No, they would eat it.... and it may not be necessary to fill every gap.
Tho any gap bigger than 1/2" should be covered with 1/2' hardware cloth.
Looking for help in redesign older coop
- Thread starter Bigbluefrog
- Start date
Tho any gap bigger than 1/2" should be covered with 1/2' hardware cloth.
- Thread starter
- #22
So looking at photos are those peak windows good for venting in winter or would you close part up.
Several chicken people recommended to close up all holes in winter. And that seems contradictory to what I read online about venting ammonia smells.
Thanks!
You coop looks good. I think @aart has given you good advice since she lives in a colder climate too. I'm in Florida. My coops are open all year around. I have wire under the roosts which I can clean out the poop from outside of the coops. During severe weather or a hurricane I sometimes close the windward side of the coops otherwise they stay open. Some of my coops are my avatar.
You might want to put louvered or stand off covers(ala @Cryss ) covers on them.
It is indeed contradictory. You want all that moist ammonia laden air out of the coop, not lock inside by closing up all openings up tight.
Ventilation can be tough, especially in a small coop such as yours.
It's best to be inside the coop during high winds to feel the air flow.
Air movement is fine, as long as it's not so strong that it literally ruffles the feathers of birds on the roost.
This is a good read:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1048597/ventilated-but-free-of-drafts
Hi! And welcome to BYC!
I am in Northwest NJ so I am in a winter wonderland prone area famous for our ice storms. I think your area may get a bit colder though.
@aart mentioned my vent covers, I call them baffles. Here's a picture in post #50 (I think it's 50
). https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/altering-my-terrible-ts-coop.1267790/page-5
I needed a window so I used plexiglass but plywood would be good. The idea is to attach strips of wood at least 2 inches thick along the length of the top and sides of each of your vents, or along the points if it's the triangle at the roof point like yours and mine. In my case I actually used the roof edge as my wood strips. Cut a piece of plywood to fit, attaching it to the outside of the wood strips covering 2 inches way from the hardware cloth opening making sure it is a couple inches longer than the opening. This baffle allows warm moist air that rises to flow out but prevents drafts and rain to get in. Vents should be well above the heads of your birds whenever they are on the roost and standing up fully to prevent drafts on their heads. I see a yellowish colored board or piece of metal on the exterior below your vent. If the vent is high enough maybe you could cut a bit off the top of that piece and open it up a bit more, or cut in some additional vents along the sides just under the roofline. In areas like ours, cold winters, I personally don't agree with floor vents. Cold air will come in, I see that as an upwards draft. Drafts are bad. I'd cover them up.
I also do not believe in heating a coop. If your coop is draft free and well ventilated there is no need for heat even in colder localities. It actually is detrimental.
First, your birds will not acclimate to weather conditions. Their body temperature is higher than ours and their feathers are naturally super insulators, think "down jackets". If your power goes out in a winter storm, or your breaker that connects to the coop clicks off and you aren't aware of it the coop temperature will plummet and the chickens could possibly freeze to death. You need to let them acclimate.
Second, chickens generate a lot of moisture by pooping and breathing. This is the reason for the ventilation. Moist heat will rise and flow out. If it is warm inside the coop the moisture won't rise from the colder lower area. It will collect as condensation on walls and on chickens causing frostbite and frozen walls. When the walls thaw you have soggy floors. The number 1 thing you want inside of your coop is dryness. Prevent moisture at all cost.
Third, there are innumerable stories of coops catching fire from heating lamps and other sources. It's just not worth the risk and it's absolutely not necessary.
On the subject of moisture inside the coop, I see you have a waterer inside. Spillage is inevitable. You have a nicely covered run. Take advantage of that and put all feeding and watering stations out there under cover from rain. Even in winter your chickens won't mind. Of course frozen water is a winter problem. You could have 2 waterers and every hour or 2 take one out and bring the frozen one inside to thaw, I did this my first year. Or, you can set up a heated waterer in winter. I do that now! I was against running an electric cord to the coop as it can be dangerous. Then I found outdoor heavy duty extension cords in many wonderfully long lengths and thingies that cover the connection point. The cords I see lining the edge of your coop door are not good for your application, can be dangerous. Invest in a good outdoor cord. Totally worth it.
How many chickens do you have? You only need 1 nest for 4-5 birds. They insist on sharing. And nests need to be lower than roosts so they don't sleep (and poop) inside the nests. Very bad habit.
What is the floor space area (minus nest area if the nests are on the floor) inside the coop? Chickens need 4sqft/bird floor area.
What is the run area? They need 10sqft/bird.
You have a really lovely coop and run. It just needs tweaking.
I have a crappy coop I had to do so much more to after the first year just to make it livable for 1 additional year. That and chicken math has made me build a whole new bigger coop.
The link above to the thread shows what all I did. That was a year ago. In a week or two I'll be moving the gals out and into their new home.
Looking forward to seeing your outcome and meeting your girls.
On a totally different subject:
I pray he was treated quickly after the initial bite.
I am in Northwest NJ so I am in a winter wonderland prone area famous for our ice storms. I think your area may get a bit colder though.
@aart mentioned my vent covers, I call them baffles. Here's a picture in post #50 (I think it's 50
). https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/altering-my-terrible-ts-coop.1267790/page-5I needed a window so I used plexiglass but plywood would be good. The idea is to attach strips of wood at least 2 inches thick along the length of the top and sides of each of your vents, or along the points if it's the triangle at the roof point like yours and mine. In my case I actually used the roof edge as my wood strips. Cut a piece of plywood to fit, attaching it to the outside of the wood strips covering 2 inches way from the hardware cloth opening making sure it is a couple inches longer than the opening. This baffle allows warm moist air that rises to flow out but prevents drafts and rain to get in. Vents should be well above the heads of your birds whenever they are on the roost and standing up fully to prevent drafts on their heads. I see a yellowish colored board or piece of metal on the exterior below your vent. If the vent is high enough maybe you could cut a bit off the top of that piece and open it up a bit more, or cut in some additional vents along the sides just under the roofline. In areas like ours, cold winters, I personally don't agree with floor vents. Cold air will come in, I see that as an upwards draft. Drafts are bad. I'd cover them up.
I also do not believe in heating a coop. If your coop is draft free and well ventilated there is no need for heat even in colder localities. It actually is detrimental.
First, your birds will not acclimate to weather conditions. Their body temperature is higher than ours and their feathers are naturally super insulators, think "down jackets". If your power goes out in a winter storm, or your breaker that connects to the coop clicks off and you aren't aware of it the coop temperature will plummet and the chickens could possibly freeze to death. You need to let them acclimate.
Second, chickens generate a lot of moisture by pooping and breathing. This is the reason for the ventilation. Moist heat will rise and flow out. If it is warm inside the coop the moisture won't rise from the colder lower area. It will collect as condensation on walls and on chickens causing frostbite and frozen walls. When the walls thaw you have soggy floors. The number 1 thing you want inside of your coop is dryness. Prevent moisture at all cost.
Third, there are innumerable stories of coops catching fire from heating lamps and other sources. It's just not worth the risk and it's absolutely not necessary.
On the subject of moisture inside the coop, I see you have a waterer inside. Spillage is inevitable. You have a nicely covered run. Take advantage of that and put all feeding and watering stations out there under cover from rain. Even in winter your chickens won't mind. Of course frozen water is a winter problem. You could have 2 waterers and every hour or 2 take one out and bring the frozen one inside to thaw, I did this my first year. Or, you can set up a heated waterer in winter. I do that now! I was against running an electric cord to the coop as it can be dangerous. Then I found outdoor heavy duty extension cords in many wonderfully long lengths and thingies that cover the connection point. The cords I see lining the edge of your coop door are not good for your application, can be dangerous. Invest in a good outdoor cord. Totally worth it.
How many chickens do you have? You only need 1 nest for 4-5 birds. They insist on sharing. And nests need to be lower than roosts so they don't sleep (and poop) inside the nests. Very bad habit.
What is the floor space area (minus nest area if the nests are on the floor) inside the coop? Chickens need 4sqft/bird floor area.
What is the run area? They need 10sqft/bird.
You have a really lovely coop and run. It just needs tweaking.
I have a crappy coop I had to do so much more to after the first year just to make it livable for 1 additional year. That and chicken math has made me build a whole new bigger coop. The link above to the thread shows what all I did. That was a year ago. In a week or two I'll be moving the gals out and into their new home.Looking forward to seeing your outcome and meeting your girls.
On a totally different subject:
My daughter didn't know she had been bit by a tick probably more than 10 years ago. No bullseye rash ever developed. For years doctors tried to figure out why she was in pain. They tested for everything from arthritis to lupus, finally diagnosing her with fibromyalgia several years ago. Debilitating pain cost her her career due to excessive absenteeism. Then 2 years ago she had a fever and her pains got worse costing her a lesser job. Shortly after the fever went away she developed a severe stutter, think Porky Pig. Her doctor tested for Lyme. Negative. Kind of on a whim her doctor tested further. Her tests came back positive for Lyme disease and Babesiosis. It has passed the blood brain barrier causing neurological encephalopathy. Her doctor now refers to her case when treating new Lyme patients. She is awaiting her court case to be declared disabled. Sadly most doctors believe that a month long round of antibiotics will cure all Lyme disease. They don't believe in chronic Lyme disease. If the diagnosis is made shortly after the initial bite then antibiotics can work. Find an LLMD if symptoms don't go away, return, or get worse. Don't let them convince you that your husband now has a coincidently new condition.
I pray he was treated quickly after the initial bite.
Btw, an LLMD is a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.
Yes, it is post #50...@aart mentioned my vent covers, I call them baffles. Here's a picture in post #50 (I think it's 50
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/altering-my-terrible-ts-coop.1267790/page-5#post-20492671
....and yes, baffle is a better word
Why, thank you!
Hey! How'd you do that?
I mean, post the link for just the individual post, not the whole page?
Thank you!
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
-
Open Contest 2026 BYC Calendar Photo Contest - We Need Your Pictures!
- Started by casportpony
- Replies: 119
-
-
Ended Official BYC Poultry Caption Contest 05-02-25 Pic by My Very First 6 Chickens- Started by TwoCrows
- Replies: 59
-
-
