Thoughts on my coop and frostbitten hens - pictures included

[Intheheartofit]

Weird, didn't see there were updates on this post or would have posted sooner. The roof above the roof of the coop is open, I knocked out one of the plywood chunks that I put up to keep things out and replaced with hardware cloth the other day just to increase ventilation, but there's a substantial space between the roof of the coop and the overall run roof. Basically built the coop then added the run after so coop is freestanding. See pictures.

The pop door and all the windows are all closed at night. Windows are closed for the winter as is bottom vent hole. Only roof and high side vent are open with 6 square feet of venting.

Ok, so more ventilation? I can cut the plywood for the roof and add another 4-6 square feet in the roof easily. I have a temperature and humidity readings and the humidity is at around 54% and temperature is about 5C,8F above the outside temperature.

The birds are always frosty on their backs, does anyone else experience this that doesn't have frostbitten birds?

I'm fine to cut more roof venting if that's the answer.

 

[junebuggena]

The frost on their backs is because moisture can't escape. It settles and condenses on the birds. Chickens produce a ton of moisture at night, both from their poo and from the breath. The worst thing you can do is close up a coop in the winter. You need to provide good air exchange all year long, especially in the winter. A lot of people think that closing up the ventilation to help hold the body heat inside the coop is a great idea. But a closed up coop is a recipe for frostbite and respiratory illness.
Your coop is sheltered enough from the run's roof that you can remove the ceiling completely, and open up most of that wall facing the run. Chickens don't need to be sealed up in the winter. The purpose of a coop is to provide shelter from blowing wind, rain, snow and protection from predators.

 

[Intheheartofit]

Ok, opened the ceiling and meshed up a few more eaves. Not much I can open in that inner side as window is in the way, but can always open that though it's about bird roost height.

What's your thoughts about closing the pop door at night? I have been recently since trying not to move the air directly by the birds.

What do you think about the straw we added, worth it or not really useful?

Now have about 25 square feet of ceiling venting plus two feet in that inner wall.

 

[Birdinhand]

what are folks doing who live around you in Ontario. it's a long way from Long beach WA or where I live in Shoreline. But I don't totally buy that you need to open everything up. my inner coop is up off the ground and the entrance is through the floor and the vents are on the opposite side up high, it's a relatively small space with unopenable windows for light and one openable window for ventilation. in big temp drops I close the window and rely entirely on convection currents to draw cooler dry air from below and exhaust warm moist air from above, it does stay warmer in the coop and it is insulated. the floor is deep litter and mostly dry and the amonia is kept in check by the fact that the birds turn the deep litter over enough to bury the poop. as the whether gets cold, the air dries enough that you can dampen down the vents and conserve heat. we do not see such extreme cold as what you guys get but we do see cold down into the teens, and probably more importantly sometimes it goes from 50F to 15F in a matter of a day or two, the bouncing around requires some close monitoring if you are going to close down ventilation.

one thing is for sure, if you are truly seeing super cold temps at night, you have to find a solution that works specifically for your climate. now that you have opened things up, is it getting worse or better? if the issues are getting worse then, as they say in sailing, keep tacking! when I first looked at those photos my thoughts were to add some thick plastic at the entrance like they have often in grocery stores in walk in freezers where you push the strips aside to walk in and they close behind you. your coop looks pretty open to me but I'm not there and have limited experience with the kind of cold snap north america is having right now.

 

[Hamiam]

@aart is my go to guy on ventilation. I'm interested to see what he has to say. I do know it's better to keep the window near the roost closed. I make sure to block all airflow from below & at the roost level. Keeping all the ventilation above the roost. I love that your working so hard to improve your coop for your flock!

 

[BantyChooks]

The birds are always frosty on their backs, does anyone else experience this that doesn't have frostbitten birds?

Most likely from their breath at night. It's often unavoidable in these temperatures despite what southerners may say. My birds have frost on their backs and heads nightly in this weather, and wouldn't you know, it actually got better when I closed up the coop a bit. I had about 40 square feet of ventilation.

 

[Intheheartofit]

Most likely from their breath at night. It's often unavoidable in these temperatures despite what southerners may say. My birds have frost on their backs and heads nightly in this weather, and wouldn't you know, it actually got better when I closed up the coop a bit. I had about 40 square feet of ventilation.

Interesting, I'll keep an eye on them, last night still had a bit of frost on their backs, but was better than before though was also warmer out at -22C/-8F. I'll have to see when it gets back down to -30. Tough though to know now that they have pretty frostbitten combs. Egg production is down from a consistent 16-17 to 12 or less per day since the frostbite (have a light on at night till 11). Hopefully they're doing ok!