Winter prep on chicken run. Should I cover half of the west side yet but leave the top moon shape left open?

[Livvydays]

I have the south and north sides of run covered in plastic except for about a foot on each side. Should i close in that extra foot on each side? My plastic was too short in the moment. The east side is against the garage and has 2-4 inches gap in between.
The west side is uncovered yet. Should I cover the whole west side? Half of it? I'm not sure how much ventilation is enough or too much. Waiting a bit longer to cover that side because some days are going to be in the 60s during the day yet. Last night we had our first frost.

The floor in the run is just dirt ground with sand on top. Should I throw hay on the ground once it gets to a certain temp or below? I already have extra hay on hand from garden use.

Do I leave the opening in between the coop and run open at all times during the day or confine them to the inside coop during the day if the temp gets too low. How low is too low for them?

Sorry for so many questions. Thank you all so much for any feedback on this!!

 

[Ted Brown]

Your location is key to getting good answers to your question.

Chickens need an area where they can be sheltered from wind. If your setup provides that and your birds are cold tolerant they will be fine down to-22F, perhaps more.

 

[Livvydays]

Oh sorry. I live in northeast Iowa.

Oh wow I didn't know they could withstand those bitter colds Temps!

I'm trying to make sure I don't have too much moisture as well since I learned more about that causing frost bite. It's just hard to know how much is too much in the run. Same with ventilation as it could cause drafts. I just don't know for sure.

Thanks for your time!

 

[Ted Brown]

You should update your profile to include your location.

If the wind causes a chickens feathers to move it is too much. The reason to have good ventilation is to remove humidity from the coop area so that frost bite does not happen. The birds should have a roost area that is well sheltered from drafts, the rest of the coop can be open to air movement; the chickens will tuck themselves away in the sheltered area.

If you are still uncertain, ask away. BYC has lots of folks who have very cold winters and are happy to offer advice.

I live in an area that has 5 months of cold during the winters, average temperature is 5F, we get periods when the the temperature goes below -22F for days.

 

[Livvydays]

I was trying to find where to update my profile to have a location but couldn't find it yet.

 

[Ted Brown]

Click on your name upper right, then click on "Account Details", scroll down until you see "Location", add "Iowa" in the empty space.

You can be more detailed but not necessary.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I have the south and north sides of run covered in plastic except for about a foot on each side. Should i close in that extra foot on each side? My plastic was too short in the moment. The east side is against the garage and has 2-4 inches gap in between.
The west side is uncovered yet. Should I cover the whole west side? Half of it? I'm not sure how much ventilation is enough or too much. Waiting a bit longer to cover that side because some days are going to be in the 60s during the day yet. Last night we had our first frost.

The floor in the run is just dirt ground with sand on top. Should I throw hay on the ground once it gets to a certain temp or below? I already have extra hay on hand from garden use.

Do I leave the opening in between the coop and run open at all times during the day or confine them to the inside coop during the day if the temp gets too low. How low is too low for them?

Sorry for so many questions. Thank you all so much for any feedback on this!!

Your goals should be:

- no drafts directly on the chickens in cold weather (although they might be good in hot weather, so consider a removable air block) - mark where the tops of their heads are when sleeping, and add 12-18" above that to begin the gap
- ventilation at the top, to let moist, ammonia-laden air out: plan on 1 square foot/ 930 square cm per bird. So leave a gap between any side walls and a ceiling. See above for siting.
- an air source near the ground, to keep a column of warm, ammonia-laden air rising from the bottom of the coop/run to the top. You don't need a ton of open space, and most coops supply this naturally via gaps around doors, etc.

It's so counter-intuitive, but chickens don't need heat unless things get really, really, REALLY cold; think -25F/ -30C. The thing to get rabid about is humidity. You have to keep a coop that is about the same level humidity inside as outside, or not much more. And that is what is accomplished by ventilation.

Chickens wear a lovely full-body down outfit 24/7, even when they'd rather not (mid-summer, for example.) Hot weather is far more of a danger than cold weather.

 

[Livvydays]

So the same exact rules apply during the day in the run as at night in the coop? I wasn't sure.

Does anyone have a specific opinion on my bottom 2 paragraphs above in the first post?

 

[Livvydays]

Maybe just the question on having sand and adding hay on top.

 

[Ted Brown]

"Best Practices in Iowa

• Many keepers use sand as the main substrate for drainage and cleaning, with straw added in the coop or run only in winter for insulation or when conditions are especially wet or cold.
  
• Some use a mix: sand as the base with straw, leaves, or grass clippings on top for comfort and composting benefits, turning and replacing regularly to avoid mold and compaction.
  
• If using straw over sand, turn and replace frequently, especially after rain, to prevent mold and compaction.

In conclusion, sand is often preferred for runs in Iowa for drainage and ease of cleaning, while straw can be added for warmth or comfort when needed—but requires careful management to avoid moisture and mold issues."