I think our coop is too big. Ideas?

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Ok so I go out to check on my birds. I have a one piece coop with a run below it. All banked up with snow and a clear tarp around the "run" area. I check the temp outside on my phone and check the temp in the coop without any birds in it. There is no wind today. So I go out is 14F and the coop is cool. No chickens in it. And then later on I go out to put them to bed and there is no change in the weather other than it's dark outside and actually probably colder. But the coop is nice and warm. I have 4 chickens. Do they heat the coop to 68F nope but they do heat the coop. Maybe by 2-3 degrees.

Now I'm confused. I'm a bit south of you and it was 10 degrees at 5:30 this morning. Right now it's only 11. Right now 14 would be almost balmy. LOL! My coop when it's dark runs 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the outside temps. On sunny days the coop will warm up to 50 or 60 with the little door open and the run stays relatively warm all day. The coop is 8 x 10 and the run is 8 x 14 and I only have 6 chickens.

 

[Cryss]

With adequate ventilation, a coop 'holding heat' is pretty much fallacy.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

As you're gonna discover ... chickens poop ALOT at night while sleeping ... you need to get that chicken out of the nest, pick her up and put her on the pole, it may take a few nights of "training" ... you can also block off the nesting box(es) in the afternoon after they are done laying too ... putting a slightly smaller cardboard box closed up in the box prevents access.

How high is your roost? I had to lower mine from an existing beam at 8 feet and set it around 3 feet.

 

[WindingRoad]

Now I'm confused. I'm a bit south of you and it was 10 degrees at 5:30 this morning. Right now it's only 11. Right now 14 would be almost balmy. LOL! My coop when it's dark runs 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the outside temps. On sunny days the coop will warm up to 50 or 60 with the little door open and the run stays relatively warm all day. The coop is 8 x 10 and the run is 8 x 14 and I only have 6 chickens.

What are you confused about. I am about 100 miles north west of Portland it's about 15F there here 4. I'm about 30 miles from Sugarloaf. The western mountains of Maine can get cold.

 

[WindingRoad]

With adequate ventilation, a coop 'holding heat' is pretty much fallacy.

Do you know that many of the houses built with SIPs have to have a ventilation system put in and yet they are energy efficient. Net Zero. So how is that if they are exchanging air?

 

[WindingRoad]

My dog. If it’s very cold I tuck her under the covers and when I’m ready...kick her out!! Lol

If your dog has a double coat it probably doesn't "generate heat". Or so I've been told.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

What are you confused about. I am about 100 miles north west of Portland it's about 15F there here 4. I'm about 30 miles from Sugarloaf. The western mountains of Maine can get cold.

But you said it was 14 degrees at your place. That's why I'm confused. I'm just a few miles south of New Hampshire. And it is only 11 degrees right now. It warmed up from 9 degrees.

 

[WindingRoad]

Exactly, You should be colder than me. That's why I'm confused. I'm just a few miles south of New Hampshire. And it is only 11 degrees right now.

I must not be awake. I don't know what you are getting at. Boston is 15F I am 4F. I don't know what to tell you I am colder I'm 4F here.

 

[WindingRoad]

Now I'm confused. I'm a bit south of you and it was 10 degrees at 5:30 this morning. Right now it's only 11. Right now 14 would be almost balmy. LOL! My coop when it's dark runs 10 to 15 degrees warmer than the outside temps. On sunny days the coop will warm up to 50 or 60 with the little door open and the run stays relatively warm all day. The coop is 8 x 10 and the run is 8 x 14 and I only have 6 chickens.

I see you were reading a hypothetical post from yesterday when it was 14F. I'm talking about today. -2F this morning with the door of the coop open and yesterday -4F with the door closed significantly colder in the coop this morning even though the it was a tad bit warmer.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I see you were reading a hypothetical post from yesterday when it was 14F. I'm talking about today. -2F this morning with the door of the coop open and yesterday -4F with the door closed significantly colder in the coop this morning even though the it was a tad bit warmer.

Now I feel better (well kind of). Stay warm! BTW: I just went out to my chicken coop to grab eggs and thaw out their water. It's still around 11 degrees right now but the temperature inside the coop is around 20 - 22 degrees with the little door open and only one pullet in the nest box.