Question on Hatch Door

[lmdengler]

Do you think I should close up the hatch door during the winter time? I have 21 chickens in a large walk-in

coop my husband built last winter. I made so many mistakes last year including shutting them all in because I thought they would be cold, heating the coop, hanging the water inside and ending up with a mess, and the list goes on. I am just wondering if I can leave the hatch door open or should I close it at night to conserve heat? To give you an idea of the size, here's a pic of it from last year when it was still in process.

 

[RNPAULIE69]

I block off the pen section directly across from my coop door with marine vinyl ( wind blows from north right through that panel) and I leave the door open at night..the ladies have the freedom to come out when they want and I can sleep in ..win win. Just make sure your pen is predator proof!

 

[007Sean]

If your run faces North I would wrap plastic sheeting around it to keep drafts off the birds but leave the coop door open but only if it were predator proof.

 

[chickens really]

I always close my pop door at night to keep the heat inside.

 

[50-45-1]

I would definately close them up at night.
A chicken is absoutley defenseless while roosting.
A weasel can fit thru a hole or gap about one inch.
Once in he will kill your chickens for fun. It happened to me years ago.
I love your coop!
Good luck!

 

[jreardon1918]

I too shut the pop door. Not to keep in heat. But to keep the bad guys out. The run had never been beached. But an extra layer of defense is good.

 

[aart]

I am just wondering if I can leave the hatch door open or should I close it at night to conserve heat?

'Holding heat' is moot if you have a well ventilated coop.
Closing pop door at night is more about predator deterrence, tho your run looks pretty secure, unless you get raging winds that may come in thru pop door.

Telling us more about how you might 'winterize' your run, how predator proof it is, and what kind of ventilation you have in your coop, might garner viable suggestions as to whether you could leave the pop door open 24/7.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I close the chicken door after sunset, but both coops have vents at floor and eaves. If you don't have vents low and high then moisture buildup will happen and frostbite below freezing. Not to mention ammonia.
I'm on my third winter without frostbite in my old coop and keeping an eye out on the new girls and new coop for moisture on the windows. .
I keep feed and water on a heated base in both coops 24/7. GC

 

[lmdengler]

I close the chicken door after sunset, but both coops have vents at floor and eaves. If you don't have vents low and high then moisture buildup will happen and frostbite below freezing. Not to mention ammonia.
I'm on my third winter without frostbite in my old coop and keeping an eye out on the new girls and new coop for moisture on the windows.View attachment 1593553.
I keep feed and water on heated bases in both coops 24/7. GC

You have to keep the feed heated too?

 

[lmdengler]

I close the chicken door after sunset, but both coops have vents at floor and eaves. If you don't have vents low and high then moisture buildup will happen and frostbite below freezing. Not to mention ammonia.
I'm on my third winter without frostbite in my old coop and keeping an eye out on the new girls and new coop for moisture on the windows.View attachment 1593553.
I keep feed and water on heated bases in both coops 24/7. GC

The vents I have are all in the eves and peeks of the coop. There are none on the floor. I didn't know you needed them there.