My "winterized" coop

[CandiceN]

We've had this setup for a while (starting with the unexpected storm Halloween weekend!), and the chickens seem to love it. Out of 4 hens, we still get 3-4 eggs daily - even when it hit 10F overnight last week. They don't want to come out in the snow, so having the run covered makes them happy

We have a heated water bowl, a light on a timer that's got a 100w bulb and is low enough so they can sit under it and feel the heat, and hay around the run holding up 2X4s which are in turn holding up plywood to keep the snow off the run.

Before:

After:

 

[aoxa]

Make sure you monitor those hay bales to check for mold once it starts to melt! It will not be good for their little lungs.

Other than that, great job

I suggest putting a tarp over the hay bales to keep them from getting wet.

 

[justbugged]

You have a great set up! Where you located?

 

[citychickx6]

x2 on the tarp idea.

Nice of you to make sure they have a dry hang out place.

I am going to have to redo my run this spring so mine have a dry zone.
Nice ideas.

 

[CandiceN]

I'll keep an eye on the hay, thanks for the suggestion! Didn't even think of that

 

[CandiceN]

Quote:
I'm in Southern NH. Thanks

 

[Mahonri]

also, the piece of plywood closest to the coop is going to leak into the run. Yeah, I'd get a tarp to put over that area.

 

[CandiceN]

Quote:
I'll keep an eye on it, thanks. The plywood over the run was more so the run didn't have to hold the weight of the snow.

 

[ruffles]

Hay bales, I have hay bales used for construction around some of the chain link pens, you are on target m old

Also, I am so fearful of using any source for heat, as I use stray in the coop and the long wide homemade rabbit hutches that house some of the chickens.

 

[austintgraf]

that picture of the snow is really pretty