Winter debate, coop door open or closed?

[Big Red Roosters]

My girls don't know how lucky they are, out here, spoiled by the California climate. Coldest it gets here is maybe in the 20s.

But summers are brutal - often 105° and above. But the southwest folks got us beat there, too.

I will say that pics of chickens in snow are so pretty, though...

Sounds nice, except for the fires though. You guys are in my prayers- stay safe out there.

 

[Big Red Roosters]

Ya. Nebraska weather is ugly. We have highs with the humidity in the summers of 120 and winter with the wind can take us to -40'.

Winds at my place of 40mph are crazy common.

Yup. It sucks. There's never a windless day here. Except in summer, when you could really use a breeze and its dead still.

 

[aart]

Ahh okay I do not have one of those. We have pretty rough winters, its hard on all animals, even wild animals suffer. I've always felt I was doing the right thing by locking them up, but my eyes have been opened.

Might think about adding one....or more.
Just read your intro, you're not new to chickens I see...this thread made me think this was your first winter with chickens.

My coop is an open air coop

IIRC you have a Woods coop? (but no coop page )

 

[Big Red Roosters]

Might think about adding one....or more.
Just read your intro, you're not new to chickens I see...this thread made me think this was your first winter with chickens.

IIRC you have a Woods coop? (but no coop page )

I'd have to build all new doors. If I remodel the coops I'll put one in.
I honestly didn't think there was another way to winterize chickens, I've always locked them up and they never seemed to care. So I'm very glad I asked. Today it's a blizzard out, so I left the screen doors open, but shut the pen door. When I left for work they were all in the back roosting still. They are late sleepers!

 

[GC-Raptor]

By pop doors do you mean screen doors? I'm still new to backyard chickens terminology. All my coops have a big, bulky, windowless door on the outside, and a sturdy screen door on the inside. I can shut one or both.

Pop door/chicken door same thing. I tend to say chicken door.

Unless we're in Blizzard with snow blowing into chicken door it stays open from 5am till just after sunset. The people door doesn't have a screen on either coop at this time. I don't leave them open. GC

 

[aart]

I'd have to build all new doors. If I remodel the coops I'll put one in.
I honestly didn't think there was another way to winterize chickens, I've always locked them up and they never seemed to care. So I'm very glad I asked. Today it's a blizzard out, so I left the screen doors open, but shut the pen door. When I left for work they were all in the back roosting still. They are late sleepers!

....and that's fine with ample space in coops.

Could put a pop door into the main door.....or into a wall.

 

[Aunt Angus]

I keep meaning to add a pop door. When (if) it starts raining this year, I will need one. I oriented my coop to face the opposite of the direction we get most of our weather, but I think a pop door would make things easier for them. I could use the flap from the dog's house as a cover to keep out wind/rain. Just gotta train them to use it...

I may do that today, and it would be super easy to put into the main door. Thanks for the idea, @aart

 

[WthrLady]

Might think about adding one....or more.
Just read your intro, you're not new to chickens I see...this thread made me think this was your first winter with chickens.

IIRC you have a Woods coop? (but no coop page )

Ya, I do. I even was a BYC coop winner a couple of years ago. It's here somewhere!

 

[WthrLady]

Here it is. https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/ooodalolly-at-dunrovin-station.67998/


OMG almost 4 years ago. Seems like forever ago. Garden behind the coop is now a large barn and corral and pasture.

OC I have added on to the run since then......and MORE birds. Ya, know, chicken math.

The winds are howling today. Winchills to low teens. So another boring day for them again. Tomorrow and the rest of the week they are OUT!

 

[bobbi-j]

That's good to know. I will go ahead and give open doors a try. Thank you for your input, it seems I'm still learning a lot

I think no matter how long one has chickens, there is always something to learn.

When I first got chickens, we would keep them locked up tight all winter. Doors and windows closed,heat lamp to keep water thawed. Every year, I’d have chickens with frostbite and respiratory issues come spring. For as strong as the ammonia would get, I’m surprised they didn’t all die.

Then I read about ventilation. Now I don’t even put the windows in the coop until it’s close to zero. The pop door stays open day and night unless it’s in the teens below. My birds are much happier and healthier because of it.