What is "cold" for a chicken and prepping the coop

[StinkyAcres]

Completely open soffits (covered in hardware cloth) is a good way to provide adequate ventilation. It is recommended to provide 1 square foot of ventilation per bird.

Can we see pictures of your coop?

 

[Nyhillbillies]

Watching…

 

[DobieLover]

Can temps around 30 harm them?

Not if they're dry with no drafts across roosted birds strong enough to open feathers.

One thing I have learned here is poultry seems to have very delicate systems.

Delicate respiratory systems. They are actually quite resilient.

This is how you ventilate without drafts.

Ridge and gable vents with complimentary soffit vents. Fresh air coming in from the pop doors.
Windows away from the roosts cracked open.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Just for fun, because this is a great example of how animals can manage to survive in extreme settings, chickens at -58F: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-cold-is-too-cold-check-this-out.1345546/

How do you have no draft, but open windows? Am I missing something there?

Drafts aren't as simple as "don't have roosts by window." Drafts are wind/air flow that's strong enough to ruffle feathers, not just passive air flow into a coop. You can plan around wind direction or use buffers (i.e. top hinged vent covers, covering some vents with furnace filters, using baffles like this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ventilation-got-you-baffled.75407/ ) to reduce or redirect drafts.

I have my top roost flanked by 2 windows that stay open nearly all year round, with no real draft problems. Last year it dropped to about 12F and the birds continued to sit by the open windows all night. My primary wind direction is in the north side of the coop so I have no windows on that side, therefore no draft issue.

 

[3KillerBs]

How do you have no draft, but open windows? Am I missing something there?

Here's my illustrated article on ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

And two other helpful articles:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[aart]

So in our case, ventilation is tight at their heads. What do I do about that? With where their roost is, the windows are there too, all around.

We'd need lots of pics, inside and out, of your coop and run.

 

[Ccort]

We'd need lots of pics, inside and out, of your coop and run.

 

[3KillerBs]

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I've marked in red the best places to have your vents so the airflow is well above the birds heads and doesn't create a draft.

 

[Ccort]

The "window" right above the roost...they stand right in front of that. (they love it during summer) Do I need to cover that up with plywood or something during winter?

 

[aart]

The "window" right above the roost...they stand right in front of that. (they love it during summer) Do I need to cover that up with plywood or something during winter?

Could cover them with furnace filter material.

How about pics the outside of the coop?
Under roof overhangs, in soffit area, is one of the best places to ventilate.