Winterizing coop not working out

[Matilda Belle]

If I were you I would install more vents, and possibly part with some chickens (I know it’s hard). If you can put your water outside the coop that would be perfect, but I know how it is—my chickens won’t go outside in the brutal cold either so I have mine inside. How ever many vents you think you need at least double. It’s so important when the chickens are inside most of the winter.

you have a very nice set up.

 

[SilkieSisters]

@Cryss
Length = 178 in
Width = 94 in
Roof is slanted so
Tallest height = 81 in
Shortest height = 64 in

 

[Peepsi]

@Cryss
Length = 178 in
Width = 94 in
Roof is slanted so
Tallest height = 81 in
Shortest height = 64 in

Yikes. And that's for 33 chickens? I have a coop/run that just slightly bigger than yours. I have 4 chickens, and would be able to keep 6 to 8 chickens in my coop/run before overcrowding, dampness, and ammonia would begin to cause problems. I think you need to either pare down the amount of chickens you have, or expand their coop. When cooped up, adult chickens really need at least 10 sq. Feet of space per chicken (or 8 sq feet per adult chickens if you have bantams).

 

[featherhead007]

I bet your coop looks like a weekday in New York City!

 

[Chwicks]

I’ve got a flock of 14 in North Wisconsin. We already have 2’ of snow on the ground and highs in the single digits.

After lots of research, I opted to use sand for our bedding. It’s worked out pretty well. The poop freezes and I use a cat litter scooper with a 3’ retractable handle to scoop the poop daily. I’ve also got a few pullets that LOVE to play around in our waterer, which is on a heated base to keep it from freezing. If I had anything other than sand I’m sure it would be a huge issue because she makes a heck of a mess. But, since we have sand, the sand basically freezes into a block or little clumps and I scoop it out very easily each day.

Maybe consider changing out the type of litter your using... Today our run was 10 degrees F and the chickens were fine. We do have lots of roosts in the run, as well as some tree stumps for them to get off of the sand... if they so desire. I also turn on a heat lamp while I’m in there cleaning, which is only about an hour a day (for run and coop maintenance).

I hope you’re able to get a fix in place, and I wish you all the best with your flock.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

@Cryss
Length = 178 in
Width = 94 in
Roof is slanted so
Tallest height = 81 in
Shortest height = 64 in

By conventional standards you’re looking at a maximum 28 chickens for you approx. 115sqft of floor space (if you factor 4sqft of coop floor per chicken)

I too have an overcrowding issue in my coop. However I’m at only 15sqft of coop floor and seven chickens (I should only have three). For that reason I don’t have food or water in the coop unless they refuse to go out (like when we had 60mph winds and temps dropped to 4F. I don’t know what windchill was, but it was probably ugly.

For now, I am dealing with this issue by making the run as protected as possible. They have 120sqft of run and I have covered the run and roof with tarp to stop snow from coming in. The snow that does fall in gets shoveled aside. I also threw a few straw bales in the run for them to stand on. They destroyed some bales, and I’ve noticed they prefer to walk on the straw-covered ground versus the bare, dirt floor of the run. How much run space do you have, and what do you use for for the floor of the run?

I live in Montana and we can get A LOT of snow. Also, it gets incredibly cold here as well. So far my chickens hang out in the run all the time. Only one day did they not want to come out. I keep multiple waterers in their run and entice them out with a tiny bit of mealworms or scratch. Once they come out and realize it’s not so bad, they don’t want to go back in the coop until dark.

 

[Chwicks]

I just saw your coop measurements. We have 14 chickens in a total of 300 sq ft of floor space with LOTS of height (10’ to 8’ roof pitch). I still feel like ours are too crowded in that space. I hate to say it, but you’ll have to make some kind of fundamental change (e.g. reduce # of chickens or expand space). I know you love them all, but they are going to be subject to some serious respiratory illnesses (among other things) if some kind of remedy isn’t implemented.

I don’t envy your situation, because it’s definitely a difficult one, but I wish you all the best with your coop and flock.

 

[NatJ]

I still think trying to get them outside isnt such a good idea because the temp in winter is usually -10*F to 20*F and the winds are neverending and brutal . . . the cold is pretty dangerous here (sometimes being outside for 5-10 minutes gives frostbite) and if i let them out in the run then theyll be a foot under snow.

I grew up in Alaska. Our chickens spent all winter inside, with no access to the run. I don't remember any of them dying of it

One winter we had 50 chickens (7 roosters, 43 hens) in 144 square feet. We had figured 4 square feet for a large chicken, 3 square feet for a small chicken, and 2 square feet for a bantam. It worked--no deaths, no overmated hens, no injuries beyond a bloody comb once or twice.

We added more bedding fairly regularly, and yes it did smell (my Dad had built it nice and tight--we added more ventilation for the next year.)

I won't say it's ideal, but it certainly can be possible. Of course it's more like commercial chicken keeping than the standard backyard arrangements, and is probably less fun for the chickens than if you gave them more space--but they can live a pretty good life with that amount of space in the winter and more in the summer. I see yours have plenty of things for them to get on top of, and plenty of floor space for them to scratch/dust bathe/walk around: good planning!

By conventional standards you’re looking at a maximum 28 chickens for you approx. 115sqft of floor space (if you factor 4sqft of coop floor per chicken)

Depends on the size of the chicken--I can't tell if there are small breeds (3 square feet) or banties (2 square feet) in the pic. And 33 isn't much more than 28, so just a few being smaller would make them "fit."

 

[Trevorusn]

[QUOTE="SilkieSisters, pos

I still think trying to get them outside isnt such a good idea because the temp in winter is usually -10*F to 20*F and the winds are neverending and brutal . . . the cold is pretty dangerous here (sometimes being outside for 5-10 minutes gives frostbite) and if i let them out in the run then theyll be a foot under snow. Im not going to be getting rid of any of them because theyre all my sweethearts and I love them all.

Here is the roof
View attachment 1979291[/QUOTE]
Usually right under the eaves is the ideal place for vents. You can add them and cover them with hardware cloth and it should help quite a bit. I also use sand, only downside is when the poop freezes into clumps, just takes a bit more effort to clean lol. But it does a great job of dissipation of moisture and giving a more hygenic coop base. Just scoop it out daily and it's good to go.

 

[MilesFluffybutt]

@SilkieSisters Thank you for the additional information. I think with that many birds in that space you're going to need to do weekly or bi-weekly clean outs. It sucks, but it's healthier for your birds and you, and sucks significantly less than a full clean out in the spring.

Regarding the poop containers, try putting some sand and Sweet PDZ in the bottom. It'll help some with the smell.

As one commentor mentioned above, please do reconfigure your roosts so they're not near the vents. Maybe cut some holes in the roof and insulate the walls with blue board (on the outside, otherwise the birds will eat it.)

I prop the side door on my coop open during the nicer days so they have the option, but they tend to stay inside, which fine with me.. I hate dealing with the snowballs that grow on their foot feathers.