How do YOU winterize your coop?

[MagpieDucks]

You can buy just the silt fence material at Lowe's for $15. It's 3'x50'. Keeps the wind, snow, and rain of them nicely. Straw is great also.View attachment 1554385

I'm using a mixture of tarps and plastic, because that's what we have around here. Nice run.

 

[hillbilly91]

I'm using a mixture of tarps and plastic, because that's what we have around here. Nice run.

Thanks

 

[hillbilly91]

Another tip when using the silt fence material is to use a torch lighter to burn a line instead of cutting it. Cutting it leaves the ends to unravel where burning it melts the ends together

 

[bobbi-j]

I put the windows back in when it gets below 10-20 or so, close them when it hits zero, shut the pop door when it gets to the teens below zero. I use straw as bedding and have a heated dog dish for a waterer.

 

[hillbilly91]

I live in upstate sc so our winters are never that bad. One or two snows and temperatures hardly ever down to single digits. We still have to watch for rain, snow, ice, and wind.

 

[Ducksandchickens]

STRAW!! The main thing I do in the winter, is switch to straw bedding. It keeps the coop a lot warmer than regular shavings. It’s also fun to scratch around on. (For the chickens that is). I also suggest using droppings boards under the roosts during the winter, to keep the coop cleaner, and more comfortable to live in.

I choose not to use artificial light in my chicken coops for egg production for a couple of reasons.

Last year I used rubber livestock feeding dishes for water and they worked a lot better than plastic ones. I’m looking at heated waterers this year, to see if they would be worth it. The rubber is nice though since you can bend it to get the ice out.

This is year I’m wrapping my runs in plastic (tarps) to keep the snow out. I’ll also put straw in the run.

Hope this helps. I’m sure I’ll think of more stuff.

I like do the exact same thing!

 

[hillbilly91]

Always remember to leave ventilation though

 

[HuffleClaw]

Great ideas everyone!

 

[Mrs. K]

I use deep bedding, and I lower my roosts about 6 inches, this pulls them away from the ceiling, and keeps them drier. The ventilation is farther above their heads.

I use black rubber bowls, livestock type, and I have two of them. When it gets below 0, non electrical ideas do not work. However, if it is sunshiny, I will flip the bowl with frozen ice upside down and fill the other bowl. The sunshine absorbed by the black rubber bowl will melt enough that the ice block falls out. If you don't get sunshine, you have to stomp, but that works too.

I set up a sun porch, connecting it to a old black plastic box that I use for shelter in the run. I have three old shower doors, propped up to make an area underneath that the girls can get too. It is often several degrees warmer under there, one can tell by just holding their hand in there.

Also, if I hear of snow coming, I make mini haystacks, then after the snow, I flip the hay from the stack on top of the snow... brings my girls right out. Otherwise they stand in the door, worried that the sky fell in the night.

Mrs K

 

[HuffleClaw]

I use deep bedding, and I lower my roosts about 6 inches, this pulls them away from the ceiling, and keeps them drier. The ventilation is farther above their heads.

I use black rubber bowls, livestock type, and I have two of them. When it gets below 0, non electrical ideas do not work. However, if it is sunshiny, I will flip the bowl with frozen ice upside down and fill the other bowl. The sunshine absorbed by the black rubber bowl will melt enough that the ice block falls out. If you don't get sunshine, you have to stomp, but that works too.

I set up a sun porch, connecting it to a old black plastic box that I use for shelter in the run. I have three old shower doors, propped up to make an area underneath that the girls can get too. It is often several degrees warmer under there, one can tell by just holding their hand in there.

Also, if I hear of snow coming, I make mini haystacks, then after the snow, I flip the hay from the stack on top of the snow... brings my girls right out. Otherwise they stand in the door, worried that the sky fell in the night.

Mrs K

Wonderful post! Thanks so much!!