Ridge venting and heat.

[kimbymarie]

Hello I have a peak steel roof on my chicken coop. Under the roof edge that meets the coop sides is a ridge vent on each side of coop measuring about 2-3 inches in width and about 3' long. Do you think that is enough ventilation for them to have during the winter months. Also the roosting board the chickens use is about a foot away from side wall and is just a bit above ridge vent. Should it be lower then ridge vent. I have 6 buff orpingtons and I'm so nervous about the massachusett winter that will be here soon. I want there winter to be comfortable and not quite sure what to do. A bit of heat like a sweeter heater, or a ceramic bulb, just to take the edge off and keep coop above freezing. I love my chickens but the stress of worring about them can be to much for me. I'm a worrier and I can't help being concerned.

 

[citychickx6]

I would add a heat light if you want to keep it a bit warmer. I would comment as was pointed out on another thread that providing additional heat is kind of messing with nature a bit. If you can perhaps you should close off the vent by the roost for winter. I know I know ventilation is needed. BUT you do only have 6 hens and the one vent should be enough.
Buff Orpingtons are a cold hardy breed so you may only want to have a heat lamp on in the extremes that you get up there. Perhaps on a timer so it goes off during the day.

I am also curious as to your coop size and window configuration.

I am adding that I have an 8x8 coop that the ceiling is 7 ft above the floor. I have 6 chickens in there. I plan to have a heat lamp on a timer and will only use it when we go to a coop temp of 15 or lower. (YES a thermometer in the coop

) Not all of my chickens are as cold hardy as the Buff Orpingtons. I have a south facing window that we can open when the weather is good or close as needed.
YEA for sunshine.

 

[kimbymarie]

Thank you for the reply, having hard time loading picture of my coop. I would say it is 24 sq feet the housing part of coop with roof/ceiling being 5-6 ft high from coop floor. I will block off ridge vent near birds roosting. Hope all goes well being this is my first winter with the chickens. Thanks kim

 

[henney penny]

I live in northeren maine and I to worry about my chickens,My coop is insulated and I do have lots of ventilation which you definitely need or the humidity will be your worst enimey.I have winter hardy chickens BO`S,I also have silkies and I do provide a heat lamp for them on a timer.Its very windy here at times so on night that are windy and very cold10 or below I do put a heat lamp in the big girl coop.The biggest problem for chickens is drafts and humidity.I aslo have a thermomitor in my coop and a trasmiter in the house so I can know at all times what the temp in in the coop.

 

[Hawkeye95]

Beautiful coop! I don't think you need to change anything, it looks like the birds can get out of the weather if they want to. Honestly, so many people have much more open coops and don't close them up in the winter, and they seem to do just fine. You also have a very winter/cold hardy breed, they won't need a lot. The only problem people talk about is having wind blow across their birds while they are roosting at night. Having your pop door open, or other windows open should be fine so long as it's not a direct wind/draft on them. My neighbor has a 3 sided coop- one side is entirely open! He simply has walls up for windbreak. We get lots of ice and cold winds here- snow from time to time. The ice is our biggest problem. His birds do great in the winter and I think he has more draft/wind/venting than most people who build coops on here. He has buff orpingtons, and they are just set up for cold weather and do great. So it's not about having your windows open-- it will be about them having a nice wind break.