Open Air Coop, windows/shutters for winter?

mystarget · Sep 25, 2012

Hi,

Over the summer I've built a large open-air coop for my birds. It is open on just one side, facing east. Everything else is pretty well sealed up, except for a strip of about 2 inches of open vent space at the top of the back wall. I live in Portland, Oregon. We get a lot of rain, but not much cold (it might get a little below freezing just a few times each winter). I am wondering if I should build windows or shutters in that could open up or be propped open during the summer. I'm thinking that windows would be better because they would still allow a lot of light in. I'm an amateur builder and built it kind of on my own, and realize now that my roof (pictured below) is angled the wrong direction and may not give too much protection from any sort of driving rains aimed towards the front of the coop.

So I guess my question is specifically about driving rainstorms that might get the inside of the coop wet. I use a sand floor so water shouldn't rot anything. But windows wouldn't be too hard to put in. I am thinking I would leave the top sections open, and tarp them if necessary. The windows/shutter would go over the middle sections around the door. Would this be necessary, or should I just build them some shelters inside the coop itself?

Here's a picture of the coop:

Thanks,

Rex

sourland · Sep 25, 2012

Dampness and drafts cause far more health poblems than the cold. If prevailing winds/storms come from the East, I would enclose the open portion of your coop for the winter. Windows or polyurethane sheeting would do a satisfactory job.

AVintageLife · Sep 26, 2012

I converted an old barn style shed into a coop this summer and have a similar set up. When you swing open the double barn style outer doors, there is the interior coop door and side wall all covered in hardware cloth. It was wonderful this summer and my chicks liked to hang out there looking out at the yard. Now that the season is changing, I've covered the exterior of the coop door with clear poly sheeting, just stapled it right on. For the balance of the area, the hardware cloth wall, I cut a piece of poly to fit 3/4's of the wall, screwed on a piece of 2X2 to each end (screws w/washers) with a piece of jute so it can hang in place. For the fall, I can open up the outer doors and roll the poly down on the cooler days and over the winter, it will be rolled down all the time. I left 1/4 of the top of the wall uncovered to help with ventilation.