How many window(s) for the coop?

[gtaus]

There is some personal preference in this. I prefer a darker coop as compared to bright, I think it calms the chickens....

Yeah, there's the other side of this argument. Calm chickens....

 

[gtaus]

...Mine hate it when it is cold and gusty. Snow is ok if there isn't wind. But in general mine stay in the coop for MONTHS, which is why my coop connects to my greenhouse... and yes, lots of square feet per chicken. At least 8.

I'll be close to that. Currently have 10 chicks and the coop is 6X12, but has a gambrel roof so it looks pretty big inside. I don't know how high chickens like to roost, but the top of my roof is 8 1/2 feet.

Eh... net tops are good for summer.... most winters the snow busts them down.

Thanks for that info. I'll have to plan on taking down the netting before the snow falls.

 

[Alaskan]

Thanks for that info. I'll have to plan on taking down the netting before the snow falls.

If you tend to only or mostly get dry snow then the snow doesn't tend to stick.

But wet snow, or ice then snow... that kind of snow sticks to everything.

 

[gtaus]

We had between 1-2 feet of snow on the ground for nearly three solid weeks and even in that bit of time my chickens were bitter and bored. I ended up shivering and shoveling a path each day and turning over piles of dead leaves under the snow so they could forage. Have a winter plan to give them space to roam a little and something to scratch through- even just shavings with black oil sunflower seed or oats to find.

Last winter we had lots of snow - about 3-4 feet of snow on the ground and drifts 5-6 feet tall. That was more snowfall than I have seen in many years, so I hope this winter will not be as harsh. Also, we had 2-3 weeks of low temps of -45F to -50F at night and highs in the day around -25F. Again, unusually long spell of cold weather, but not unheard of around here.

My plan is to winter the birds in the coop, but it would be nice if they could go outside weather permitting. I won't be turning over 4 feet of snow to get to a pile of leaves. That won't happen. I might be able to store up some bags of leaves in the garage/shed/coop for the winter.

 

[gtaus]

I am trying to persuade DH to put in another window just for summer ventilation (and some light). They will have big vents up high, but I think it will be hot in the summer, and humid, and nothing like a breeze to make it nicer.

So here is what I have decided given the feedback by everyone. I purchased an additional 36X24 slider window for the other side of the coop. Both those windows can slide open and have a screen window, so ventilation is possible from side to side. I have two vents up high in the gambrel roof, one vent in the front and the other in the back. So that should provide ventilation from front to back.

Before I bought the second window, I went into Home Depot and checked out their gambrel sheds. They only had one window on the side of the shed and there was plenty of light. But then I noticed that they also had a smaller window up high on the roof where I have my vents. So, I decided just to get the second window not only for the natural light, but also for the cross ventilation.

I finished the coop construction build and now have to start painting and putting up the trim. Almost done...

 

[Henriettamom919]

Last winter we had lots of snow - about 3-4 feet of snow on the ground and drifts 5-6 feet tall. That was more snowfall than I have seen in many years, so I hope this winter will not be as harsh. Also, we had 2-3 weeks of low temps of -45F to -50F at night and highs in the day around -25F. Again, unusually long spell of cold weather, but not unheard of around here.

My plan is to winter the birds in the coop, but it would be nice if they could go outside weather permitting. I won't be turning over 4 feet of snow to get to a pile of leaves. That won't happen. I might be able to store up some bags of leaves in the garage/shed/coop for the winter.

Well if you're not willing to rupture a disc so your chickens can forage I just don't know what to say to you. I'm calling the ASPCA!

 

[gtaus]

Well if you're not willing to rupture a disc so your chickens can forage I just don't know what to say to you. I'm calling the ASPCA!

Unfortunately, at my age, I am a member of the ASPCA - Americans Selected for Pre-Cardiac Arrest! Shoveling snow can be life ending for guys my age....

 

[Bcolpetzer]

My coop is 6x12. We had 3 windows laying around so put them all in. Figured if I need to in winter would put plexiglass on them for a extra layer of protection. So far they love watching out the windows when in the coop. So very glad I decided to put them in. This is my first coop on my own. We always had them growing up and our chickens would be out in the snow, here in Central Pennsylvania. My run will give them that option.

 

[Henriettamom919]

Unfortunately, at my age, I am a member of the ASPCA - Americans Selected for Pre-Cardiac Arrest! Shoveling snow can be life ending for guys my age....

As someone whose needed back surgery before 40 I can deeply sympathize!

 

[Maugwa]

I am building a 6X12 coop, gambrel roof shed style, and currently have one 24"X36" sliding window on one wall. I have vents up high in the front and back of the gambrel roof. I am wondering if I need more than one window for natural light for the chickens. I will also have electricity for a light for me at night, if needed, or for extending daylight hours in the winter for the chickens.

My concerns are providing only enough natural light for chickens that they require, because my main concern here in northern Minnesota is keeping the coop draft free in the winter. Any comments welcomed. Thanks.

I think you have plenty of light. My chickens don't wait till it's dark to go to bed, they beat dark by a half hour or more. When the sun starts to even get close to the horizon, they are all near the coop and before the sun is set, they are in their coop roosting. It's still light enough I can see across a big yard, through the window, and see them sitting in there sitting on their roosts. During the day when I let them out to free range, once it begins to get even a little too warm, after foraging all morning they will head for the deck on the North side of my house to go under it. That deck is surrounded about 90% with bushes, and on the North side, and also under the shade of large trees. In short, it's pretty dark under there all day, but it's cool and they like it -- I don't make them go there, they have two acres and lots of shady places to go, but under the dark deck is their favorite.

I do think though, all that being said, that two windows on the coop would be preferable, across from each other just so you can take advantage of the breezes in the warm months. I only have one window on the South side of my coop, or three, depending how you look at it. The South window is a slider also 24"h x 36"l and when it's slid open half of it vents (where there was screen, there's now hardware cloth). I also have two 2' x 2' holes, one on each end, E and W that are covered with hardware cloth too. Our prevailing winds come from the W here and breezes can go right through. In the winter though, even before Halloween, Wyoming is famous for bitter cold wind, I have foam board then plywood that fit in those two holes, so they don't work like windows anymore. I take them off, even in the winter if it's a nice day to air things out, but put them back on as soon as it cools off. It only takes a minute, there are turn blocks that hold them. There are still vents up high, but I don't need below 0 50mph+ wind blowing through there. I've never tested it with a light meter or anything, but it seems to be as light inside with one window as it did with the three. There is still much more light than is ever under that deck coming through that one window. So I really don't think "light" is the issue you need to worry about. Especially when there is only an occasional chicken in the coop for a short time in the daytime laying an egg anyway most of the time. More windows for air and more room for birds should be of more concern than the extra light once you're light enough.