Will they be warm enough?

[aart]

I'm not sure you need more ventilation, but your experience this winter will certainly let you know if you need more.

Put a hygrometer inside and out in the run to measure the humidity, should be the same inside and out. If higher inside add more ventilation.

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Put a hygrometer inside and out in the run to measure the humidity, should be the same inside and out. If higher inside add more ventilation.

Is there one you recommend? I bought a cheap one on Amazon and..well..it was useless

 

[NoodlesMama]

Is there one you recommend? I bought a cheap one on Amazon and..well..it was useless

What one did you buy so I can stay away from that one?

 

[NoodlesMama]

Put a hygrometer inside and out in the run to measure the humidity, should be the same inside and out. If higher inside add more ventilation.

Can you recommend a good one or give me an idea of a reputable brand?

 

[Duckfarmer1]

What one did you buy so I can stay away from that one?

Oh geez, a little white one for around $8.... don’t remember the brand...there were a ton of them that looked just like it, different name brands...stupid

 

[NoodlesMama]

Oh geez, a little white one for around $8.... don’t remember the brand...there were a ton of them that looked just like it, different name brands...stupid

It’s all good, no worries. If I like the one I get I’ll make a post about it to let other people know I’ve found a good one.

 

[Matilda Belle]

This is the hygrometer I have in my coop.

 

[Cryss]

Yes but my neighbor describes my coop as Fort Knox. Under the bedding is a patio so I’m pretty confident in the safety of leaving it open. Is there a reason I shouldn’t leave it open?

Leaving the door open will help with ventilation, however "IF" a critter gets access to inside of run, it's a cake walk to the chicken buffet ... with the door open, that is.

Its a second level of protection, a "just in case" security.

Can you recommend a good one or give me an idea of a reputable brand?

The only hydrometer I have any experience with are the ones in my cigar humidor. But I'd bet they'd work.

 

[Cryss]

Question. What happened to the ladder up to the pop door in the last 2 pictures?

 

[CindyinSD]

Ok I get every one is obsessing over size the coop. We received extra unplanned for birds in our fall order we will expand in the spring. The second coop we were using was not water tight or draft proof and the birds had to be moved it was not an option. They are never left for days or weeks locked inside. They are not having aggression issues or any other crowding based problems.
I just want to know how I can best get them through the winter not be attacked over coop size. Yes I know it’s to small but it would have been fine for the 6 ordered but the hatchery sent 11. Please know that several people have pointed this out. All it is making me feel is terrible for even asking for advice.

Yes, hatcheries do that... they send more birds than you’re prepared to house. Last fall our first nasty blizzard coming in found me frantically emptying out a tool shed because first, I got more chicks than I had ordered and second, the adorable little coop (technically “big enough” according to the sacred 4 sq ft per bird precept) first, wasn’t big enough for extras and second, was never ever going to be big enough for winter even without the unexpected generosity of the hatchery.

I’ve had overcrowded birds, mostly because of precipitous, unseasonal, unfair, horrifying weather sneaking around hitting innocent, unprepared ordinary earth dwellers where it hurts—smack in the chicken coop. No matter how much deep litter nor how often the cleaning, an overcrowded coop is in danger of toxic air and irritable birds. Luckily (due to your hard work, actually) you do have a very nice set-up for your birds. You’ve wrapped it in plastic, so that helps a lot. If you can keep the yard shoveled out or strewn with straw, hay, etc., the girls will go out so long as it’s not windy.

I don’t know whether you can hold off expansion until spring... I just don’t know. If it were me I’d be getting really worried about now, going over options in my head, and I’m concerned for you. We have really long cold winters here lately and yours are probably as challenging as ours.