Wind draft?

[seann]

I'm building my first coop based on an old wooden crib. I'm covering back, sides, bottom and top but not the front. The front is currently hardware cloth + crib wall (with gaps) so wind and light can get in there. I live in San Diego so weather is very nice (lowest 40, highest 90). I'm worried about wind draft.

Should I cover the front as well?

Note: the whole coop is raised 2 feet from the ground and the bottom gap (with ladder from the coop) is surrounded with hardware cloth.

Thanks.

 

[emilyh]

I don't have the answer to your question since I have the same question that you saw

Just want to say I used to live in San Diego and so wish that I were there now. I have no idea you can keep chicken in SD.

 

[cstronks]

Since the weather in San Diego is practically perfect for most of the year, then I would be inclined to say that you'll be fine. However, it wouldn't hurt for you to purchase a tarp and cut it down to size for use on windy occasions. Drafts can cause problems for chickens, but with three sides protected your birds shouldn't have a problem. Tarping one side during bad weather is a cheap way to ensure that your birds will be protected on drafty nights.

 

[seann]

@emilyh: Yes, I checked with my city's ordinance and we are allowed to have hens but not roosters.
@cstronks: Tarp. Ok, that's an idea. Thank you.

 

[BarredBuff]

I wouldn't worry about it. Chickens are very cold hardy, and will do well in your local climate. Its when it is below 0 that drafts are a big issue.

 

[tagtime]

I'm building my first coop based on an old wooden crib. I'm covering back, sides, bottom and top but not the front. The front is currently hardware cloth + crib wall (with gaps) so wind and light can get in there. I live in San Diego so weather is very nice (lowest 40, highest 90). I'm worried about wind draft.

Should I cover the front as well?

Note: the whole coop is raised 2 feet from the ground and the bottom gap (with ladder from the coop) is surrounded with hardware cloth.

Thanks.

 

[tagtime]

We used some of the spray foam insulation on the upper areas where there were gaps in construction. You can buy it at hardware stores. It has really kept it cozy, although it looks a little messy. Only used where there was no exposure to chickens just in case. Temps here are below 10 degrees right now.