Coop too small??

[TDM]

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Why on earth would a bird be snowed in for weeks at a time? Don't you shovel their runs clear of snow? You shovel your driveway and sidewalk, so why not the chicken run? Makes no sense.

 

[karlamaria]

Quote:
Why on earth would a bird be snowed in for weeks at a time? Don't you shovel their runs clear of snow? You shovel your driveway and sidewalk, so why not the chicken run? Makes no sense.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/90607_snowblower.jpg

Yes, but who let's there birds out in below zero temps? It gets below zero here in Montana and stays there most of the winter here where I live once it does warm up it's in the teens. Birds with extreme temps stay inside or freeze there tail feathers off.

 

[elieugene6]

Shovel or don't. Makes very little difference to my birds. I wasted time shoveling after the first snow last year, almost killed myself, not everyone can afford snowblowers and such. After I finished the birds that were still inside stayed inside the others were already out and had come out as soon as the door was open. Some birds don't like the cold and snow and it makes no difference what you do. I had five that would not set their toes in snow. As soon as it melted out they came. Yes I make a path and their doors can open. If it was snowing most of my birds stayed inside and we had weeks where it was snowing or blowing for a week at a time.

 

[Randy17]

Thanks for all the help!!! I am gonna start on a addition for the coop today. It will not be a huge addition but I think it will help.


Randy

 

[teach1rusl]

What might be easier is a decent sized roofed area over the run. That way you could tarp off most of the sides and have a nice sized snow free area come winter time. Most adult birds will go outside even if it's really cold - it's the snow that becomes an issue. As long as they have decent space to move around during the day, they generally do okay. Also, many folks love buying point of lay pullets, so you could sell off 10-15 of your newbies this fall??? Just tossing around ideas. That's the way many old time chicken farmers did it for winter time. Build up big flocks during the sustainable months, and then cull the flock way down to over winter them....then spring hatches would build the flock back up again.

 

[7L Farm]

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Your birds will enjoy more space.