Ventilation Question for a 1st Winter

[AkHenMama]

We have 13 chickens and our chicken coop is a single pitch 4'x8'x6-4'. We have ventilation along the front and back of the coop at the top that is 3.5". So total ventilation is 3.5"x16' (minus however many inches of stud). Each section is common centered stud distance apart, apx 15.75". The red box in the 2nd picture indicating ventilation is identical in the back.

We had no frost this year and went to a straight hard freeze. 2 weeks of 10-20 degree weather with sustained winds of 20 mph and gusts up to 40, followed by a week of clear cold 0-10 degrees, no wind thank goodness but it's a wet climate so even at 0 degrees there is a lot of moisture in the area. SE Alaska maritime and glacial zones.

There was frost build up inside my coop and several of my girls displayed signs of frost bite on their wattles and combs.

So, I have added pink insulation (they can't get to it) to all but two of the vents at the opposite end of the coop from the roosting bars.

The problem is that 7 of my 13 girls are hanging out on the floor where it is significantly warmer than the roosting bars. I'm not sure if it's because they want to stay warmer because of the extra insulation/heat retention the girls up top provide or if they are too cold to all cuddle up on top.

 

[Debbie292d]

I would guess it's due to moisture in the coop.

Wisconsin has high humidity like today, it was -2F and 73% humidity.

We had to do something our first year (8 years ago) because the walls were bleeding, ice was building up in the windows, and I knew the chickens would be getting sick if we didn't.

We switched the floor to horse bedding pellets which absorbs the poop, thus the moisture and smell. We got a digital exhaust fan and put a vent in the human door. We have a 5-gallon nipple bucket so no open water in the coop. The coop is heated to above freezing/40F so that stays thawed.

Now most days it's less humid in the coop than it is outside.

 

[Ted Brown]

You have a lack of ventilation issue. Adding insulation is likely to make the problem worse.

Several years back several of my birds got frost burn on combs & wattles. Stunned I was 'cause I have a Woods 10'x16 fresh air coop that is reputed to eliminate this problem. I opened a side window slightly, issue stopped.