Newbie getting ready for winter - Insulating? Closing down Windows?

[suburbanfarmermi]

Amazing coop! Love it!

 

[jreardon1918]

Thanks for the reply. When you say you leave the pop door open - does that include at night? I usually wait until the chicks put themselves to bed and then I go out and close the door. My run has hardware cloth and a skirt - but it just gives me peace of mind. Should I leave it open in the winter for better ventilation?
I like your picture, btw.

Can you narrow down a bit your location in Maine. General area, that could help a bit with advice. We are in SE Mass. We could hear the crowd in Gillette Stadium last night. Our coops and runs are about the same size. Although, I wish I had seen yours we we built. I think doing plastic wrapping of some of your run will really help. Here is a picture of ours. We leave the windows and pop door always open. Snow and rain don't get in.

In your case I think plastic wrap with plenty of high gaps should deaden the air flowing in the coop. Maybe install a baffle on the window over the nests boxes could lessen drafts.

Good luck.

 

[DobieLover]

When you say you leave the pop door open - does that include at night?

I know you didn't ask me this question but this is what I meant in my original post when I wrote to leave the pop door open year round.
I made tarps out of clear reinforced poly sheeting. They will go into their third year of service in about a month. I installed snaps to hold them in place until I screw down the boards that pin them.

From inside the run.

 

[WIchickMama]

Awesome coop! I love it.

First time winter chicken mom here too. We will also be wrapping our run with clear shower curtains (suggestion from another BYC member) and running extension cords for water. No additional heat here. We have outside events under the roof as well, and open rafters in our coop, which I plan on leaving open.

Good luck!

 

[MaggieRose2001]

If it is the same temperature inside and out and there is enough ventilation you shouldn't get any condensation on the roof. If you do, it suggests not enough ventilation.
I wouldn't bother with insulation. I am in NJ and it gets plenty cold here - my roost has a window right in front of it and all I do is close the bottom portion of the window so there isn't a draft right on them at night (I leave the top of the window open).
Love the look of your coop - nicely done.

Thank you for your reply. That makes me feel better. I thought I royally goofed with those windows.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Hopped in to answer this with the experience of others in cooler climates (not for me!), but @DobieLover and @3KillerBs have already offered excellent advice, while @RoyalChick has described the importance of ventilation in keeping the coop temp closely balanced with the outside, thus avoiding condensation issues.

So I'll add only that BYC has posters raising chickens with no heat in Alaska, Canada, and the like at true temps of -30F, sometimes worse. WHat we humans consider cold, and what our down jacket wearing chickens consider cold, are two radically different things.

Also, good looking build!

I agree. I definitely look at animals through a human perspective instead of realizing they are meant to be outside and hardy. Thanks.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

I know you didn't ask me this question but this is what I meant in my original post when I wrote to leave the pop door open year round.
I made tarps out of clear reinforced poly sheeting. They will go into their third year of service in about a month. I installed snaps to hold them in place until I screw down the boards that pin them.
View attachment 2855309
From inside the run.
View attachment 2855310

I like what you’ve done with your run and your coop is pretty, too. My run is smaller than I’d like - but I think I can put roosts and maybe a chair. The reusable poly sounds like a good idea as I’m sure the plastic is a one time use. Thanks.

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Amazing coop! Love it!

Thank you so much - it was a labor of love. Our spring chickens were in my kitchen until July!!

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Can you narrow down a bit your location in Maine. General area, that could help a bit with advice. We are in SE Mass. We could hear the crowd in Gillette Stadium last night. Our coops and runs are about the same size. Although, I wish I had seen yours we we built. I think doing plastic wrapping of some of your run will really help. Here is a picture of ours. We leave the windows and pop door always open. Snow and rain don't get in.

In your case I think plastic wrap with plenty of high gaps should deaden the air flowing in the coop. Maybe install a baffle on the window over the nests boxes could lessen drafts.

Good luck.

I like your license plate and snowman! I live in Bangor, Maine. We have a huge wooded area behind us and we have a ton of predators. So far a bear, fox, skunk and cat. Luckily the bear went for the bird feeder instead of the chickens - my coop and run are definitely not bear proof. But I guess that is why I always shut the pop door at night just as extra protection just in case something should get into the run.
It’s probably the same in Mass, but right now, my temperature gage I have says it’s 51 outside with 87% humidity. It’s 68 in my house with 76% humidity. My coop is 53 with 81%. So there’s actually less humidity in the coop - weird. But I guess as long the humidity stays consistent with outside I’m ok - right?

 

[MaggieRose2001]

Here is another question for you all - kind of on the same subject.
Do you guys use lights in the winter? I’m not too concerned about getting eggs. These birds are mostly pets with benefits. We actually just got our first egg this week - yea! So, I don’t care about using lights to force egg production - but I’m wondering if it’s good to let them just barely start laying eggs just to stop for the winter or for some of them to not even start until spring. I was thinking about putting patio lights up in the run just so they could have a few extra hours of daylight. It just seems like such a long night for them starting at 3:30 in the afternoon. Right now they are already putting themselves to bed at 5:30. I know patio lights do nothing for egg production, I just thought some extra hours to run around would be nice.