Winterizing the coop.

[Chickie daddy]

I am currently building my coop and it's coming along wonderfully! My question is living in Colorado winters can get cold and I want to make sure my girls do ok. Best to do it now while construction is still going. Can anyone tell me things I need to do to make my coop ready for cold weather?

 

[wynn4578]

Tip 1. Ventilation is key so to Make it easier on yourself plan your ventilation so that it can be easily opened/closed to save yourself so headache later

 

[flyin-lowe]

Not sure how cold it gets where you are but this past winter in Indiana we had many nights below zero with wind chill temps in the -20's. I prepared for that by having a completely open gable vent, 4 open windows, and the eaves/overhangs of the coop also completely open. Like wynn said ventilation is your friend. Pick some breads that are cold weather hardy and save a lot of headache.

 

[Chickie daddy]

Do I need to worry about drafts or insulation. What about warmth? Im so confused.

 

[Pork Pie]

Drafts are to be avoided. These links may help

http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-chicken-keeping


http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/winter-coop-temperatures

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

I have the coop ventilation positioned so that it's not in the way of the coldest winter storms, which are southerlies in my area. The south wall is solid, so I can ventilate even on horrible days without wind blowing through. I also have a series of plastic "curtains" on the run that I can roll up or down depending on the weather, just to protect them from the worst of the bad weather. Inside the coop, the nest boxes are in a line along the middle of the coop but facing away from the door for privacy. The roost is behind that, so even though the coop door is open to the elements, they won't be drafty where they sleep (although they prefer sleeping in nestboxes). From the reading I've done, chickens are pretty good with cold, but they don't do well with damp or drafts. My coop shouldn't have those issues, but this is the first winter so I'll be keeping a close eye on things.

 

[wynn4578]

Mine vent year around except on exceptionally cold nights. Even then I vent during the day. Just make sure the winter vents don't create drafts. If you lock the coop down during the winter it will build moisture and trap gases from the chicken poop. Both will make your chickens sick. What area do you live in. I'm sure there are people in your climate that could give specific advise on what they do during winter. In my area really cold snaps usually only happen a couple times a year and generally only last a few days so I don't have to prep for blizzard weather if your up north your coop needs will be way different than mine.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

We don't do much to winterize. Close the north window (the south window stays open), roll down a clear poly tarp (like you see on party tents) on 1/2 of the north side of the run and secure it and put the water on a warmer. There is a vent near the roof that stays open year around.

 

[barred2rock]

I'm also in Colorado with a strong southerly wind most of the year. I like to have windows covered in hardware cloth (mounted from the inside) on the east & west walls to provide sun & ventilation. In my case I have windows that crank open from the bottom out. In the same walls I have large open vents at the very top at about 11' high. My south wall is where I enter through a full size human door. The northern wall has no exposures, since it's attached to the house.

ETA: In the winter you'll need some way to keep your water from freezing. If you can run power out to the coop, you'll be golden.

 

[Hokum Coco]

Do I need to worry about drafts or insulation.

I have 67 trips around the sun and have been raising birds for decades. I live in Canada and am subject to -40º weather. If your chickens are a cold hearty breed I find insulation is not a priority in a wooden coop in a metal coop it definitely is needed. Predator proofing should be a major concern hardware cloth is a necessity.
To combat cold I supply my birds with an extra feeder of whole corn to get them through the arctic conditions. Attention still has to be given to birds that may not be adjusting well to their new diet or those birds at the lower end of the pecking order. That being said your birds should flourish and do just fine.