I started my project to winterize my coop. I cut out panels the size of the 4 opening on the coop (I will use removable plexiglass on the door. I trimmed out the front panels. I stained the panels and attached "O" hooks to the tops. I will attach the panels to the hardware cloth. I will be able to take them on or off as the seasons require. I need to add a couple more coats of stain so they will match the coop.
we have frameless windows on the old coops and we do the exact same thing. Great job.
Oh, I TOTALLY agree with your advice about and concern with poison ivy, and I AM allergic to it. And believe me, I've been trying to eradicate it.
When we moved here a couple of years ago, it was late spring, and so I had limited access to the poison ivy growths, mixed with underbrush, otherwise I'd had it all over me. The fellow that lived here for a number of years before us apparently did nothing to control it - MANY vines ran up trees all around our lot (8+ acres) including those in the clump of trees in the chicken pen. And yes I have a double concern in that area with me having a reaction to p.i. oil that might be on their feathers, and with them pecking at it.
Now as mentioned before, I'm an old biology teacher, and can easily identify p.i. and distinguish it from Virginia Creeper, Carolina Trumpet Vine and Blackberry. But, I never had to go looking for it as I have here. So I probably missed the fact of just how huge p.i. growths can become, and how thick the vines become, if allowed to grow freely. Some vines here were almost 2" thick, and ran to the top of medium sized trees! Plus, it's all over trees in both of our neighbor's yards.
In both winters we have been here, I've cut through more vines than I can count. And during both growing seasons I've sprayed many, many small vines that have popped up with herbicides that are said to kill it. (I'm very reluctant to use herbicides, even in my garden, since they have a broad-spectrum of plants they can stunt or kill, and will remain around longer than the manufacturers lead you to believe.) However, if you have experience trying to eradicate p.i. from an environment in which it is firmly established - you know it takes years! Especially if you don't want to douse almost every area with herbicides. (Not to put you back into the classroom, but p.i. reproduces via both vegetative propagation, and by sprouting from seeds. Ok, enough showing off my formal scientific training.) And I have to admit, because of other self-appointed duties, and some extended periods of rain we've had both summers, I've not been as diligent as I had hoped to be.
So again, thanks for your advice and concerns. But, I hope to eventually be poison ivy-free. (Sounds almost like I have an addition or something, huh?)
Beware when you ask old men questions, because you rarely get short answers! It's our chance to effectively bore others as we thoroughly enjoy sharing our experiences - in detail. If that's not evident already from my previous posts, please allow me to drive the point home.
When I was a child, my father owned a small sawmill in north Louisiana. His brother, my uncle, visited the mill one a day. Unbeknownst to them, the logs being sawed into railroad ties were covered with p.i. vines. My uncle was very allergic to p.i., my father was not. In a day or so after the visit, my uncle broke out in blisters on every area of his body that wasn't covered by his clothes - his head, face, neck hands and ankles! Thank God they didn't wear shorts in those days as I do almost all of the time. Affected areas could have included...well other areas of his body.
He was pretty ill for a few days...this was well before the days of Prednisone, and other such corticosteroids. Apparently the saw blade had atomized the oil from the p.i. vines that were on the logs and it had settled on the exposed areas of my uncle's body. He was VERY fortunate to have not had a pulmonary inflammation that could have led to some serious consequences.
So yes, I know that any process (burning, cutting with chain saws, etc.) that releases the oil found in all parts of poison p.i. can create problems for folks that are exposed. (Thank God, he FINALLY answered the question!)
Raymond
I make an all natural all purpose healing ointment. I didn't make it for P.I, but two people who had P.I. used it for that. One lady had steroid shots pluss other things from a DR. didn't help it. She used the ointment an posted on the co-op page how it cured her PI. The other lady was on the way to healing but the itching was driving her crazy she said it worked to stop the itching and cleared up quicker. Just letting everyone know incase they would like a natural way to help skin issues. 
