Winterizing Run Question help

[IowaCHKN]

Hello all. First winter with chickens. I built a 6x12 coop. 4x6 of it is henhouse the other 8x6 is open run. I'm starting to add plastic for winter. Iowa can get cold. I've seen people leaving top space open for cross ventilation. I was planning to leave 4 inches up top open on the 3 open sides. Is this too much? Feedback is appreciated. Thanks all

 

[Ted Brown]

I say no, not too much.

My coop & run are much bigger than yours - 10x16 Woods coop elevated 3-4' off the ground attached to a 12x15 roofed run. Roof is 12' high in front and close to 8' in back.

In winter I tarp the 3 sides of elevation leaving only the east side section under the stairs & stoop & the west side facing the run open. I also fully tarp the north facing back section but leave the top 2 feet of the south facing front section open above clear plastic on the lower 8 feet. The west side of the run is completely open but is protected by a roofed section of 12x24 that I use for fire wood.

Note also that a Woods coop has the southern front section fully open save for hardware cloth.

I am in my 6th year with chickens and have had deaths from predators in the first couple of years and 3 deaths that I put in the unexplained category but accept that with 30+ birds some attrition is "normal"

The designer of my coop Prince T Woods authored a book in which he argues that a fresh air coop is the healthiest environment for caged chickens. His design provides a well sheltered section in the back portion to ensure that the flock is protected from cold breezes; that combined with care to ensure that moisture inside is minimal. These two ensure a healthy and happy flock.

 

[Debbie292d]

I personally think I'd do your 4" idea on one side, seal one side, and then go bigger on the least prevalent wind side, which is usually south. That might help keep the snow out better, yet still provides a cross breeze for fresh air.

And by the way, that's a beautiful coop!

 

[IowaCHKN]

Thank you for the feedback appreciated it

 

[Geira]

I have polycarbonate panels that I can put on the lower half of my run. This is my first winter with chickens too. I live in the mountains in a microclimate (6b growing zone), and it can get pretty cold here too. Looks like once I have all the poly in place, the wind will be blocked down below with plenty of ventilation up top.

 

[Sally PB]

I have polycarbonate panels/shower curtains on my prevailing wind side (west) all the way up. I cover the north side (second most prevailing wind) about 4 feet up. The south side (third most) has the chicken coop, and I cover the leftover corners up about 2-3 feet.

The east side (least wind) is in the lee of our garage, and I cover the bottom 18" inches, just over chicken height. Some wind still blows in, some snow blows in, but the chickens can stay out of the worst of it. We're on top of a ridge, so there is often wind.

I cover the openings in the coop with air filter material. There's still air exchange, but the gusts are tamed.

The pop door and people door are to the north side of the coop, south end of the run. I leave both open all day, close them at night. When the temps get down to the mid-teens (F) during the day, I close the people door. When they get down to single digits, the chickens don't come out, and I close the pop door too.

I have feed in the coop and run (removed every night), but water only in the run, in a heated dog bowl. No water in the coop means less evaporation and humidity, and no possibility of spills making wet bedding. When it's in the single digits and I close up the coop, I give them a dish of snow to nosh on instead of liquid water.

This has worked very well for me for 5 Michigan winters.

 

[Knobby]

I'm just here to comment how gorgeous that coop is that you built!

 

[rural mouse]

It typically gets -40⁰ for several days - a week every winter here. Any time the temp drops below around -10⁰F, the birds do NOT want to set so much as a toe nail out of the coop. My coop is about 9x8x7 walk in. The roosts are up 3-6 feet high. No run. They free-range around the property. Anything above -10 and they head out.

We also have a woodpile stacked under a deck where they like to retreat for shelter from the wind. The cold temps won't prevent them from using the open areas. If the snow is deeper than about 3" and does NOT have a hard crust on top, they will need snow removal or paths made. They will head out anyway, but will struggle to get back for the night.

Keep the water from freezing. Air flow will help avoid frostbite (too much moisture in the air with frozen temps is the biggest enemy).

 

[tripletfeb]

You have gotten great advice and I only popped in here to say that your coop looks just like mine, only reversed! Great job on it! We have added more to the run since this picture was taken

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Hi neighbor,
I'm in Nebraska and this is my 4th winter with chickens, so I've changed my winterizing to fit our Midwest weather . I use polycarbonate clear panels on the north side. On the other three sides I use heavy, clear shower curtains with the grommets. I secure them leaving 4" or so at the top for ventilation with the grommet side at the bottom. Halfway down the wall, I secure them to the coop again with plastic cap nails so the plastic curtain doesn't rip, so they don't flap and make noise as easily with the wind. The bottom with the grommets I attach "L" shapped screws every third grommet. This is what I changed from before. Because it can get so dusty in there, I lift the shower curtains off the L shaped screws and with Paracord attach them to the top of the wall of coop. When we are forecasted to get a blizzard, down they go and attach, when we get the 45 mph winds like today, down they go, but when we have nice weather I lift them and attach to the top, so my girls can get plenty of fresh air. Good luck and your coop is very pretty!