Questions about my coop and winter...

[Flytieguy]

Hi Zeida98,
I agree with the other posts. The coop looks a little small to house 5 birds during the winter. I don't know what others do but for me I use the 3' X 3' per bird method or this also = 9 square feet per bird.

For example, if I would have 5 chickens and each would need 9 square feet, that would mean I would need 45 square feet of floor space. This would mean I would need a coop that is a minimum of 6' wide and 9' long. This gives you 54 square feet of floor space. This will give each hen 9 square feet + allow you some space for the food and water.

Hope this helps. I think its written in stone any where how many square feet you need but this is my rule of thumb method that I use. Good Luck!

 

[lightchick]

9 feet is a LOT of extra room. Most chicken books say about 2-5 sq feet per chicken!

 

[RJSorensen]

I see this is going amuck and well, be that as it may, I would NEVER endanger the birds with a heat lamp in such a small confined space, Best husbandry standards alone should dissuade you from doing this. The birds properly housed do not need nor require additional heat from any source. Period. Cooking the ammonia in the chicken waste is a sure fire way to bring respiratory illness into your flock. And then you have an accident and a fire… good advice? Where will the advocate of this method be when the birds are cooked into chicken nuggets, and or suffer permeant reparatory damage? I sign all my posts with my name, I may not always be right… but I never offer any advice that may harm the birds. Best husbandry standards should always be followed, endangering ones flock should not, given a choice.

The housing part of the little red coop is half the overall length, it will provide the five Large Fowl RIR's 3.566875 feet per bird. The BYC standard, aka rule of thumb is 4 square feet per bird in the coop, 10 square feet per bird in the run. If you have not read this, I would suggest that you do: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

There is a nice section in it regarding cold weather coops, as well as a wealth of other information the bird keeper should be aware of. The original poster is more than free to do as they wish, it would seem that both sides have been presented. My obligation to help where I can is fulfilled here. Folks are more than free to chose any management style they wish.

Best to all,

RJ

 

[dczymmek]

I'm just saying 3 1/2 a square foot per bird is plenty of space. Maybe in the winter when the birds will be more resistant to go outside it will be a little cramped, but as long as he changes te bedding 1-2 times a week the birds should be fine. I understand 4 ft. Per bird is the "BYC Standard" but I have had 950 RIR hens housed at 3 square feet per bird for the last 12 years and have never ever had a space problem. Numerous other references, including Storeys Guide to raising Chickens, it is recommended to have 3-3.5 square feet per bird. And if OP really wants to he can enclose the tiny run on the coop and knock out the one wall- instantly goes up to over 5 square foot per bird.

 

[lightchick]

I'm just saying 3 1/2 a square foot per bird is plenty of space. Maybe in the winter when the birds will be more resistant to go outside it will be a little cramped, but as long as he changes te bedding 1-2 times a week the birds should be fine. I understand 4 ft. Per bird is the "BYC Standard" but I have had 950 RIR hens housed at 3 square feet per bird for the last 12 years and have never ever had a space problem. Numerous other references, including Storeys Guide to raising Chickens, it is recommended to have 3-3.5 square feet per bird. And if OP really wants to he can enclose the tiny run on the coop and knock out the one wall- instantly goes up to over 5 square foot per bird.

x2

 

[Varner flock]

We have a much bigger run than you guys, but what we did was board up the top half around the run and put a heat lamp that we used when they were chicks in the brooder and clamped it in the top corner of the run and let the heat circulate in the run and into the coop(which also only has a square opening connecting the two). When your hens are roosting together they will produce plenty of body heat on their own, and with a smaller coop, you might not have to do much extra because the smaller coop and run(you might want to board up the top half) it will trap the heat by itself easier. Another thing we did last winter with our roosters, which you can do with your hens also, is rub some vaseline on their combs to insulate them and protect at least a little from frostbite at the least.

 

[tuner06]

Ok so I'm also new to chickens and I have also been thinking about winter I live in
Maryland been reading all your post about need lots of ventilation in the coop
Right now there are at least 10 holes in my coop for venting. Can you have to
Many vent holes in the coop. And my other worry in that I have a metal roof

My coop measures 4 wide by 6 long
And I have 9 chickens

Any advice
Thanks Rob

 

[dczymmek]

Ok so I'm also new to chickens and I have also been thinking about winter I live in
Maryland been reading all your post about need lots of ventilation in the coop
Right now there are at least 10 holes in my coop for venting. Can you have to
Many vent holes in the coop. And my other worry in that I have a metal roof

My coop measures 4 wide by 6 long
And I have 9 chickens

Any advice
Thanks Rob

That coop sounds a bit small, you should be fine but expand it if possible. For the vent holes- just make sure that they aren't located where drafts will be let in, and do not put too many. The metal roof will conduct the cold, so I would insulate the inside to keep that air out.