I'm very confused whether to heat my coop or not, as well as having proper ventilation.

[Egghead_Jr]

My average temp for this week is 3F (-16C). That's taking all the highs and lows of the week and dividing by 14. This was and will be the coldest week of year here. Our lowest night was -28F (-33C). With proper ventilation and no heat all we do is make sure to keep the coop liter clean; shovel out the poo covered and frozen chunks of pine shaving ans replenish with dry chips every few weeks to month. Also I put down hay in run for them to walk on. They didn't come out of the coop until near 10am that coldest morning but normally prefer to be outside.

Scratch is only used as a treat and as with all treats shouldn't become more than 10% of daily diet. Layer pellets have all the nutrition they need. In winter months we treat our birds to Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS). It's super high in crude fat (25-35%) so easily converted to energy to aid in warming them and also contains 14% protien.

Converting F to C: (F-32)5/9
Converting C to F: (C*9/5)+32

 

[nikchic]

My average temp for this week is 3F (-16C). That's taking all the highs and lows of the week and dividing by 14. This was and will be the coldest week of year here. Our lowest night was -28F (-33C). With proper ventilation and no heat all we do is make sure to keep the coop liter clean; shovel out the poo covered and frozen chunks of pine shaving ans replenish with dry chips every few weeks to month. Also I put down hay in run for them to walk on. They didn't come out of the coop until near 10am that coldest morning but normally prefer to be outside.

Scratch is only used as a treat and as with all treats shouldn't become more than 10% of daily diet. Layer pellets have all the nutrition they need. In winter months we treat our birds to Black Oil Sunflower Seeds (BOSS). It's super high in crude fat (25-35%) so easily converted to energy to aid in warming them and also contains 14% protien.

Converting F to C: (F-32)5/9
Converting C to F: (C*9/5)+32

So what kind of ventilation do you have and do you keep them open all the time?

 

[JackE]

I don't think you would want to shut the windows, and ventilation, at night. At night, all the birds are in the coop generating crap and breathing loads of moisture into the air. THAT's when fresh air/ventilation is most important. Check out he pic below, the front of my coop is wiiiide open year round. Also shows that you don't HAVE to have all your ventilation up high. My winter ventilation is right at bird level. Open air coops like that were put into use, back in the day, up through Maine and Canada. Long as you don't have a big cross breeze/draft, the birds will be fine.
Jack

 

[nikchic]

I don't think you would want to shut the windows, and ventilation, at night.  At night, all the birds are in the coop generating crap and breathing loads of moisture into the air. THAT's when fresh air/ventilation is most important. Check out he pic below, the front of my coop is wiiiide open year round. Also shows that you don't HAVE to have all your ventilation up high. My winter ventilation is right at bird level.  Open air coops like that were put into use, back in the day, up through Maine and Canada. Long as you don't have a big cross breeze/draft, the birds will be fine. 
Jack

 

[nikchic]

Love that coop. Do you have pictures of the inside? Our coop has two large house windows on either side but I close them in the winter to prevent the draft on them. My husband is going to put two vents up higher that we will leave open as the humidity in the coop is around 85% and sometimes higher which scared me. We've got a door on a timer that opens at 7am and usually they are out all day long. I just worry about the cole nights and days that don't warm up. We've got a huge fenced area for them and they are always out there.

 

[Hokum Coco]

You have to pay attention to your own coop, breed of bird, geography, and climate. One blanket statement does not cover every situation nikchic. Look at what has been happening in my case for instance.





It is 0F January 26 with a wind chill of -16F. No heat; No light; Poop is frozen on my poop board I cleaned that off yesterday; No ammonia smell; On the lower level the poop is frozen in solid pancakes I can just pick up and put in my compost bin I usually wait until the pancake is substantial enough to pick up easily about 10 inches around or in length. The temperature inside my coop is for all general purposes the same as the ambient air outside. I have to do a variation on the deep litter method because of my raised coop floor and litter are so cold that the droppings do not get a chance to decompose it practically freezes on contact. I will be going out soon to check on my birds. I am not too worried about the Golden Comets that is why I selected them for my coop. They are a healthy hearty flock and the best bird for me where I live in my experience. I have been keeping my ventilation ports closed as of late and will not be opening until this deep freeze relents. I have been watching the coop to see if there is any signs of vapour however there has been none to date. The humidity is 66% in the ambient air. My water will be frozen harder than a brick. I will bring out fresh warm water and they all will congregate and enjoy their drink first thing.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

My coop is gabled so have venting at eaves and in gables. With this design the air enters at eave level, mixes with air inside and moisture is exited the gable vents. These vents are never closed. To close vents creates the problem they are intended to fix. That problem being venting gases from urine/poo and moisture. If your coop is too humid then frost bite can be a problem at 32F.


Extra ventilation is used in many coops for summer as chickens deal with heat poorly. When folks talk about closing up ventilation they should only be referring to the large windows or vast screened openings they use in midsummer. An animal still requires fresh air and dry quarters, per chicken that equates to 2 square inches of venting. If you had 6 birds you'd want as minimum a square foot of venting, or 6 square inches each gable end. And that wouldn't be enough if you built your coop air tight with insulation. You'd need an inlet of air to aid in circulating/mixing fresh air before it's vented. Some coop have many cracks that suffice for inlets. I personally like to add them at eave ends which is as easy as lowering the sheathing/plywood at both eave end by an inch when constructing coop. Voila! inlet. Or you can drill a line of 3/4 to 1"holes along the top of eave walls. Then put in your gable vents and don't worry anymore.

JackE's coop is super nice long time design. The open windows are not on prevailing wind side but if one was concerned would close those and open the glass windows up top an inch or two. Likely have to open more if the front screen was plasticed over due to solar heating. Those coops face south to capture the sun in winter.

 

[Hokum Coco]

I do not supply extra light or heat to my coop like some BYC members. That is why I have my poop board so close to my roost less than 3 1/2 inches to be exact. In the early morning hours before day light is when the chickens are most likely to lay using this method. When this happens my poop board is there to save the day.

I look at my birds a little differently than some. They are pets that I provide the necessities of life for a time line of 5 to 6 years. I think it is natures way of letting the bird have a bit of a sabbatical by having the shortened days.

By letting the elements dictate the conditions I think it insures the survival of the fittest gene in the hens. Therefore I just go with what ever nature forecast. I do not get offended if I have to buy a dozen eggs at the supper market. Just for the record I never had an issue to date with a prolapsed hen (now that I made that statement I will probably have two hens with that condition tomorrow).

Some of you may look at my post as garbage because it may contradict what a lot of knowledgeable BYC members agree on. I do not post my experience to say that they are wrong. I post to say what works for me in my situation in my coop with all it air leaks and imperfections in Canada a county know for harsh winters.

I am just glad to have a place I can share my experiences in raising birds with people (unlike my family) who do not glaze over as soon as I say feather little own bird.

 

[nikchic]

I do not supply extra light or heat to my coop like some BYC members. That is why I have my poop board so close to my roost less than 3 1/2 inches to be exact. In the early morning hours before day light is when the chickens are most likely to lay using this method. When this happens my poop board is there to save the day.

I look at my birds a little differently than some. They are pets that I provide the necessities of life for a time line of 5 to 6 years. I think it is natures way of letting the bird have a bit of a sabbatical by having the shortened days.

By letting the elements dictate the conditions I think it insures the survival of the fittest gene in the hens. Therefore I just go with what ever nature forecast. I do not get offended if I have to buy a dozen eggs at the supper market. Just for the record I never had an issue to date with a prolapsed hen (now that I made that statement I will probably have two hens with that condition tomorrow).

Some of you may look at my post as garbage because it may contradict what a lot of knowledgeable BYC members agree on. I do not post my experience to say that they are wrong. I post to say what works for me in my situation in my coop with all it air leaks and imperfections in Canada a county know for harsh winters.

I am just glad to have a place I can share my experiences in raising birds with people (unlike my family) who do not glaze over as soon as I say feather little own bird.

I appreciate your input tons. Being from Canada I can relate. Also being a newbie I love all the stories and examples. I still do not think we've got enough ventilation according to this. I do not do supplementary light or heat and they are totally free range. They have a 40x80 fenced area to hang around in. They seem to be ok and I do spend a lot of time with them. Please keep posting your experiences.

 

[nikchic]

My coop is gabled so have venting at eaves and in gables. With this design the air enters at eave level, mixes with air inside and moisture is exited the gable vents. These vents are never closed. To close vents creates the problem they are intended to fix. That problem being venting gases from urine/poo and moisture. If your coop is too humid then frost bite can be a problem at 32F.


Extra ventilation is used in many coops for summer as chickens deal with heat poorly. When folks talk about closing up ventilation they should only be referring to the large windows or vast screened openings they use in midsummer. An animal still requires fresh air and dry quarters, per chicken that equates to 2 square inches of venting. If you had 6 birds you'd want as minimum a square foot of venting, or 6 square inches each gable end. And that wouldn't be enough if you built your coop air tight with insulation. You'd need an inlet of air to aid in circulating/mixing fresh air before it's vented. Some coop have many cracks that suffice for inlets. I personally like to add them at eave ends which is as easy as lowering the sheathing/plywood at both eave end by an inch when constructing coop. Voila! inlet. Or you can drill a line of 3/4 to 1"holes along the top of eave walls. Then put in your gable vents and don't worry anymore.

JackE's coop is super nice long time design. The open windows are not on prevailing wind side but if one was concerned would close those and open the glass windows up top an inch or two. Likely have to open more if the front screen was plasticed over due to solar heating. Those coops face south to capture the sun in winter.