Winter weather and coop

[Ktravis11]

Hello,
We have 4 hens in a small coop with a run that is not enclosed. We are in NW Illinois so the fall/winter is cold. We moved to a yard that is not fenced and cannot be fenced. The yard is much windier than our last house, it has blown open the top of the coop and the door of the coop. Secured the door and are working on the top. My husband put a little insulation in the coop but the door has to be open a little to let them out. So please advise me about the size of coop and run and location of the opening of the door. Right now the door for the chickens to get in is facing north. I want to know what direction should the door be facing, is that door too open and will cause too much draft, of it is will how do I prevent that, should I put up plastic/tarp around the run to percent wind/snow and should I put up some hay bales to block the wind. Sorry, I am new, this is their first winter. I will include pictures of their area. And then another question, would it be better if they were closer to the house to decrease the winds/drafts? Also; we have coyotes so I am only letting the free range in the middle of the day, not morning or evenings.

 

[Ktravis11]

I also forgot to mention we just moved 2 weeks ago and they have stopped laying. Is that due to stress or fall? And can we expect any more this season or not until spring? Thanks

 

[KarynVA]

Is this the first winter your chickens have been laying? If so, they may resume/ and then continue laying through the winter. If they are more than a year old, most likely they will slow down significantly if they resume after acclimating to the new location.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

According to This Site, the prevailing wind directions in your state are from the North and West, so you will want to locate your door on the South or East. You can also use this different site if you want to look at winds seasonally to determine which will be most potentially problematic for your flocks (the winter winds).

Your coop looks too small, and doesn't need insulation - your little dinosaurs will be just fine. What it does need, while you are rebuilding, is more ventilation, or when it snows and they are (ahem) cooped up (ahem) in there, its going to get pretty humid, and pretty stinky very fast. Both are problems for your birds. It also needs to be expanded, even if only temporarily until you can do more permanent work in spring.

First place I'd look to open up is the gables at either end - unless they face into the prevailing winds, where there's risk that rain or whatever might be blown in, in which case, open them up, then cover with louvers. On a temporary basis, I'd probably add some plywood or similar on two sides at one corner of the run (the north west) which extend most of the height of the run, leaving a few inches at top for airflow, place some raised perches inside, use a standing post to provide an elevated corner, then pitch a roof off of it like an adirondack.

Inspiration:

Separately, stress will affect their laying, but you should expect to get more eggs this season, once they acclimate to the new place, though of course less than in summer months due to declining hours of daylight.

 

[Ktravis11]

Is this the first winter your chickens have been laying? If so, they may resume/ and then continue laying through the winter. If they are more than a year old, most likely they will slow down significantly if they resume after acclimating to the new location.

Yes, this is their first winter laying. They are almost 7 months old. They were laying 3-4 a day (4 hens) but now stopped since the move(1 week)

 

[U_Stormcrow]

You can also use this site, if you are looking for fast/simple on prevailing winds.

 

[Alaskan]

So please advise me about the size of coop and run and location of the opening of the door.

The coop is small, and does it have any ventilation? I don't see any ventilation at all. Hummmm.

Ventilation is vital.

should I put up plastic/tarp around the run to percent wind/snow

It is nice to tarp 2 sides of a run to keep out blasting wind and snow.

However you do not want to completely tarp the run because, again, the ventilation issue. Lots of ventilation is good.

Also, if you tarp the top, you run the risk of everything collapsing with a heavy overnight snow fall.

should I put up some hay bales to block the wind.

could help, and might also help to weigh the coop and run down..

would it be better if they were closer to the house to decrease the winds/drafts?

Yes, and the coyote problem. That isn't a very strong coop, the closer it is to the house, the more safe it will be.

Also, if you could stick the coop under that deck, (even if just for this winter, with a plan to build a bigger coop in the summer, or move the small coop away from the house in the summer......) that would help with the wind problem, as well as the snow problem.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I agree with above posters.

Needs venting, no insulation, better location and to be bigger.

Also know how hat as light as that coop is strong winds are known to roll them across the yard. Use caution attaching things to the run.....the wind likes to grab things and flip them.

May I suggest another potential option?

A hoop run with that coop fully inside it would be fast to build and much more secure than the current set up.
There are a lot of great ideas in the link below.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threadloom/search?query=Hoop coop&tab=620

 

[Ktravis11]

According to This Site, the prevailing wind directions in your state are from the North and West, so you will want to locate your door on the South or East. You can also use this different site if you want to look at winds seasonally to determine which will be most potentially problematic for your flocks (the winter winds).

Your coop looks too small, and doesn't need insulation - your little dinosaurs will be just fine. What it does need, while you are rebuilding, is more ventilation, or when it snows and they are (ahem) cooped up (ahem) in there, its going to get pretty humid, and pretty stinky very fast. Both are problems for your birds. It also needs to be expanded, even if only temporarily until you can do more permanent work in spring.

First place I'd look to open up is the gables at either end - unless they face into the prevailing winds, where there's risk that rain or whatever might be blown in, in which case, open them up, then cover with louvers. On a temporary basis, I'd probably add some plywood or similar on two sides at one corner of the run (the north west) which extend most of the height of the run, leaving a few inches at top for airflow, place some raised perches inside, use a standing post to provide an elevated corner, then pitch a roof off of it like an adirondack.

Inspiration:
View attachment 2396628

Separately, stress will affect their laying, but you should expect to get more eggs this season, once they acclimate to the new place, though of course less than in summer months due to declining hours of daylight.

 

[Ktravis11]

Thank you so much for the information! I really appreciate the feedback and help!