Winterizing question..

nekoatsume · Post by **nekoatsume** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:07 pm

First winter! Have a new wooden garden shed as the coop - about 6x10. One vent near the top, about the size of a heat register in your home. I have wood shavings on the floor and straw in the nests.. Building is not insulated or heated. From what I've read and understood, this is ok? Should I stack straw bales? Or am I just inviting rodents by doing that? First winter and don't want anyone to freeze. Have Wyandottes, and some barnyard mixes (Silkie/barnvelded/Easter egger/Wyandotte). I think everyone is cold hardy and they snuggle. Oh, and they WILL NOT go out in the snow.. Normal? Included some pics. The Silkie x girls are more productive than the Pure Wyandottes, go figure.

TomK · Post by **TomK** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:37 pm

It sounds okay...keep the bedding thick on the floor...but your main issue is to make the coop draft free but ventilated..my suggestion is to have air intake low somewhere, preferably on the other end of the coop from the higher exhaust vent...you wont need the intake if the coop has other opening that dont seal great...and make sure you have hardware cloth or a small aperture grill over the openings...not that i need to tell you..lol...good luck..the birds should be fine

nekoatsume · Post by **nekoatsume** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 8:47 pm

How do they not freeze solid in there? So strange to me that they'd be okay, they look so fragile! Definitely have the vent covered.

ross · Post by **ross** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:16 pm

Fresh dry air in stale moist air out . It's not the , unless extreme , cold that kills it's the damp stale inside air & drafts on birds specially in small coops like yours .Vents must be open .
Hope pic helps

Brebis · Post by **Brebis** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:33 pm

Also make sure they are well fed with energy feeds like black oil seeds (Boss) and corn in addition to the regular feed.

They are amazingly tough creatures if you make sure of a few things...once you get one winter under your belt, youll wonder why all the fuss!

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 9:56 pm

nekoatsume wrote:How do they not freeze solid in there? So strange to me that they'd be okay, they look so fragile! Definitely have the vent covered.

Don't forget they are all wearing a down duvet

Everybody pretty much covered all the points, just remember take your clues from the birds,
they should look comfortable and move freely.
If the coop is dry the shavings on the floor will be loose and offer a good insulation, if they are damp, they will freeze and offer no protection for the birds.

JimW · Post by **JimW** » Tue Dec 13, 2016 11:30 pm

nekoatsume wrote:QR_BBPOST How do they not freeze solid in there? So strange to me that they'd be okay, they look so fragile! Definitely have the vent covered.

As mentioned they need good ventalation, do not cover the vent, you might actually need more vents. As Ross said you need to get the moist air out.

Also make sure the bird have a wide flat roost bar so they can cover their feet to keep them warm when roosting at night.

They are more cold hardy then many people give them credit for.

Ontario Chick · Post by **Ontario Chick** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 9:15 am

You may consider insulating the shed for comfort of both the birds and the bird keeper.
We found the new addition to the main barn (exposed to west winds) with wall insulation and single pane windows too cold until we aded insulation to the ceiling.

nekoatsume · Post by **nekoatsume** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 4:54 pm

I meant I had the vent covered with hardware cloth - not covered as in no ventilation.

Can I insulate a coop this small? Not very handy.

baronrenfrew · Post by **baronrenfrew** » Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:20 pm

Insulation would be wasted as 1. Everytime you open the door to feed and water the heat would escape. 2. The birds do give heat but also moisture and evaporation from your waterbowl. Then the heat and moisture create an environment that is bad for chickens. I have a bank barn (stone ground floor built into a hillside with logs above) and during humid damp winters with rain and freeze/thaw cycles the birds have gotten CRD - chronic respiratory disease and they have sniffles like a cold then after two days they drop dead. The birds in the tin shed/coop with one 2x3 foot window always open have always been healthy- lots of air but no drafts/wind.
The insulation and inside wall create a living space for mice and they will move in.

Also heat would be electric and there's always the chance for fire.

I have quails now and have had them before and they are a half pound in size where chickens are 4-7 lbs and the quail have done fine in the shed. Al (the gawd) has quail in outdoor hutches facing North and they do well (much to my disbelief...facing North!)