For the WORST (
) 6 months of the year I second what mmajw posted, you do want your 2x4 roost with wide side up and a heated water dish is great.
The best thing you can do to your coop (IMHO) is insulate. Also use the deep litter method to help insulate the floor. Besides, I'm not cleaning out the coop in the middle of winter.
I do use a flat paneled heater during the worst of the cold. It will help keep your coop in the teens when its below zero outside. If you only have hens then they seemed to handle the extreme cold better than the roos who are susceptible to frostbite on their combs. Vaseline did'nt help to prevent the frostbite on my roo's comb, but Bag Balm did help afterwards to help heal up the damage.
My chickens, when they have a choice, won't go out in the snow. I provided a dust bath for them and I throw down scratch in their shavings to keep them active and not pecking on each other. My coop is large enough , 10x12, that they have space to move about without tripping over each other. On sunny days with no wind they would go outside but just for short peroids of time. If we had a more mild season like they do further south then they probably would be out alot more.
This was my first winter with chickens and, as you know, it was a nasty one that did'nt want to end. Winds that got up to 50 mph and below zero temps were the worst. I'm hoping that this one is mild but I have a feeling it won't be. It was 48 Sunday morning when I headed to work. Sure don't want to even think about turning on a furance in August.
). What do I need to know about taking care of my girls when the snow flies? Do chickens go out in the snow? How cold is too cold, if the coop is tight and draft free do I need supplimental heating? Do I need a higher energy feed? 
