Minnesota!

[Minniechickmama]

the whole south end is completely wide open except for the framing for the door and the hardware cloth. The blanket only goes down on windy days, especially when coming from the south. There is at least a 6 inch gap between the blanket and the wall of hardware cloth so there is a ton of air movement around the blanket and even through it. The blanket just lessens the wind thus reducing the drafts inside.

As long as there is some opening, then you should be as good as you are going to get. With the temps as they have been this year, I think unless a flockowner has a completely climate controlled coop for their birds, everyone is going to see some amount of frostbite before we are back to warm weather. It actually sounds like a cozy set-up you have if it is a South-open one. I hope they all do well this week. It was 42˚ a few minutes ago when I came back from getting groceries. I am not going to like looking at the thermometer in the morning though. I cleaned a couple of coops and pens myself today while it was nice enough.

 

[Minniechickmama]

Minniechickmama this what their coop looks like except now I have poly around most of the coop except the door and nest. They have generally wanted to be outside in a sheltered area but I wasn't sure if I needed to put out a heat lamp while we go into the deep freeze this week.

I had an ark until a few weeks ago when I finally dismantled it. I am not a fan of them for myself. I had mine on the ground 2 years and got tired of moving it and having rats burrow under. So, I raised it off the ground for 2 years and still disliked it, so it is gone. However, I found that just covering the two sides and leaving the end open is good and will keep good air flow without it being drafty. I know a lot of people like these kind of coops, I just don't favor them.

 

[Minniechickmama]

windows and coop doors open today!! hopin it'll dry out some in there! so much moisture!

fluffed their bedding and will do it again later..ladies already gave me 13 eggs today! including a Polish which i haven't gotten any from in a month!!

How are the girls doing you picked up the other day? I have an egg eater in my Orpington pen that I need to figure out and get out of there. I have gotten a few eggs, but nowhere near what I would like to be right now.

 

[mikkles]

How are the girls doing you picked up the other day?  I have an egg eater in my Orpington pen that I need to figure out and get out of there.  I have gotten a few eggs, but nowhere near what I would like to be right now.

they are doing really well!! i love them! mike thought they were gorgeous!

 

[Summer98]

I'm dreading the forecast starting tonight. I don't like to shut the windows in the coop, because it gets too much moisture, so I always have them open. I will probably need to check on them. I've been feeding the one flock black oil sunflower seeds. I haven't had frostbite yet, but I worry.

 

[Chickenlady50]

Hey fellow Minnesotans with it getting bitterly cold what is everyone doing to keep their feathered friends protected? I have ducks which are not fans of the winter right now that we are having and I'm wondering if I will have to lock them in the coop and throw out a heater or something ? Ideas? I too have been having moisture problems since day one.

 

[Chickenlady50]

I keep mine in the coop. I have 80 hens in one part and 26 hens in the middle part if the coop and 12 cochin bantams in the other part. The bantams are the only ones that have a wall heater going. The other hens put off enough body heat to keep it warm in their parts of the coop. I have to have a window open just a bit cuz it will get too warm in the part that has 80 hens in it. Our coop is well insulated.

 

[Triplell]

I was just out in the barn at 10:00 and outside temps were -18 inside the barn was 10 above. All this with no added heat in an old dairy barn. I ha e 60 chickens in there. I do give a heated mash twice a day plus scratch for them to find and keep busy.

 

[lalaland]

triplell, thats nice and warm. hope it didn't drop too much during the night. This morning, at 5 am, it was -28 outside, and -10 inside the coop (with one 250 watt heating bulb). Using the bulb to take the edge off for poor booster with the frostbitten comb.

 

[Bogtown Chick]

-18 out there and my coop stayed at 0 at roost level with the flat panel radiant heater (150 watt) Boy I like that thing. So far so good. I like 0... I can do 0 for my birds. They've done -15 in the coop..but I know they don't care for it. Bracing for tonight too....