enclose the run for winter?

[ebonykawai]

I've been thinking about trying to close off my run this winter, to keep snow out if possible. I have 2 tarps that have been on all summer long for shade, and they are tented so that the snow will slide off. Do you think it's worth trying to put something on the walls of the run, like maybe heavy plastic sheeting, to enclose it and keep snow out? Or do you think it's not worth the trouble? I don't want to be out shoveling the run all the time, but since a lot of it is covered with tarps, maybe it won't be that bad? I can't decide what to do.

What do you all do, if anything, in the winter to keep out the snow? OR do you just wing it, lol?

 

[Wynette]

I do not do anything to try to prevent the snow from coming in. This year, however, I've decided to put some bales of straw on the west side, where the most wind blows. I'll probably go 3-4 bales high. IMO, it's not good to "over pamper" them. They're outdoor livestock, and can do extremely well in the elements, IF they have the option to go to a dry, warm place. I leave my coop pophole door open during the day so they can come & go as they please. My coop is raised off the ground (sort of like on stilts), so they can also go underneath to get out of the elements, but still be outside for the fresh air. Here's a picture from last year:

 

[Galaxie_Man]

Quote:
I originally put up a tarp for shelter and shade, but it is going to be replaced soon with corrugated roofing. Even though it was pitched and the rain ran off fine, snow was a different story last winter. I had to climb up a ladder in the snow several times to sweep it off. At least with the corrugated roof it will hold the snow load fine. BTW, my run is only 8' X 12', so the roofing sections will be short.

 

[ebonykawai]

That's a nice coop! Mine is a 8x8 shed with a run that is in an L-shape around it. The hay bales are a good idea, I was also contemplating that. I might pile some up agains the run on the north side, our windy side.

Hmmmm....maybe a better idea than try to close it in.

The roofing sounds like a good idea, too. I hate these tarps. Do you just nail them in, or how did you attach them, Dave?

 

[Jenski]

Wynette, nice setup! Thanks for sharing that pic. Looks nice and cozy, even in a snowstorm.

 

[Galaxie_Man]

Quote:
I used tarp tie-downs from Home Depot. It's a little loop of bungie cord material with a plastic orange ball at the end, and you just loop the ball back through the elastic loop. I attached it through the chicken wire where there was a grommet on the tarp. The photo of my run kind of shows them.

 

[LynneP]

We're roofed with clear vinyl, but we have one side of the run that get a wicked northwest wind. There, we plan to put up some plastic and to buffer with some hay bales, too. But we're not installing the hay until we're sure we can keep the bales dry, because we want to avoid mold. I'll get a pic when it's done...

Run is visible in link below.

 

[ebonykawai]

Thanks!!

 

[Firefyter-Emt]

The only thing I am doing is to install a "storm door" over the hardware cloth door under the coop with some plexi glass. This will give the girls the enclosed space under the coop. (I may toss some hay under there too) The coop was designed with this exact reason in mind as it can get a little cold here in NE Connecticut at times.

It is starting to get cold here at nights and I think this weekend I have to install my main vent block off for the winter. The roof eve (roof triangle) facing the run was left screened and open for venting. This worked awesome combined with my eve vents on the sides. I can't wait to see how they work this winter.

Here is the best photo I have showing the cold weather shelter.
The square plywood door is the one to be covered with the plexi. I was debated running some hay bales around the sides of the coop, but the water run-off will be direct onto them.

PS, more photos in my website here.

 

[Wildsky]

I can't cover mine completely - the snow would bring it down, I do have tarps around one corner and on one side, it helps to keep blowing snow out - and keeps the cold wind out of their run a little.