Omlet Eglu Coop - How to Keep it Warm in Winter??

[GlutenFree]

Deciding if you move it in the winter depends on how much snow you get. I bought my egglu in MT and have it in WY now. It's often not possible to move in the winter because it's snowed in or frozen to the ground. If you can move it, I would keep moving it to give them new stuff to peck.
Here, it's too cold to worry about parasites outside in the winter. Sure they could pass around mites or something they already have. That said, if you can't move the coop because it's snowed in I would put something that you can rake into piles for them to dig through. I've used straw before. Last winter I just kept dumping their bedding into the ground under the coop every week when I cleaned. I've been using hemp bedding lately, so that's what there was. While I have the tray out, I'll rake all the old bedding into a pile under the coop since they spend a lot more time under there in the winter.
I live in the 4th windiest city in the lower 48, and where I moved from in MT actually had a higher average wind speed, so I know some things about wind. At the minimum, buy the clear covers from omlet for the 3 sides of the run under the coop. They are very handy because they velcro together in the back (I use carabiners to hold the arms up so they don't rest on the tarps). My girls love it under there. Depending on your snow load, I would also buy the big clear tarp for the run. I didn't buy that right away and the girls were glad when I did. It makes a greenhouse effect on the run and keeps a bit of a snow free area. So even though the rest of the yard has snow, after a sunny day what little snow has gotten in the run that hasn't blown away melts and they get some open ground. For reference both here and in MT we see -20°F and at least one week where we stay below 0° all week and the snow still melts. You won't block out all the wind. You still want some ventilation.
Lastly, lay a 1x4 or 2x4 on top of the roosting area. Just one laid diagonal wide side up is enough for 4 chickens. This allows the hens to sleep flat footed and totally cover their toes with their feathers. They have all the other area to use the smaller normal bars if they want. Once I put the board in though, they all chose that. Even when it's -20 the only frostbite we had was some combs where the individuals chose not to tuck their head under their wing. Last winter they all learned from the first year and we didn't have any frostbite.

Ahh okay! This is VERY helpful! Do you have the jacket to put on the coop or do you keep it as is? I've heard mixed reviews.

Just so I understand correctly, you put their used bedding from the nesting box in their run? I've also been using hemp bedding in their nesting box this summer so that'll be what I'm using.

We certainly aren't as windy here as you are there but we typically get a week of consistently below zero temps. However, most of the time it's not too bad. I want to put them up in my garden to over winter so they can till the ground for me but it's the windiest part of the yard! Should I be concerned about wind coming in through the ventilation areas in the coop? The 2x4 in there is genius!

 

[Skacha23]

Ahh okay! This is VERY helpful! Do you have the jacket to put on the coop or do you keep it as is? I've heard mixed reviews.

Just so I understand correctly, you put their used bedding from the nesting box in their run? I've also been using hemp bedding in their nesting box this summer so that'll be what I'm using.

We certainly aren't as windy here as you are there but we typically get a week of consistently below zero temps. However, most of the time it's not too bad. I want to put them up in my garden to over winter so they can till the ground for me but it's the windiest part of the yard! Should I be concerned about wind coming in through the ventilation areas in the coop? The 2x4 in there is genius!

No jacket. I believe it blocks some of the ventilation holes. Condensation is a recipe for frostbite. We don't have any issue with wind through the vents, they are angled just for that reason. Be aware that inside the coop it's generally the same temp as outside (I have a thermometer). Wind and condensation are what causes problems, so it's not an issue.

On the used bedding, yes I put it in the run in winter. I pull out the tray and dump it through the hole that is created when you pull the tray out. A lot of people use deep litter in the winter. That doesn't work in an egglu. So this is sort of creating deep litter in the run.

I wouldn't worry about overall them being in the windiest spot in your yard as long as they have an outdoor location that they can get shelter. That's why I like the omlet brand clear tarps designed to go around the run that is under the coop. Like I said, my girls love it down there. In fact in the summer I just have one dark colored panel I replace the clear winter tarps with. It still gives them a windblock option and I put it on the west side so it helps with afternoon shade (I move the coop twice a week when we don't have snow, I tend to orient it the same way so that I can see the coop door from my back window.)