Venting/Draft/Heat Can a coop be too big? (No, I cannot get more hens)

[ll]

I have only 2 hens (Large/Standard size Orpingtons) in a 6'x8' space ...
is that too large of a space for their body heat to keep them warm in the worst of winter?

Additionally, please take a look at the photos on my hen house page and let me know if you would

a) put plastic sheeting on the right triangle space nearest their perch/roost ladder.
(Their heads are parallel to under the bottom edge of it)

b) put plastic sheeting on the right triangle space and left triangle space too
(I have plexiglass already for the top half of the dutch door opening)

c) leave the triangle spaces on each side of the dutch door open and just use closed shed doors.
(The shed doors are off right now - we are going to rebuild the doors & we're putting ventilation spaces in them too)

d) cover all of those interior porch openings with plastic because it is the north side - even after rebuilding the outer shed doors.

So in case you don't feel like scanning thru the Hen House page, I copied 'em to post here 4u
These are the photos showing the spaces I'm considering wrapping up:

This shows their perch/roosting ladder in relation to the rear venting, looking thru the dutch door:

Their heads come up to that seam line that follows straight across from the rear vent, about 12" from the top perch, where they both roost at night together. I'm thinking of attaching a small awning over the outside of those 2 rear vent panels, good idea or no? I don't want to close those 2 vents up with plastic at all.
(Thank you in advance to all who are going to post the link to Pat's awesome ventilation page, I've read it but I need advice specific to my set-up.)

 

[teach1rusl]

If your coop is contained within a shed (which it seems to be), I would simply keep your shed doors closed. Do you have a regular chicken pop door for day times??? If temps. get really cold during your winter months, you could add a huddle box at roost level for night time. With only two birds, that seems like a good option, to conserve night time body heat, but not take away from all that lovely space they have for day time.

 

[ll]

Thank you for posting -

Yes, there is a pop door- it is installed several inches (maybe 6") above floor level.

Hmm, I was thinking of some type of "awning" over their top roost to keep in the body heat above their heads... I haven't heard of a huddle box but it sounds good! I'm going to search the term in that fantastic long white search box at the top right corner of this page

 

[ll]

well no huddle box photos were found to help me along -
after reading a bit it seems like it would be another nest box

Maybe a curtain? I think it would scare them from flying to the top perch.

 

[teach1rusl]

Yeah...a huddle box would be similar to a nest box with a roost in it. Your awning idea sounds good too, especially if it was no wider than the roost rather than the whole width of the coop (the smaller the space the better). The only advantage of an actual box structure is that it would also have a floor (creating a smaller space).

 

[ll]

Thank you.

Any others with input?

 

[SteveBaz]

Just to keep any wind off them I think I would fill in the tri-angled area near where they perch. JMO and thats my

 

[ll]

awesome 2cents there

thank you