Please reply quick - something needs to be done tonight, maybe?

[cluckmecoop7]

I have 6 chickens in a 4' x 5' x 5' coop. There is a 36" x 4" (inch) ventilation on the front and back, and additional ventilation on the sides in the form of triangles (b=3', h=12"). I'm wanting to cut down on excess air/wind entering by covering up the triangle portions, but not sure if the remaining ventilation is adequate. Perhaps, only one triangle portion should be covered. See picture.

Tonight is gonna be about 16 degrees with 15-20(?) mile-an-hour wind. I don't want them getting frost bite...but also don't want them suffocating, etc. What should I do?

Thanks all!
- Clucky

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Thanks everyone, I put a piece of wood over one opening and held it with a screw. It will work good for tonight.

@ChickenCanoe - do you really think the coop is to small? I don't want it to be. But your a trusted person here on BYC so I will see what you say....?
By the way, they don't spend much time in the coop except at night, laying eggs, and sometimes (not very often) in bad weather. They also have a big run which I'll be extending this fall or next spring.

Thanks!
- Clucky

I said it was a bit small but I think you are OK. I've packed some buildings tighter than that but like you said, they were only in to roost from dusk to dawn. Several issues come with that, As stocking density increases, more frequent cleaning is necessary but even more important is ventilation, so as was said, don't cover with plastic.

Lowes and Home Depot both have rolls of burlap in the garden centers that they sell by the linear foot. The feed store by my house does the same.
I once bought a 100'X4' remnant of 90% shade cloth at FarmTek and it has come in handy to shade pens and block out light on windows. It has lasted about 10 years and I'm still using it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Which direction do your winds normally come from relative to that photo? If winds are unlikely to blow through the triangles I wouldn't cover either one.

 

[EggWalrus]

Instead of plastic, I would staple or nail up some old bath towels or sheets over the triangles. Towels will stop a draft but also let it breath to get the moisture out. Burlap can be hard to come across these days. I haven't seen any burlap bags over 20 years. Seems they have gone to paper or poly.

 

[Alaskan]

If push comes to shove and looks like the winds are blowing hard into the coop, tack some burlap if over the openings - it'll buffer any wind but still has some breathability. If you don't have anything like burlap then maybe some cardboard will do for one night, only in the direction the winds are hitting hardest... the idea isn't to prevent all air from coming through, but just to buffer it.

Excellent suggestion.

Burlap or something breathable is much better than plastic.

As long as their heads are below the vents, they are probably fine left open.

 

[gtaus]

... think the coop is to small? I don't want it to be. ...By the way, they don't spend much time in the coop except at night, laying eggs, and sometimes (not very often) in bad weather. They also have a big run which I'll be extending this fall or next spring.

Lots of people here on BYC forum recommend 4 square feet per bird and that seems to be more or less agreed upon. But as you mentioned, other things need to be considered such as access to a run, how much time they spend in their coop, etc... My chickens will be spending most of their time in their coop during our Minnesota winter, so I made my coop about twice the recommended size. They have access to a nice chicken run, but they don't much want to go outside in the snow.

I think your coop will be fine with 6 chickens, but if you get hit by chicken math and end up with more chickens, then I'd look into a larger coop. If your 6 chickens get aggressive towards one another, then maybe you will have to get a bigger coop, or cut back on the number of chickens you carry forward. If your girls are doing fine, I would not worry about it. You have a nice looking coop there and I would be happy to have that in my backyard.

I put a piece of wood over one opening and held it with a screw. It will work good for tonight.

You know, sometimes it's just about getting through the day.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I once bought a 100'X4' remnant of 90% shade cloth at FarmTek and it has come in handy to shade pens and block out light on windows. It has lasted about 10 years and I'm still using it.

I used shade cloth to cover windows when we had a crazy wind storm a few weeks ago (60 mph with gusts up to 80 - that's way windier than we normally get, so I was worried). It was a last minute job and the shade cloth is what I had on hand. It worked beautifully! I just stretched it taut and tacked it on with nails. I have a temp/humidity gauge in the coop. Humidity rose a bit, but not to significantly worrisome levels.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I have shade cloth cut to the size of coop windows. I nailed in brads at the corners of the windows. I just hook the cloth on those when I need to darken the building. It is most helpful when my NPIP testing takes place. I have to catch every bird over 4 months of age and my birds are wild. The only way I can catch them during the day is to keep them confined and catch them in the darkened building.
I've also used it to limit day length to induce an early molt.
Those are simple tasks without spending a lot of money or needing a lot of help.

 

[aart]

Baffles, yes, here's mine. Can't explain just now. I'll get back.

Thanks @Cryss!
Maybe write up a quick article, then you can link it in the future,
instead of having to retype. (and I can link it instead of having to tag you )

 

[RootandRoost]

I had a ventilation area similar to yours on my old coop. I did wrap the coop with plastic and bungee cords, leaving a small portion at the very top of the ventilation uncovered during a very cold spell. I left their little door uncovered too, so they could either come down to their pen to eat/drink OR I could push a feeder/waterer into their coop through the door. I only had 4 chickens back then. It worked well enough. I just had to take unfrozen water to them 3 times a day.