So I'm curious- I have a coop that was modified from a Ferarri windshield box. It is about 6X3X3. We have the front off for access from the flock with the food and water hanging at the front. The have about 14 RSL's and are almost all laying now. Their pen is about 14X14 fenced with bird netting over it. I want to winterize the area for them. We live in western NC and get about 3-6 good snows per year but it will be probably 25-40 degrees for about 6 months. I'm concerned that the chickens will freeze. Am I being overprotective? We were thinking of getting a heat lamp for one side of the coop but dont want to overheat them...I also need a good way to seal the front - there is some ventilation at the top on both sides at the roof. I want to be able to keep the wind out and the heat in but not have it permanently sealed as we will open it back up this spring. Any thoughts?
They do need to be out of a draft or wind in winter, but they don't need heat. High up ventilation that lets humidity and ammonia out is sufficient. Here are two excellent resources. https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop
Now I can tell you from my location that the chickens do fine here in the winter. We just opened the new house, 18x24. From previous issues with humidity in the old house, this time we installed two 12" fans high up on the opposing walls and at the end of the coop a 12" vent. Fans are controlled from a Humidistat. Temp was never an issue here and it gets -30, humidity was the issue for us. We did have windows but the screens clogged up pretty fast.
The chickens won't freeze. They can handle those temps easily. You say you have 14 birds in the coop? That's a lot of chickens in a small area. You want to be sure you have plenty of fresh air/ventilation in that coop. Because if it does get cold and snowy, the birds may not come outside. If they don't, and you don't have enough fresh air exchange, chances are high you are going to have some sick birds. Also, being crowded, they may pick at each other terribly. Stay away from a heatlamp in there. They don't need it and it can cause a lot more trouble than good. If I were you, I would expand the size of that coop, right away. Jack
