I'm in northern Michigan and right now we are under blizzard warnings. Earlier in the year I winterized my coop and eliminated the drafty areas. However I didn't do a great job on the east side. I left the eaves open for ventilation and the top of the peak again on the east side. Most of our winds come from the south or west. However this blizzard that we are dealing with now is blowing from the east. So this morning I had to shovel snow from the coop. I stuffed some old sheets into the eaves until the wind direction changes. All I have for heat is a light above their roosts. How do I determine if they are warm enough? What behavior shows they are too cold? I have mainly polish that I am worried about although I am concerned about my guineas also. I know I'm going to have a moisture problem once it warms up a little.
I'm in WI, and have the same problem!!! I don't know what to do, and my girls are still pretty young (3 months).
I've read over and over that you are better off with a vented coop than an air tight one even in the cold. It is supposed to get down to -8 windchill here tonight. I have many polish as well as others. If your coop isn't huge they should create enough body heat to keep each other warm. As soon as the blizzard is over I would remove the sheets and let the air flow through.
as long as the roost is flat enough for them to sit on their feet they will be fine. Wild birds are out in this w/o a coop! Plus polish have on hats!
