What is "cold" for a chicken and prepping the coop

[Ccort]

Is a certain type of insulation better or safer? Please understand I have no idea what I am doing. There is the fluffy yellow stuff, the white foam, the silver metallic insulation?

I am thinking I need to insulate the sides (and floor?) But not the ceiling? And cover with plywood sheets Close off the bigger windows (and I just put plywood on them?) and try making a couple smaller windows near the top.

Would insulation need taken OUT for summer?

 

[saysfaa]

...
Lastly, once we are in the 40s or 30s during the day, should the coop by winterized?
...

Yes, I think so.

Edit to add, winterized means no drafts on them. If you want to, I can find the evidence about chickens thriving in open air coops in very cold weather or get into the theories/concepts/reasons why it is so. I think Henfla's way can work too but that it isn't better and that there is more to it than we see. It is very beautiful and attractive

I've been very hesitant to say what I would do because you've put a lot of work into modifying your coop - it is beautiful, and very well done. I'm sorry, I don't know how to do that with your set up. But since it has been weeks without an acceptable solution... I would close up the two long sides and one short side and take the siding off the other short side. I'm guessing on your dimensions, and that does matter but it looks like dimensions that work.

You can leave the hardware cloth as it is and use it next summer. I closed with (very) old wooden windows held in place with a couple of nails into the frames. A piece of tarp might work. Or panel of some sort.

 

[aart]

Is a certain type of insulation better or safer? Please understand I have no idea what I am doing. There is the fluffy yellow stuff, the white foam, the silver metallic insulation?

You don't need insulation in your climate.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is a certain type of insulation better or safer? Please understand I have no idea what I am doing. There is the fluffy yellow stuff, the white foam, the silver metallic insulation?

The best insulation is no insulation.

The fiber kind is a cozy home for rodents. The foam-board kind will be pecked at.

Chickens are wearing built-in down parkas. They don't need an insulated coop, they just need to be dry and out of the wind.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

 

[Ccort]

The best insulation is no insulation.

The fiber kind is a cozy home for rodents. The foam-board kind will be pecked at.

Chickens are wearing built-in down parkas. They don't need an insulated coop, they just need to be dry and out of the wind.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

What would you recommend I use them to cover my lower lying windows?

 

[Ccort]

You don't need insulation in your climate.

Even when our temps are zero or negatives?

 

[3KillerBs]

What would you recommend I use them to cover my lower lying windows?

Just cover them with clear plastic for the winter. Or with furnace filter if you'd lose too much ventilation that way.

All you need to do is to stop the wind from blowing through hard enough to ruffle the birds feathers.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/cold-weather-poultry-housing-and-care.72010/

 

[Ccort]

The best insulation is no insulation.

The fiber kind is a cozy home for rodents. The foam-board kind will be pecked at.

Chickens are wearing built-in down parkas. They don't need an insulated coop, they just need to be dry and out of the wind.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/aarts-extreme-weather-spiel.75893/

When it's bitter cold, say 0 degrees, won't they get frostbite?

 

[3KillerBs]

When it's bitter cold, say 0 degrees, won't they get frostbite?

The article I just linked is from @Alaskan, who is expert on cold climate chicken care.

My understanding is that if they chickens are dry and out of the wind they should be fine.

My birds in their Open Air coop weren't even remotely bothered by the few nights we had down into the teens.

 

[saysfaa]

When it's bitter cold, say 0 degrees, won't they get frostbite?

Mine didn't, even below 0F. Although it was high single digits to mid teens F most of the time from Christmas through February. Even the two leghorns. Pictures are inside and outside last January. Edit to add a picture of Spice, the leghorn, and Coco, the australorp, from this fall, showing they still have the points on their combs - part of the reason, though, is they didn't go out where they could dunk their heads in snowbanks and they were never short of food or water (except one day in March). It wasn't only the coop setup.

The windows were close enough to the right width to fit with a few shims but they were too short, hence the pool noodles.

Three-sided isn't the only way that works but I would do it again.