draft proof it where you are. I have the Lowe's playhouse (although the other model) and I live in Minnesnowta. I put no covering at all on the 3 windows until nights hit 25 F, then I just stapled on some plastic. I have done no caulking of cracks. I actually drilled some extra holes at the roof peak for more ventilation. I did insulate the walls immediately surrounding the roost with 1 inch styrofoam covered with plastic election signs...but then again our weather is colder than yours. It got to -22 F last night. The rest of the coop is basically uninsulated, although I suppose the snow helps insulate the roof.

On nights when it gets below 0 F, I do turn on the heater I rigged up which is a 60 watt light bulb covered by a flowerpot. They also have another (uncovered) lightbulb that comes on at 3am to ensure 15 hours of total light. The hens seem happy. I figure they can't be too stressed since they are all laying great (all expect the brown leghorn who has always laid rotten rain or shine... I should cull her except she is too pretty and funny).

And when I open the pop door each morning they run outside into their partially plastic-covered run and spend the whole day out there. High temp today was -3F (none of these temps include wind chill which is not relevant unless your birds are out in the open without a windbreak).

Anyway, my point is that you don't need to worry about drafts where you are. All those warnings about "protecting the birds from drafts" you read on this forum are meant for much lower temps. Florida is a chicken paradise I guess.

 

[chickeepoo]

Thanks for all your replies- this is very helpful, especially for those of us fairly new at chicken-keeping. I guess I was worrying too much about my hens in our chilly weather- I have that "thin blood" from living in Florida all my life! And I hope it warms up a bit very soon for those of you in the REALLY cold places.