My Flock Arctic Storm CO 12/04/2013

[JackE]

The ventilation is not what I am so worried about. However any mishaps that may happen with water in the coop such as, spills and leaks, not taken care of quickly in temperatures like this could give them frost bite or worse kill your flock. In the summer mold could happen with spills or leaks, so I just avoid having water in the coop.

-Frozen Wings

You better worry about your ventilation. That a heckova lot more important than worrying about them getting chilly. From what you posted, it sounds like you sealed off the fresh air/ventilation. You might want to give serious thought to opening it back up. Moisture won't just go into your coop, the birds themselves WILL generate it. And if it is not properly ventilated out, you WILL have problems.
I have an open air coop. Water has always been kept inside year round. In the summer, rain has blown into my coop. I've never had any mold problems, because my coop is well ventilated and drys out quick. Fresh air flow is the answer. You have that and you don't ever have to worry about mold.

 

[FrozenWings]

You better worry about your ventilation. That a heckova lot more important than worrying about them getting chilly. From what you posted, it sounds like you sealed off the fresh air/ventilation. You might want to give serious thought to opening it back up. Moisture won't just go into your coop, the birds themselves WILL generate it. And if it is not properly ventilated out, you WILL have problems.
I have an open air coop. Water has always been kept inside year round. In the summer, rain has blown into my coop. I've never had any mold problems, because my coop is well ventilated and drys out quick. Fresh air flow is the answer. You have that and you don't ever have to worry about mold.

I am not worried about the ventilation because I know that I have an efficient amount of it. I was more trying to prevent unnecessary drafts and enclose some warmth from body heat and deep litter by wrapping places with the plastics as others have done. My opinion and mine only, is not to have water in the coop, if you can avoid it. Again for my situation and coop, it works well.

 

[FrozenWings]

I returned this evening to close the coop's shutters and check on the girls. The hay I had put in a pile was mixed well into the deep litter. Everyone was already roosted at 16:20, however they were unusually mixed together. Typically the older (3) birds flock together and the younger (3) birds flock together. Tonight they were paired off in groups of (2) birds.

Forecast tonight calls for the night low of -13 and a high tomorrow of 9 degrees. I think tomorrow the girls will have to get the option to leave the coop. Don't want any fights starting or pecking orders being challenged. I am sure tempers are short.




-Frozen Wings

 

[FrozenWings]

12/06/2013 (Day 3 of Arctic Blast)
Today was not any better than yesterday as far as temperatures are concerned. A bone chilling -5 degrees this morning, I do believe the low last night was -13 degrees. I decided to give the girls the option of rather or not they would venture outside the coop. Occasionally I saw a head or two poke out the door, but everyone stayed in the coop. Again tonight they roosted about 15-30 minutes early, and unlike last night or any other night, all (6) birds are sharing the roost together.



-Frozen Wings

 

[theoldchick]

Can't blame them for staying in the coop!

 

[Mrs. K]

I find that cold weather makes a divided flock truly blend into one flock.

 

[FrozenWings]

12/10/2013
After several days being below zero and night time temperatures reaching -13 degrees the cold snap is moving onward. Today will be the first day above the freezing mark since 12/03/2013 and we will be warming up to 50 degrees by week's end. No casualties, no feather plucking, and no frost bite issues. In fact they all act a little more as one flock, which they hadn't in the past.

For 4 days my flock had no option to range in the enclosed run or in the yard. I waited until night time temperatures did not go below 0 degrees. I chose to keep them as warm and dry as possible by limiting them to their 4'x8'x6' coop. Each day I gave them treats and chicken crack on the floor so they had something to do, and to generate body heat. Hopefully this can help others prepare for winter. Oh and plenty of straw, wood shavings, and hay!

I would recommend a well ventilated coop, with plenty of room for the entire flock to move around, a 2x1 perch (my birds prefer) long enough for all your birds to huddle, deep litter method, all air drafts to perches covered, no heat, and I would not have water in the coop as small as mine. I know many have other methods, disagree with mine, but this design seemed to work really well for my situation.

-Frozen Wings

 

[theoldchick]