Winterization -- how extreme needed in zone 5?

[amiachicknorwat]

Autumn's falling, so I'm wondering how far I need to go in winterizing our coop? I started from the ground up with deep litter, which could and will be deeper gradually. Since the floor is cement I thought that the most important starting place. Now I'm thinking the particle board walls need some insulation and screen-vent windows need shuttering potential. BUT, others I've talked to say they're pretty hardy. Tho here I've learned they originate in S.E. Asia. Certainly they've adapted some, but it can get as low as 15 or even 20 below centigrade, which equals -4 fahrenheit. I was thinking about using cardboard and some styrofoam blocks I can get free from a tree nursery.

 

[drumstick diva]

Be careful with styrofoam - it's like crack to chickens, they eat it like popcorn. It's really more important to have sufficient ventilation for the coop than insulation. Chickens generally handle cold much better than heat. In a draft free coop they produce a lot of height huddled near each other on the roost. After all they are wearing down jackets.

What breed are they. -4 fahrenheit is not very cold for winter.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm in zone 4, here's my shed for my large chickens.


The big door gets closed, the window gets plexiglass, it's not insulated, it's tin, it's a bit drafty, but my chickens can choose where to roost. So a place where the wind isn't blasting on them, good ventilation, proper roosts, 2x4 with the 4 up, warm water twice a day, good food and access to sunshine, and things to keep busy at like picking at hay.

You said you are doing deep litter but that technically won't work because you're on concrete and your ground would freeze anyways, so you won't have any biological activity in your bedding, but I would keep it thick so they can't feel the cold concrete.

I wouldn't shutter your Windows, chickens spend a lot of winter days sunning themselves, so the more sun the better, also you might want to think about something to dust bathe in to help keep the mites down.

 

[amiachicknorwat]

Thanks to Drumstick diva & oldhenlikesdogs. If I add any styro I'll be sure it's amply covered with cardboard. I just thought those 2 insulators were smart to use cuz they were free. What a horror if they ate that blech. Glad I asked. And yeah, down jackets -- TY for the LOL. I dont know breeds. Besides, their breeds are mixed. The chicks were sold as a heritage mix and the layers came in different colours with diff egg colouring too. Here's a pic of the outside of coop where we can see flimsy construction. We didn't buy the place for its chicken coop.


There is a north facing window that is also common a source of wind in this valley. If I shutter any it'll be that, which leaves enuf windows for ample ventilation. Just the other day I put in an indoor dust bath for them, piling up sand with woodstove ash and D.E., which both are dustier than the sand.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I'm sure as winter arrives you will quickly learn of any problems, make sure things are attached well, some windy storms in winter, check your tin roof for any loose panels. Nice view you have.

 

[amiachicknorwat]

No doubt winter will learn me. Thanks and will soon get up there with screw gun, screws a bit wider than what is there, and silicon. Much too due.

 

[21hens-incharge]

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Metal-Sales-1-1-2-in-Galvalume-Wood-Screw-250-Bag-8211200/204741605

If you add some screws to the metal be sure to use the kind linked above. There is a built in washer that seals the hole so water wont leak in.
I am also zone 5. Last winter we had a good spell in November that was -16 for the overnight low and only 0 for the highs. It was brutal. My coop is not insulated and has a LOT of ventilation. I did have to block most of the venting since we had howling wind from the North that was actually blowing in snow.

My advice would be to make covers for everything that way you are NOT scrambling in freezing conditions to band-aid something. That way you are prepared to close or open as needed.

oldhenlikesdogs is right about the deep litter not working properly since the floor is concrete. I would also agree on keeping the litter deep to keep the feet off the cold concrete.

In your pic I can see a large gap on the wall with the single window. I would take measures to close that gap. Even a simple one by four should close it enough to keep the drafts off the sleeping birds. The wafer board wont last without a LOT of primer and paint on it. I am hoping that is there for some shade for them.
It also looks like you have large breed birds. I would not worry too much about insulating the walls. Mine have lived without insulation and done very well for 5 years now.

Here is the inside of my coop so you get the idea of how much ventilation I am talking about and why I ended up closing some off.


The tall wall has an overhanging soffit that has hardware cloth on the bottom. It extends at least a 15 inches. That is where the wind was howling in and snow with it. The human door is on the North so the soffit is on the West.

Below you can see the overhang and human door. The windows are out of some 1/4 inch thick smoked lexan we had on hand. Lets light in but is strong and durable in the elements. It is also very expensive and hard to cut. There are many options for windows that let the light in.

 

[amiachicknorwat]

"They're stylin' ", my partner said. I was thinkin when if you're done with the chickens you could rent it out. I've lived in smaller. Nice size windows too. I think we did get some of those screws. Will check to make sure. Thanks also for pointing out the gaps and thanks to light leaks. That will be my starting place. I'll probably use cardboard, just as I started with on the concrete floor. Maybe I misspoke re the deep litter. I'm more than less layering like sheet mulching, except I started with a carbon layer of cardboard, then a thin layer of straw. Then let the chickens add the nitrogen. Then topped with a layer of deciduous wood chips. I plan to use all this out on the lawn I want to convert to garden next spring. You folks aren't the first to say deep litter wont work on a concrete floor, but I think with the way I started that was the best I could think to do for the chickens so they need trod on cold concrete. None of my windows have glass, only a not fine mesh about like chicken wire. I dont think our winters are as harsh here in the southern Canadian Rockies. I have some vapour barrier we call wood wrap i could also use. Much thanks for recommendations. Will follow up. Happy Winter, Nick

 

[Cluckies]

I would have shutters added so that you can open and close as needed.
I would close the north and west windows, just board them up, or put plexi glass in or greenhouse panels to allow light in.Then shutter the others to close as needed depending on which way the wind is blowing from, mostly it will be blowing from the north west I imagine. You need good ventilation, but you do not want your chickens to be in the wind/draft at all.
I use greenhouse panels to cover the hardware cloth in my run. you could do something like that. I use blocks screwed to the sides to keep it in place like so:

Maybe you could place panels against your hardware cloth like this. lets light in, keeps wind out.

 

[amiachicknorwat]

Funny, most people around here use greenhouse poly (flexible plastic). We get it slightly used at a very cut rate from a local tree nursery. I haven't seen greenhouse panels...up close or lately. Come to think, I don't even know what of the spectrum of sunlight is let thru or blocked or needed for plants. I know that's not at issue here, but I should start a gardening thread on that one. Nor have I seen this hardware cloth often talked about here. I'll probably do that on the "north" facing window as it tilts a bit east too. The birds like to sit up on their perches and take in the morning sun that angles thru there. Just seeing who gets that sliver of a spot on the perch likely would tell something about their pecking order. Maybe I can find a piece of plexiglass I can flex in and out of there as needed over winter. I'll have to check too when winds blow, which direction and feel check their effect standing in the coop. What I've learned on here is ventilation over insulation, but avoid drafts. Thanks