Questions about Winterizing my Coop

[Ann With A Plan]

I bought it in a roll at the hardware store and cut them to the size I wanted.

Ohh ok. I'll have to look into that. Thanks. Now I remember you haha, I went to your ventilation link before.

 

[ThisoldNHhen]

I am also worried about the winter and my coop.... still a work in progress, but started with one from tractor supply which is totally inadequate for NH winters. My concern is the eaves that are open, will that be too much ventilation....was thinking of blocking off lower side eaves but leaving high side open? Also is it okay to put roosting bars in front of window?... trying to change their location so I can add a poop board.

 

[aart]

I am also worried about the winter and my coop.... still a work in progress, but started with one from tractor supply which is totally inadequate for NH winters. My concern is the eaves that are open, will that be too much ventilation....was thinking of blocking off lower side eaves but leaving high side open? Also is it okay to put roosting bars in front of window?... trying to change their location so I can add a poop board.

Best to start a new thread here....
...and show more pics of your coop.

 

[Ann With A Plan]

I am also worried about the winter and my coop.... still a work in progress, but started with one from tractor supply which is totally inadequate for NH winters. My concern is the eaves that are open, will that be too much ventilation....was thinking of blocking off lower side eaves but leaving high side open? Also is it okay to put roosting bars in front of window?... trying to change their location so I can add a poop board.

Nice coop. Haha, I was using voice to text and when I said nice oop it said ice scoop. Yeah that was my concern with Windows and it being too Aerie. From what I read, we're not supposed to have our chickens in the direct line of the ventilation areas. One of the people who posted above me, they have a good link to ventilation in there signature line. I think it was *sorry, voice to text changed my words*.

Best to start a new thread here....
...and show more pics of your coop.

Ohh, maybe I should've put mine there, too! I didn't see that. I was trying to put mine in the right section.

 

[aart]

Ohh, maybe I should've put mine there, too! I didn't see that. I was trying to put mine in the right section.

This is your thread, and it's in the right section.
Just just asking @ThisoldNHhen to start a new thread to avoid confusion with yours and for forum etiquette.

 

[NatJ]

covering the entire coop with a 10x20 tarp and securing the bottoms to the ground on either side.

Tarp sounds good to me.

I had chickens through two different winters in the northern part of Virginia with a tarp and no insulation. The tarp covered the roof and three sides, and I made sure the "open" side (wire mesh) was facing away from the main wind.

Having just one side open meant that wind could not blow straight through, but lots of air could move in and out.

 

[Ann With A Plan]

This is your thread, and it's in the right section.
Just just asking @ThisoldNHhen to start a new thread to avoid confusion with yours and for forum etiquette.

Right, thanks. I was 2nd guessing my choice of where it should've been placed.

 

[Ann With A Plan]

Tarp sounds good to me.

I had chickens through two different winters in the northern part of Virginia with a tarp and no insulation. The tarp covered the roof and three sides, and I made sure the "open" side (wire mesh) was facing away from the main wind.

Having just one side open meant that wind could not blow straight through, but lots of air could move in and out.

That was my initial thought. The chickens will congregate by the door in the mornings, waiting to be let out. They like to look out the sides where the screening is on either side. I forgot there is a board at the bottom half of the door. I feel better after reading more of what everyone has said.

The winding thing on the right side of the coop was put there by the guy who built it for water, nipples underneath. I don't use it, though. I don't like having to lift a 5 gal bucket that high to get it into the opening when I can do it on the ground and move it where I want. Plus, it would freeze in the winter.

I wondered if I could wrap something thick and soft around the big branches they sleep on to help insulate their feet in the winter.

 

[NatJ]

I wondered if I could wrap something thick and soft around the big branches they sleep on to help insulate their feet in the winter.

I would not.
The chicken can snuggle down with her feathers over her feet, and the wood warms up a bit, and they seem to be fine.

Also, anything thick and soft will get dirty and ripped and worn after a while.

If you have extra roosts, I suppose you could wrap some and not others, and then watch where the chickens choose to sleep--but wood roosts really do tend to work fine.

 

[Ann With A Plan]

I would not.
The chicken can snuggle down with her feathers over her feet, and the wood warms up a bit, and they seem to be fine.

Also, anything thick and soft will get dirty and ripped and worn after a while.

If you have extra roosts, I suppose you could wrap some and not others, and then watch where the chickens choose to sleep--but wood roosts really do tend to work fine.

I thought about that, too. I just want to be sure of everything haha. I did notice that there is no poop on those roosting branches. I guess because they're not big enough for that to happen, like with the roosting bar on the left side made of wood. They prefer the branches to the wood now, probably because they're higher.
Thanks.