Winter prep

[Backcountrychickens]

I have always used plastic sheeting to keep out the wind during our cold winters, but I recently heard from locals that this isnt necessary. It has always worked well for me but is a decent amount of work to set op, obtain and take down. should I put the sheeting up this year? Also, on a side note, I know that heat lamps are known to cause fires in coops, but I have done it with no issue as apparently it is at a "fire proof" angle. (also according to the locals) can I keep it up for the winter? And does it effect my girls sleep patterns at all???
Thanks!

 

[nuthatched]

What is your state? Your climate?
Blocking wind is a great idea, dome use hay bales though you don't need to go all the way up.
Heat lamps are not necessary unless you live where it's below zero during the day as they cause more problems than they solve such as: fire, sleep pattern issues, compounding frostbite, not encouraging chickens to leave their coop and getting respiratory issues and thermo shock in the event of power outage.

 

[Penpal]

I would use them as a wind block, then when the weather was favorable, repurpose them as litter. I probably depends on how many you are talking about.

 

[Backcountrychickens]

I guess I will just stick to plastic sheeting! Thanks

 

[aart]

It has always worked well for me

Keep doing it then....maybe just on the side(s) of prevailing winds.

Hay or straw are not going to provide much protection and can mold and/or harbor rodents.

 

[NatJ]

Hay or straw are not going to provide much protection and can mold and/or harbor rodents.

A solid wall of hay bales or straw bales would be a fairly good windblock.
But it would probably take more time and effort than putting up plastic, so the plastic is probably a better choice.

(If someone has bales that need storing anyway, it might make sense to stack them along the downwind side of the run. But I probably would not buy hay or straw bales just for the sake of using them as a windblock.)

 

[aart]

A solid wall of hay bales or straw bales would be a fairly good windblock.

I was thinking of single bales on the ground, which I've seen used here before, never seen anyone build a wall of bales in a run.

 

[Penpal]

An American University, I think Penn State, experimented with a stock of bales (straw or hay) for sheep. The sheep piled onto the protected side, then a few fewer a step away, and a fewer still and so on until there were like 3 at the end. Imagine a triangle with the longest side up against the bales, then trickling down to the point. This showed them pretty much how the wind was shielded on the non windy side, but less and less so until it offered no protection. This might be the study you are thinking of.

 

[AmyRoach]

I have always used plastic sheeting to keep out the wind during our cold winters, but I recently heard from locals that this isnt necessary. It has always worked well for me but is a decent amount of work to set op, obtain and take down. should I put the sheeting up this year? Also, on a side note, I know that heat lamps are known to cause fires in coops, but I have done it with no issue as apparently it is at a "fire proof" angle. (also according to the locals) can I keep it up for the winter? And does it effect my girls sleep patterns at all???
Thanks!

No heat lamp. A draft free coop is all they need!

 

[Backcountrychickens]

thanks for the heat lamp info!!! I live upstate Ny, and sometimes it is below 0 during the day, but just not currently. The hay bales idea is genius!