Need Coop Help!!!

[4 chicks 4 Kyra]

I have four chicks one sex link 3 bantams and I am having a coop built by a man with a flock of 40 hens so I test his knowledge but I am unsure about the vent location. The design he showed my has the vents the height of the coop from floor to ceiling and they are narrow as the are on both sides of the door. They are made with hardwired mesh and I have requested shutters with them. We live in Oregon and it snows part of the year. Will they get to chilled if the coop isn't insulted? what temperature would be a proper temperature to put the shutters on? thank you all!

 

[Jkm0518]

Chickens are hearty birds. For winters just make sure you have no drafts in the coop and don't add heat lamps when it starts to get cold or else they will never adjust to the cold. I've read on here about members in Alaska whose birds love the snow so long as they have water.

 

[4 the Birds]

Vertical vents from floor to roof does not sound like an ideal design. A horizontal vent can have a hinged shutter on top that can be cracked open during rains without water getting inside. Up high and the moist air moves out in the Winter and hot air moves out in the Summer. We get blowing snow storms during the Winter and upwind vents need to be closed or else the snow will blow into the coop and pile up big time. Insulation would have some benefits but you do not need it you have a good coop/run design..... I have shutters on all of my coop vents so that I have options for air flow and closing some during bad weather.

 

[4 chicks 4 Kyra]

Thank you this is helpful information!