Is my coop winterized enough?

[Ducklover17191]

Hello, I have a chicken coop that I recently winterized. I have put 8 millimeters of plastic around their run with about an inch and a half at the top for ventilation. I have plenty of straw in their run and in their coop. I have two chickens, a barred rock and an Easter egger and they both cold hardy breeds. I have a heat lamp with a thermostat that keeps the coop at 45 degrees Fahrenheit constantly. In the coop the roof is insulated. I know this is a bit much but my family worries too much. My family is worried that this is not enough. We live in Wisconsin and about once or twice a year the
weather gets near 50 degrees below 0 with windchill. We have a heated watered too but don’t really use it because the coop stays at 45 degrees but we have it in case. My family wants to put insulated plywood surrounding the coop with no light or ventilation. If we really need to we can also cover the ventilation when the weather is really cold or even put the chickens in our garage. Please show them that what we have is enough so that our chickens do not have to suffer in a dark box all winter. Thank you

 

[DobieLover]

View attachment 1948147 View attachment 1948149 View attachment 1948148 View attachment 1948152 View attachment 1948153 Hello, I have a chicken coop that I recently winterized. I have put 8 millimeters of plastic around their run with about an inch and a half at the top for ventilation. I have plenty of straw in their run and in their coop. I have two chickens, a barred rock and an Easter egger and they both cold hardy breeds. I have a heat lamp with a thermostat that keeps the coop at 45 degrees Fahrenheit constantly. In the coop the roof is insulated. I know this is a bit much but my family worries too much. My family is worried that this is not enough. We live in Wisconsin and about once or twice a year the
weather gets near 50 degrees below 0 with windchill. We have a heated watered too but don’t really use it because the coop stays at 45 degrees but we have it in case. My family wants to put insulated plywood surrounding the coop with no light or ventilation. If we really need to we can also cover the ventilation when the weather is really cold or even put the chickens in our garage. Please show them that what we have is enough so that our chickens do not have to suffer in a dark box all winter. Thank you

What you have is too much.
What will happen to your chickens if you lose power and they are suddenly plunged into much colder temperatures than they've been acclimated to?
If you close off ANY of that small amount of ventilation those girls will be in trouble.
You need to think dry, not warm. The chickens generate their own heat which is trapped inside their feathers. That is why draft free is so important.

 

[trumpeting_angel]

Lots of people keep chickens in Wisconsin, and Canada, and they don’t heat the coop and shut off all the ventilation. Really, your chickens need that ventilation. And light during the day (and not at night).

What @DobieLover said.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Shutting off ventilation will cause frostbite cold hardy means they can stand cold
giving them heat does not do any good please turn it off

 

[CatWhisperer]

I like it personally. Do your chickens get to free range so they see the sun and get exposed to the cold? We put clear plastic around the run but they spend the day free ranging in about 1/2 acre fenced area.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm in Wisconsin. I provide no extra heat. Your birds will acclimate as temperatures fall. If you interfere with that their coat won't thicken up properly.

After it freezes you could put some hay or straw bales around the base for a bit of insulation. Make sure you coop and run has good air exchange.

You may see some mild frostbite on combs when it gets really cold.

Your hens will keep themselves warm. On those really frigid days my birds will often stay on the roosts or will set down on some thick bedding. They may even shiver. That's how they generate heat, so don't feel sorry for them.

My standard breed flock lives in a large shed with south and east facing open doorways. My bantam run we add some clear panels to keep out snow, but allow in light.

Your first winter will definitely be a learning experience. Heat lamps are fire hazards, so I would consider not using one. Wall plates and heated roosts are safer options if you feel it necessary to give them something. I have seen both at Fleet Farm.

 

[Ducklover17191]

What you have is too much.
What will happen to your chickens if you lose power and they are suddenly plunged into much colder temperatures than they've been acclimated to?
If you close off ANY of that small amount of ventilation those girls will be in trouble.
You need to think dry, not warm. The chickens generate their own heat which is trapped inside their feathers. That is why draft free is so important.

thank you so much for the reply I have turned off my heat lamp and will plug in my heated waterer.

 

[50-140]

I live in Northern Idaho, close to Canada, the temperatures can get down to double digits below zero during winter. My coop is a Woods open air.
The birds get no heat except for heaters in their water to keep it from freezing.
I've never lost a bird or seen evidence of frostbite.