Quarantined Silkie

[Matilda Belle]

i have had a hen inside my house quarantine the past 4 days. She is almost done with antibiotics and ready to go back to the flock outside. The problem is it’s 70 degrees inside my house and -15 outside. Will she be okay with this transition?

 

[NNYchick]

I would be concerned because she is getting over an illness and that could cause her to be less cold tolerant. What was she ill with that you gave her antibiotics? Is there an unheated room or garage you can transition her too?

 

[Matilda Belle]

She had a respiratory infection. No symptoms currently but has one more day of antibiotics left. I don’t have a garage. My coop had a heat lamp that stays about 10 degrees warmer than outside.

 

[NNYchick]

I don’t know, if it were me I wouldn’t be in a rush to add her back with my flock not knowing what caused the symptoms the stress of the cold could make her symptomatic again and cold tolerance can be affected greatly by illness and age. How is the ventilation in your coop? Improper ventilation can cause respiratory issues, to my understanding a properly ventilated coop makes heating a mute point as the heat will just go out the vents.

 

[Matilda Belle]

I was actually going to ask that. I have a wood coop with no insulation. There are spaces in between the doors and also a soffit in the roof I’m told has ventilation. I’m hoping I have enough ventilation but how do I know for sure? Should I keep the windows opened? The coop is open all day long and closed at night.

 

[NNYchick]

The general rule for ventilation is 1sq ft per chicken or 10% of total square ft of coop which ever is more. If the windows will cause a draft at night on the roost it’s best not to open. When you mean open is it a pop door or larger door? It maybe enough to circulate the air during the day.

 

[Matilda Belle]

I’d take a picture if it weren’t dark out. Basically one of the ramps that comes down on one side was built pretty sloppy and there is probably an inch/inch and a half gap all around the door when you close it. It drove me nuts before but now maybe the mess up wasn’t such a bad thing. I’ll try to take pics when I get a chance.

There are two ramps/doors that are opened everyday and left open all day. Everything is closed at night.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Here are a few pictures from the summer. The two doors/ramps that are opened face the run. The door/ramp with the gap is on the opposite side. You can only see one ramp down in the picture but there are two.

 

[NNYchick]

I would post your humidity question in the coop maintenance forum as there are a lot of great people with more experience that can help with that better than me. When you post be sure to provide pictures if you can of your coop and dimensions along with where you are. My coop is not a typical set up so what works for me might not for your set up.

 

[Matilda Belle]

Ok. Maybe I should just buy a humidity gauge.

But you think I should hold off a little longer to put the quarantined bird back?