When considering a chicken coop design, you may struggle with whether to add windows or not. It’s surprising how little is known about the role of windows in the health, happiness, and maintenance of a chicken coop. So, should chicken coops have windows? And, how large should the windows should?
There are a lot of myths about how windows do or don’t affect egg laying that confuses the issue. So first, let’s take a moment to clear up some misconceptions about light, windows, and egg-laying behavior:
Myth: Chickens lay eggs at night
In fact, chickens typically lay eggs in the morning, within 6 hours of sunrise. They lay eggs about 28 hours apart, so laying times naturally shift until later in the day. Eventually she will lay an egg late in the day, and then skip the following day. The cycle starts over again the morning after that.
Myth: Chickens need darkness to lay eggs
16 hours of daylight per day is optimal for egg production. We see a difference the Pacific Northwest winters where the daylight hours only last about 8 hours each day. Egg production is almost half of what it is in the summer when we have about about 18 hours of daylight.
Myth: Chickens sleep in nest boxes
Chickens only lay eggs in nest boxes, and they sleep in roosts. They do not typically sleep in nest boxes unless they are broody. In fact, roosts should be placed higher in elevation than nest boxes, to discourage chickens from sleeping in the nest boxes. Sleeping in nest boxes increases the likelihood that the hens will accidentally break eggs, and it may encourage brooding.
Myth: Chickens will only lay eggs in dark nest boxes
Well, this one is partially true. Chickens have an instinct to protect their eggs, so they prefer to lay them in places that are more private and secluded. They aren’t seeking darkness, necessarily, but nest boxes that are a little bit out of the way and more sheltered are preferred for egg laying.
Some people think that they shouldn’t put windows in a chicken coop because they think that the chickens will lay best in dark environments, and that simply isn’t true. For chickens to be happy and healthy, a chicken coop needs to have windows. Windows play important roles in the natural needs and behaviors of chickens.
Windows in a chicken coop
Provide necessary ventilation
Chicken droppings emit moisture and ammonia into the air. Over time, ammonia can build up to toxic levels – it is as harmful for chickens to breathe as it is for humans. Ventilation is essential for maintaining the right balance of fresh air and temperature control. Too much or too little ventilation can undermine it’s purpose. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to do. Air freshness and temperature are fairly easy things to monitor without special equipment. Ammonia is easily detected by smell and any simple thermometer will do the trick.
Release moisture
The respiration of the birds, any spilled water in the coop, and moisture from droppings can all accumulate in an enclosed area. Excess moisture can be unhealthy for the birds and bad for the structure of the coop itself.
Provide relief from hot weather
Chickens tolerate cold better than hot temperatures. Their feathers give them natural insulation from the cold, but in hot weather they cannot sweat and don’t cool themselves efficiently. Windows prevent the chicken coop from getting too hot.
Windows let light into the coop. Natural light is important for the health of chickens, and light levels are integrated with many of their body functions, such as molting and egg laying.
Windows or vents?
Many people opt to use vents instead of windows. If a vent allows air circulation and admits natural light, then they amount to substantially the same thing. Make sure that, whether you use windows or vents, you allow one square foot of air circulation per bird inside the coop.
What should chicken coop windows be made of?
Window openings should always be completely secured with galvanized hardware cloth, with mesh openings ½ inch or smaller.
That way the windows or vents can provide ventilation while protecting the coop from predators and pests.
In a perfect design, chicken coop windows can have the same features and capabilities of windows in your home:
- You can screen them to prevent pests from entering
- Covering them with glass or Plexiglas lets in light but keeps out cold or rain in bad weather
- They have the ability to be opened to allow ventilation and air circulation in good weather
- They would have some way to darken them to exclude unwanted light. Many people prefer to cover their chicken coop windows, particularly in the long days of summer, to keep the chickens from waking too early in the morning and encourage them to sleep in the evenings
If you think about the windows in a house, they generally have a pane of glass, a screen, and a curtain or blinds, so they can do all these things.
Covering the windows with hardware mesh is crucial. The ability to open or close them is highly desirable if you live in a climate with extremes of weather, so many people add sliding panels or shutters. Using a conventional house window, hinge it to the outside of the coop, and leave it open most of the time. This is an excellent way to meet all your chickens’ needs, and a very common solution.
Where should windows be placed inside a chicken coop?
While placement of the windows varies greatly, depending on the design of the coop, it’s best to have most of your ventilation high on the wall, above and away from the roost. That way, the windows admit light and air, but chickens aren’t sleeping in a cold draft. Windows should be placed on opposite walls, to encourage the flow of air, rather than all being arranged along the same wall of the coop. In a hot climate, it is a good idea to also add ventilation lower down in the wall. This will encourage air flow and prevent the coop from getting too hot.
Conclusion
Chicken coops need windows, because chickens need light and fresh air. But how big they should be, and where you should place them, depends on the size of your flock, the arrangement of the inside of your coop, and the climate you live in. Make sure you have good ventilation and air flow, and your chickens will thrive.
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