How do you heat your coops

[Izzymoon]

I don't heat my coop, but someone suggested a shower curtain around the run on the rough winter days, I think that's a great idea, very cheap! We may put a light in the coop more for creating daylight (for eggs) which will heat the coop some.

 

[karlamaria]

Dang Bruce that would be much better! What did you pay for it and what was the size? I doubled the 6 mil so there is a double layer of protection, we shall see how it plays out, I really like the look of tat see through tarp. I'm ordering some of those this week.

 

[Gifa]

Yeah, the clear tarps from that Tarpaflex place are 13-15 mil. and I'll have to enlist some creative folding on the north end to wrap it over the geometry of the top, back and end of the run to cover those faces... The north side is 7 feet wide, 6 foot tall on one side and 4 foot on the other and because of how the tarp will wrap on that end, I'll have 2-4 layers of 14 mil down there.

 

[ThinkingChickens]

We use a shower curtain on the run (might have been my post way back, LOL) it works well and is way less expensive than heavy tarps. We also have tried warm water bottles when temps are very low but the girls didn't like it. They don't seem to mind the cold nearly as much as the heat.

 

[bruceha2000]

Dang Bruce that would be much better! What did you pay for it and what was the size?

Oh sure, ask the HARD questions!

I will have to find the receipt. It was 3' x 25' I *THINK*. They had 4' as well but that would have been a foot of waste for my use. Apparently not Ace but TrueValue - $26 on line:
http://www.truevalue.com/product/3-x-25-Ft-8-Mil-Clear-Vinyl-Sheeting/7534.uts

If you stretch it tight, you can't even see it any more than you would a pane of glass. I wasn't THAT OCD.

Bruce

 

[Frost Homestead]

no heat or insulation here, but it's not very cold in Central Texas. if I lived in a cold part of the country I would insulate the coop but still forgo heating it.

 

[Missa Chickabee]

Another thread about the cold:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/421122/think-its-too-cold-for-your-chickens-think-again

 

[vickiw]

BRUCE~wow did I score!!!! I picked up those rolls of 3x25 ft plastic from Walmart's 2 years ago for $3 bucks each! didn't know what I was going to do with them at the time but just couldn't pass up the deal. I scoffed up all that was there (6 rolls I think). Your post jogged my aging memory and sure enough, I still have them!!!! Thanks, you just saved me a bundle and my chickies from windchill

 

[karlamaria]

Oh  sure, ask the HARD questions! I will have to find the receipt. It was 3' x 25' I *THINK*. They had 4' as well but that would have been a foot of waste for my use. Apparently not Ace but TrueValue - $26 on line:
http://www.truevalue.com/product/3-x-25-Ft-8-Mil-Clear-Vinyl-Sheeting/7534.uts

If you stretch it tight, you can't even see it any more than you would a pane of glass. I wasn't THAT OCD.

Bruce

thanks bruce, tsmall for my pen, it's 9 feet tall in front and the back is 6 ( slanted roof) it takes a lot to wrap it as it is also about 12x 17 feet long . For 10 or 12 chickens

 

[Gifa]

I've received all 3 of my 14 mil tarps from that TarpaFlex place. I went ahead and put the $20 10' X 20' one up. We warmed up some, but we're started to get into a wetter weather pattern than we've seen in like... a year and a half.

So, here's how much I've covered with the 1 tarp.






Nearly the entire top, the back (west) and the end (north) are covered by this one tarp. I've got it zip tied down, and I placed a paver brick on top where the beam is to keep the wind from blowing it up and putting any excess stress on the grommets. Seems to be working well.

The other two tarps (7' x 10') will wrap the front, and the remaining portion on the end. I'll probably get some smaller plastic for the door and anywhere else the tarps missed, but I am leaving the area around the bottom and the entire south end uncovered to let fresh air in. But I'm already able to leave the window that opens up into the run wide open, as the wind from the north and west are for the most part blocked.

The whole area around the foot of the coop is sheltered enough that what little snow we usually get will not be enough to seal that section in, but it would be enough to close up the bottom area around the enclosure. Most of the time around here, when it snows, it's gone the next day. I figure too... if it does stay cold enough to maintain deep snow, I'll just leave it there to block the wind further on the north and west side. If it starts to interfere with ventilation, I can easily clear it with a broom.

But it worked like a charm to keep the run dry in the last bout of rain we got, and the chickens seem to really enjoy themselves in there when the sun is out.