New coop, venting issue causing frostbite?

[mbodamer]

I agree that we all have different climates and building designs which make what we say marginally helpful. Frostbite is a combination of temperature and humidity, but also air flow.
It is usually very humid here which almost none of us have much control over.
It has rained or snowed here 8 of the last 12 days.
My birds are Mediterranean with huge combs and wattles. While the roosters do get hit with frostbite, I've never had a hen with frostbite in decades, even to -20F.
I don't subscribe to the "no drafts" philosophy. My buildings are wide open with openings on both east and west walls that are nearly 1/3 of the entire wall. The breeze blows right through at roost height. I currently have a rooster that has decided to sleep high in a tree and with nights into the mid teens (with rain and snow), he has no sign of frostbite.

The OP's building is inside another building (from what I read). That means there is little air flow (no matter how much ventilation) so the humidity from respiration and feces added to the ambient humidity has no opportunity to escape.

I vote for bigger open windows and maybe even a fan. My tightest building that doesn't have the huge windows had a big box fan on the windowsill blowing right on the roost
the last 2 winters - no problems.

the coop is part of an existing building but not really totally enclosed by it. here is another picture father away.

so to recap, the two vents that you see above the chicken entrance door are now covered with clear plexi. So the only venting i have is the cool air comes in the chicken entrance, and it will go up the top.

now if you look at the picture with the plywood and the window from the outside, there is HC above the access door all along the eave. And then inside the coop i have the large vent that you see the shop light lite up on.

both the eave vent and the large vent on the ridge are protected and do not allow for direct breeze like an open window. it would allow air to flow up and around.
i really want to find a solution that does not require heating as i know many do not heat and have no problems. just need to find the right adjustment of the vents and maybe placement of the roosting bars. i hope.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

the coop is part of an existing building but not really totally enclosed by it. here is another picture father away.

so to recap, the two vents that you see above the chicken entrance door are now covered with clear plexi. So the only venting i have is the cool air comes in the chicken entrance, and it will go up the top.

now if you look at the picture with the plywood and the window from the outside, there is HC above the access door all along the eave. And then inside the coop i have the large vent that you see the shop light lite up on.

both the eave vent and the large vent on the ridge are protected and do not allow for direct breeze like an open window. it would allow air to flow up and around.
i really want to find a solution that does not require heating as i know many do not heat and have no problems. just need to find the right adjustment of the vents and maybe placement of the roosting bars. i hope.

I know most on this site will disagree with me but -
I still believe ideal conditions are those that have huge amounts of air exchange. Chickens can live in a tree till taken by a predator. Chickens have been living in trees for millions of years in all climates, not coops. Why, all of a sudden, can't they handle a draft? There's no way to prevent a draft in a tree.
Coops are for predator protection and protection from rain.

 

[aart]

Are these open for venting?

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Good advice. OP said they were in eastern PA.

 

[mbodamer]

i know this is horrible pictures... but the best i can do at the moment. they are too fast and my cell phone camera is too slow.

you can barely see it but you hopefully can see the black discoloration. its not on the tips. but randomly on the comb.

 

[aart]

I don't see any frostbite there.
My birds have had the black specs, they come and go, always assumed it was dry pox from mosquitoes.

 

[mbodamer]

Are these open for venting?
View attachment 1589129

Where in this world are you located?
Climate is almost always a factor.
Please add your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, then it's always there!
View attachment 1589130

yes the red circled part is ALL vent, there is a shop light sideways behind the HC that i use if i need light in the roosting area when i clean it out. but the light does not block the air flow and is not used normally for the chickies.

 

[PirateGirl]

I agree with @aart I don't really think it's frostbite. Maybe just peck wounds/scrapes. My chickens always have random black spots on their combs from time to time, usually after a scuffle over some treats.

 

[mbodamer]

I don't see any frostbite there.
My birds have had the black specs, they come and go, always assumed it was dry pox from mosquitoes.

OMG that would be good news. I will break out my old school digital camera tomorrow and hopefully get better pictures to help confirm.

just strange that they were perfectly fine and then we had 2 nights of cold and then i noticed the black spots.

 

[PirateGirl]

OMG that would be good news. I will break out my old school digital camera tomorrow and hopefully get better pictures to help confirm.

just strange that they were perfectly fine and then we had 2 nights of cold and then i noticed the black spots.

Well... this is somewhat a coincidence, but somewhat related... when it's really cold, the chickens spend more time in the coop, in close quarters, in boredom, and tend to squabble a bit more. They irritate each other, they push each other around for the best spot on the perch, etc. Hopefully your chickens are NOT sick and you do NOT need to do any crazy construction on your coop!