Keeping chickens warm in Minnesota winters

[Mrs. K]

I leave my pop up door open too, but I noticed that they roosted away from it, I have a roost directly over it. So this year, I leaned a piece of plywood up against the door, and stuffed one side with old hay, one side open so they can go out at will.

I can tell from the droppings, that they are much more evenly spread out on the roost. And when I enter the coop, it is much more comfortable and still. My pop up door is on the prevailing wind side, the north. I blocked off the west side and the north side, so the birds enter from the east.

Works well

 

[spiritpots]

I leave my pop up door open too, but I noticed that they roosted away from it, I have a roost directly over it. So this year, I leaned a piece of plywood up against the door, and stuffed one side with old hay, one side open so they can go out at will.

I can tell from the droppings, that they are much more evenly spread out on the roost. And when I enter the coop, it is much more comfortable and still. My pop up door is on the prevailing wind side, the north. I blocked off the west side and the north side, so the birds enter from the east.

Works well

Just wondering @Mrs. K if you leave your pop door open all winter or if you close it when it gets to a certain temp below zero.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Just wondering @Mrs. K if you leave your pop door open all winter or if you close it when it gets to a certain temp below zero.

I'm not Mrs K, but it can depend on your set up. If there's a draft blowing in or snow than close it. We generally leave an east facing door open all winter. Occasionally we get those snows out of the east and we will close it for the evening. Otherwise it's always open.

 

[wamtazlady]

I leave my pop door open year round. It opens into the run that has clear vinyl shower curtains covering the sides during the winter. There is no wind blowing in. I believe having the pop door open allows dry air to enter the coop and helps with venting the warm moist air out of the upper vents.

 

[Mrs. K]

I have been known to shut it, but it needs to be well below -20, and a hard wind. Otherwise I do leave it open.

 

[bobbi-j]

I shut mine the other day due to blizzard conditions. It's open again.

 

[spiritpots]

Thanks, everyone. I'm truly grateful for all of your input! Great to hear about what you do with your flocks during our cold winters. My pop door is in the center of the coop and faces west but the run wall is covered with plastic for the winter so no wind blows in. The roost is up high on the right side of the coop so there is no draft while the girls are sleeping. Now here's hoping our really, really cold days are few and far between!

 

[New chicken-mom25]

I think you have a very nice set up, and the fact that it is dry, that is what is important. Dry chickens with wind protection will do fine below zero. -35 temperature is as cold as we have had, and mine did just fine.

However, do keep an eye on them. Chickens that are active, eating, drinking, moving easily are fine. Bright eyes and good feathers are both signs of healthy chickens. Signs of lethargic birds, that won't move, won't eat, not interested in anything, those are bad signs, and then you might have losses.

I too agree, no heat, keep it dry and they will do fine.

Mrs K

What are you using for the floor?

 

[New chicken-mom25]

I have silkies 7 of them! 6 months old! I’m worried about the floor and how to keep it dry

 

[Debbie292d]

I have silkies 7 of them! 6 months old! I’m worried about the floor and how to keep it dry

I have several dozen silkies. We've always used horse bedding pellets on the floor, about 2" lasts a year.

We use them in the brooders too. Huge difference as they not only absorb moisture, they absorb odors.

Why would your coop be getting wet though, outside of chicken poop?

We use a DYI 5-gallon nipple bucket so there's no open water. Our coops are heated to around 40-45°F all winter. They make electric ones of those, 2 or 3 gallon.