Leaving windows open at night in the coop?

[festivefeet]

Can I leave all of the vents and windows open in the coop at night? Tonight here in Michigan the temp will get down to 64 degrees for a low.

I don't want them to get to cold. They are about 11 weeks old now. All windows and vent (windows without glass) are covered and secured with Chicken Wire.

Thanks.
J.

 

[cjeanean]

at 11 weeks they should have all their feathers. I wouldn't worry about it, now if they were still young with the awkward patchy juvenile feathers I wouldn't do it, but since they're older it shouldn't be a problem. Are they slow maturing birds??? Some breeds get their feathers slower than others....

 

[annek]

At 11 weeks old, it shouldn't be a problem at all, I am sure they will enjoy it. My birds would give anything I am sure to have it that nice and cool, I have to run the fan all night it has been around 80 for the low lately.

 

[RendonRoo]

As long as they aren't in a cold draft they should be fine.

 

[festivefeet]

Opringtons, Wyandottes and EE.

Is it better to close them or leave them open? I can do either, I just didn't want them to get to hot in there. With body heat and everything.

Here is the coop with a pic of the vent window and the glass window (in these pics, the chicks are a lot younger than they are now.):

Here's a current pic of the hens/rooster:

J.

 

[mrbstephens]

Nice coop! Is that chicken wire over your windows? Do you know that a raccoon can get through that easily? You need 1/2 hardware cloth to be predator proof.

 

[cmom]

Nice coop!!! I see you have hardware cloth along the bottom. I have chicken wire but I also have an electric fence/wires around the ouside of the birds run and fenced in yard. I have seen racoons in the yard at night but they haven't gotten to the chickens. I did have a neighborhood mutt once dig under the fence before I put the electric up and kill one of my hens. I do have hardware cloth over my vents and windows.

 

[gritsar]

My windows are also hardware cloth covered. They are open anytime the nighttime temp. is going to be 40 or above. Been doing it that way since they were little.

 

[Mahonri]

Great coop. Open the windows!

 

[espressola]

Very nice looking coop- but you should put hardware cloth over the vent or you are inviting a bloodbath...
Patty N. ;-)