Questions about winter

[Foster's Freehold]

THIS, friends is why it's important to have a coop that is big enough. Chickens in northern territories, IMO require even more than the recommended minimum of 4 s.f. in the coop per bird b/c there may be days on end that are BELOW zero. The tighter the spacing in a small coop results in higher humidity from their respiration and poo. That moisture must either be vented out of the coop, or it stays in the coop and condenses, causing huge issues with frost bite. Every winter there are posts by folks who's birds are loosing combs and toes due to frost bite caused by poor coop management, tight spacing, poor ventilation. My pop door is open every day. They have a covered "sun room" with green house tarp and poly on 3 sides of a section of run. But in those sub zero days, they WILL NOT GO OUT.

That's why I'm adding the compost coop, even though the big coop will definitely have more than the 4sf per bird. I plan on between 40 and 50 birds and the 16x24 is roughly double the space, even with that many.

 

[blackdog043]

Hey y’all I got my first flock of chicks three weeks ago they are doing very well. I was wondering if during the winter you still open the coop to let them in the run?

Questions like yours, is why we ask people to put their general location in their profile. We will then be able to tell better what your weather is like and give more accurate answers. Do you live in FL or are you in Maine, your location makes a difference. My coop & run are open 24/7 365, it's their choice, but you can see I'm in the Charlotte, NC area.

 

[Foster's Freehold]

Questions like yours, is why we ask people to put their general location in their profile. We will then be able to tell better what your weather is like and give more accurate answers. Do you live in FL or are you in Maine, your location makes a difference. My coop & run are open 24/7 365, it's their choice, but you can see I'm in the Charlotte, NC area.

Wish I could leave mine open, but too many predators. Maybe after I get the new set up and get some hotwire I'll chance it.

 

[llombardo]

Mine go out when it's colder too, but I'm not always sure they enjoy it but once it hits double digits it's like a heat wave and they act like nothing's wrong. I opt not to heat my coop as well. They do just fine in there as long as the ventilation is good and the bedding is nice and dry.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/winter-coop-temperatures.47763/

I keep looking where the ventilation is on the coop and there is a smaller and larger one, both seem to be right where the chickens will roost.

Should both be open? Won't they be cold with so much cold air coming in, almost directly on them?

I sit and stare at ii and I can't make it make sense --in my mind.

 

[Foster's Freehold]

Would a breeze flow right on them? It's usually best to have the roost in a fairly static location so the wind doesn't blow their heat away from them.

 

[mortie]

I live where it ROUTINELY gets below zero in winter. My chickens don't care. They go outside and they're FINE. I never close the pop door on my coop (the run is predator proof so that is not a concern).

 

[Spartan22]

I live in NE Ohio, I leave the pop door open 360 days 24/7, 2 of the 4 windows are cracked open 3” up during winter and wide open March-December and the louver vents are open all the time. Our chickens can go out as early as they want to the run and as late as they want. All waterers and all feeders are in the run 24/7, I got 30 happy healthy chickens ages 11 months old to 5 years old that’s just amped their egg laying to 24-28 for 2 wks now. I don’t use lights though they have a wall panel heater, I only used it 3 or 4x to protect the eggs from freeze crack during -20s temp.

Their run is covered so rain and snow are minimal. It’s important they get plenty of exercise so yes let them out during winter.

 

[PirateGirl]

I keep looking where the ventilation is on the coop and there is a smaller and larger one, both seem to be right where the chickens will roost.

Should both be open? Won't they be cold with so much cold air coming in, almost directly on them?

I sit and stare at ii and I can't make it make sense --in my mind.

A photo of the ventilation and roost might help us better answer that. Ideally the vents would be towards the top and the roosts would be 18 inches or more below so that when the chickens stand on the roosts they are still below the vent. And maybe another vent down lower so it pulls the moist air up and out... again, seeing the coop would help a lot here. But think about your bathroom when you take a shower it gets all steamy and then moisture/water droplets condense on all the surfaces, the mirror fogs up. Once you turn on the fan or open the window you have added ventilation, the steam pulls out and the mirror unfogs. This is good, but now think how cold it is if the air from the window blows right on you. Not good.