I know it's June, but I'm thinking about winter

[ChixPix]

Last winter was pretty tramatic for us here in Missouri. At several points (yes several) I had 4-5 FOOT drifts around my house. We were snowed in several times.

In these cases, do you let your chickens out? Do you scoop out their run? I have Barred rocks and RIR, will they make it ok in the winter? I'm thinking maybe a heat lamp, or should I not do that?

 

[Paco]

Last year my RIRs didn't want anything to do with the snow they wouldve stood in the coop all day if I let them, but I scared them out and after they found out the snow wasn't going to hurt them they were fine with it. You may want to put a heat lamp in the coop if it gets to cold and it will help them get the hours of light needed for egg production. My RIR got a little bit of frostbite on his comb till I left the lamp on for them then everybodys combs where fine.

 

[featherz]

I already have a heat lamp in the coop (I'm in upstate NY) and someone else mentioned putting straw down on top of the snow, which seems like another good idea. I'm not entirely sure what will happen either, especially since I have a few leghorns that have those big floppy frostbite magnets.

 

[turtlebird]

The run for our ladies is a covered lean-to attached to the coop. In the winter I wrap the run with two layers of poly, only one layer on the south (solar heating). I use wood stripping to attach the plastic so it doesn't tear away in the wind. I leave a little gap close to the top for ventilation on both ends. I spread the floor/ground with straw. They are protected from the cold Minnesota north wind, are able to go "outside" (sort of outside!), no shoveling, and it keeps the coop warmer.
Works beautifully!
Very smart of you to be thinking ahead! Strangely enough, I was longing for that first killing frost last night as I was swatting mosquitoes!

 

[ChixPix]

Quote:
My run is not covered! I have solid privacy fencing on the north and south sides (we get a lot of wind from the south it seems), and fencing on the east west sides. I could put plastic on those ends, but I won't be covering the run. I'd like to, it would be wonderful but I think it'd cost way too much. Our run is 16x24 with the 8x8 coop in one corner.

Mosquitos! Try vanilla extra - no really it works! Smells good too.

 

[write2caroline]

Someone posted last year that they used 5 gal buckets of hot water with lids to keep the chickens warm in the snow country. I tried it too we had a lot of cold days here in florida and it did work great!
Caroline