Moved the girls out to the coop- need help with temperature and heating...

[ErinLeah]

Great- thanks for the help. so maybe I will just leave the automatic door stuck to the side of the coop and just put their food and water in the run – I heard a lot of people do that anyway. Do you think the winter hours are too long for them to be without food and water that long( the dark hours)? I’ll go ahead and put a layer of wood on the roof though – the corrugated tin is great but it’s a bit flimsy! Thanks again.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Great- thanks for the help. so maybe I will just leave the automatic door stuck to the side of the coop and just put their food and water in the run – I heard a lot of people do that anyway. Do you think the winter hours are too long for them to be without food and water that long( the dark hours)? I’ll go ahead and put a layer of wood on the roof though – the corrugated tin is great but it’s a bit flimsy! Thanks again.

Definitely put wood under that tin roof for a few reasons....condensation on the metal is a big one. Do look up how to install a metal roof. Purlins, tar paper and such.
Birds sleep when it is dark. As long as the water is thawed, food is full, and the door does not fail to open in the early morning leaving it in the run is fine.

I personally don't trust those automatic doors.

 

[mscallisto]

I live in Aurora Co. Hens are really resilient. Make sure they have plenty of water and shade during the summer. They'll be fine. As far as our winters, they don't need heat. They'll be fine. I use a heated hanging waterer in the winter and have a radiant heat plate in the laying box, not to keep the chickens warm but to keep the eggs from freezing.

Egg production has more to do with daylight than temperature. The shorter days lead to less production. I have put a light in thr coop before during the winter and it keeps egg production up.