In Need Of Reassurance Please Re: Winter

[scjcb37]

Thank You BeerCan! Knowing you are next door and your chickens do well through our winters really puts my mind at ease! Huge weight off my shoulders, thanks again!
QUOTE="Beer can, post: 19091694, member: 303220"]Delaware county NY here. Suggestions here are pretty good, ventilation is the best thing. No insulation though it wouldn't hurt just unnecessary. No heat. I keep food/water in the coop, some don't like to.
For reassurance, I have naked necks and in a one side completely open coop, no problems whatsoever. I'll be feeding them in the dead of winter bundled up and freezing, they'll be flapping their wings exposing their half bare breasts laughing at me Lol![/QUOTE]

 

[Labradors]

I threw a tarp over the roof of my run because my chickens were going out in the rain! I'm nervous about them getting wet and then cold. I think that wrapping the sides of the run with clear plastic (at least against the prevailing winds) would help to make it more cozy for them.

 

[jreardon1918]

We built the Daisy coop as well. This will be our first winter. We added a ridge vent to the roof. We also put in gable vents. We have a remote temp/humidity sensor in the coop. It is at roost height, tucked out of reach. We anticipate leaving the two windows open all winter. We live in Massachusetts, so I anticipate using the roof rake to clear the roof of the coop and the flat roof on the run. There will be no heat or lights in the coop. We have seven chickens and they all roost at the same height you have. Where you only did nest boxes on one side, you could consider putting a ladder on the non-nestbox side to allow the bigger girls a way to get up and down if they need it. We haven't done this, but I probably will. We have only opened up one side of nest boxes. We use the closed side to store feed and other supplies. You could also add windows on the non-nest side and/or the back that could allow additional ventilation without letting in rain/snow. I included a picture of what In envision.

 

[Mama Runner]

I just want to say I wish I could live in some of the coops you all come up with.
I agree with everyone, dry is the most important thing.

 

[aart]

We have a remote temp/humidity sensor in the coop.

Are you happy with this device?
How long have you had it?
Link to product please?

 

[jreardon1918]

Are you happy with this device?
How long have you had it?
Link to product please?

We have had this product since December 2014. Until this May it hung near the swing set. Now it is in the coop. The remote batteries last a couple years. It gives a good sense as to temperature. I assume the humidity works as well. So yes, I like it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EDMCC5W/ref=pe_205460_223191150_em_1p_0_ti

 

[scjcb37]

Labrador, Yes! Thank you. I am going to wrap the sides in plastic as this was suggested to me several times. Great idea, keep the wind, rain and snow drifts out. I see it says you are in Ontario, we literally just moved 'south'. We were on the State side 2 minutes from the Ogdensburg/Prescott bridge. Hoping winters here wont be quite as tough..Thank you for your suggestions!

I threw a tarp over the roof of my run because my chickens were going out in the rain! I'm nervous about them getting wet and then cold. I think that wrapping the sides of the run with clear plastic (at least against the prevailing winds) would help to make it more cozy for them.

I threw a tarp over the roof of my run because my chickens were going out in the rain! I'm nervous about them getting wet and then cold. I think that wrapping the sides of the run with clear plastic (at least against the prevailing winds) would help to make it more cozy for them.

 

[scjcb37]

Your coop came out so nice!! I love it! Cosmetically mine is still a work in progress, but I absolutely love the design of it. We do have the nesting boxes for the other side, they are about halfway complete, still in the garage. My husband is working on them. What do you mean by a ridge vent? And we do have 2 more of the exact same windows that are on the front that I am also waiting on my dear husband to install on the back doors (In his defense he did work really hard finishing the coop for me and it just takes time, I'm just excited and want to see it finished,lol). Thanks for the link to the temp/humidity monitor. I have a digital thermometer in the coop, but will look into the one you have as that is also a good idea. Thanks for the suggestions, love your coop and run..

We built the Daisy coop as well. This will be our first winter. We added a ridge vent to the roof. We also put in gable vents. We have a remote temp/humidity sensor in the coop. It is at roost height, tucked out of reach. We anticipate leaving the two windows open all winter. We live in Massachusetts, so I anticipate using the roof rake to clear the roof of the coop and the flat roof on the run. There will be no heat or lights in the coop. We have seven chickens and they all roost at the same height you have. Where you only did nest boxes on one side, you could consider putting a ladder on the non-nestbox side to allow the bigger girls a way to get up and down if they need it. We haven't done this, but I probably will. We have only opened up one side of nest boxes. We use the closed side to store feed and other supplies. You could also add windows on the non-nest side and/or the back that could allow additional ventilation without letting in rain/snow. I included a picture of what In envision. View attachment 1164944

 

[Labradors]

Ah! We aren't that far from you! Hope it is a bit warmer for you this winter. We are expecting more snow than usual!

Linda

 

[jreardon1918]

Your coop came out so nice!! I love it! Cosmetically mine is still a work in progress, but I absolutely love the design of it. We do have the nesting boxes for the other side, they are about halfway complete, still in the garage. My husband is working on them. What do you mean by a ridge vent? And we do have 2 more of the exact same windows that are on the front that I am also waiting on my dear husband to install on the back doors (In his defense he did work really hard finishing the coop for me and it just takes time, I'm just excited and want to see it finished,lol). Thanks for the link to the temp/humidity monitor. I have a digital thermometer in the coop, but will look into the one you have as that is also a good idea. Thanks for the suggestions, love your coop and run..

The ridge vent is circled in red. I wish we made it longer. We did work pretty hard on this coop. Thank you. Now we have to shape up the construction area. Also trying to decide how to keep the water bucket de-iced.