Who shut the little hatch door on coops these cold nights?

[chica-z]

I had been feeling kindof bad about leaving mine open to our predator proof run 24/7 in this arctic blast, but seeing that Mrs. AK leaves hers open I think I won't! It was -15 outside

this morning at 8am when I went out to check on them and they were all scratching around in the shavings for the BOSS I had tossed them last night. The door is on the nonwindward side of the building, so they don't get big gusts coming in on them.

I feel like leaving it open adds a little extra ventilation in there. But mabey that's what they call a draft.

 

[ams3651]

i have kind of a porch on mine to keep out wind and rain and i only close it if its below 20 degrees and windy or snowing.

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
If you hang a towel or a piece of canvas over the door, it will block a lot of the drafts but the girls can still go in and out. Kind of like the thick plastic "doors" that they use in front of the refrigerated section in a grocery store stockroom.

 

[LynneP]

I have an interior pop door and an exterior one protecting the same opening- not so much from the cold but from predators, in case something were to break into the run and onward to the coop. I have only 12 birds, so closing up the coop is not a chore. I can see how big operations would want to minimize this kind of thing! (Hi, Tori!)

Remember, you MUST have a way of keeping the water liquid!





There are so many variables. Those of us with cold-hardy birds raised in extreme temps will have well-feathered individuals, but even then we have to be careful. We're at -10 C with wind chill of -19C so I'm going down to the coop early today to close the pop door and settle the hens early. It's also a promise to myself to check them an extra time today. We have power and the heated dog bowl is working which is the key, but I'd rather not have frost bite on their combs. I can see them the odd time they come out and check the surroundings on their snow platform, but they're turning around rather quickly and going back inside. They're also eating tons of pellets today and some mixed seed, cabbage and apple that I left in the coop as treats. So long as they're exercising and not huddling I don't worry much.

But I lived in WA, BC or CA in a zone where the cold is new to my birds I'd be quite concerned.

 

[chica-z]

Tori, thanks for the tip! I'll have to go raid the rag bag for some old towels.

Lynn P, HOW is it that there is not one speck of chicken poopies on that outdoor table? It looks so PRISTINE!!!

I'm going to go scrape last nights frozen poopies off my dropping board now... You just inspired me to "CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN... " (sung in a high pitched voice)

 

[Mrs MIA]

Hi Lynne!

I think her table was new when that photo was taken.

It should be covered in poopies, or at least snow, by now!

I put a vinyl-covered dropping board under my roosts, and I LOVE IT. Even frozen, they just pop right of and scrape into a trashbag. Easier, actually, when frozen.

 

[JennsPeeps]

We shut the door every day of the year, as it's extra predator protection.

 

[dirtfishing1]

We went on a camping trip one weekend and I thought they would be fine if the door was left open. When we returned I had 14 missing chickens. lesson learned. It is now fort knox every night.

Dirt

 

[LynneP]

Why no poopies?

Because I try to scrape it clean when I'm taking photos!

 

[ams3651]

its 25 degrees, switching on and off from snow and sleet. I just went out and it was much warmer inside and the door is open with the "porch"