Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[Skeeter10]

umm do you have access to alot of pallets and chicken wire because that would be easier than a hoop house if you ask me

 

[Blooie]

Oh, I dunno about pallets being easier than a hoop. We built hoop run with cattle panels in probably less time than it would take to even prep pallets!

We pounded steel fence posts into the ground, arched cattle panels between them, wired them into place, covered it with chicken wire, ran hardware cloth about 2 feet up and two feet out for an apron. A pressure treated frame for the homemade people door on the North side, a piece of fencing for the end panel. Done and done. Oh, well, we did add a little lattice fence in front to make it look purty, though.













No problem with winds in excess of 60+ and snow loads, either. I can't answer the question about how many to build or how big it needs to be for that many chickens, though. But a few of these with shelters build in could do very nicely.

 

[cicknmama]

You are so very welcome.  You know, you can hang a bucket with horizontal nipples just as easily as the ones with vertical nipples.  We put a stock tank heater in ours and the water never froze - just the occasional freezing of the nipples with some of the purtiest icicles you ever saw!     But I'd still far rather they have access to clean water at all times and just use the heat gun to thaw any icicles that form than haul water out constantly. It didn't happen all the time - seemed if we hit below that -17 mark then we had issues, but other than that we were fine.  This year we are putting in a new bucket with the nipples located up a bit higher on it and putting it in the run.   The run is covered with plastic, ala greenhouse, and it's usually warmer than the coop.   

Yes, I have a bucket warmer and n there now. And I have my run covered in plastic also...should help with the water situation also. Thanks for the advice. Happy winter to you! We will probably be getting all the same storms since we are just a hour from the Wyoming line.

 

[FlippingHills]

umm do you have access to alot of pallets and chicken wire because that would be easier than a hoop house if you ask me

I don't! My husband and I really enjoy building things together and have decided this would work best for what we need. Thanks for the suggestion though!

Oh, I dunno about pallets being easier than a hoop. We built hoop run with cattle panels in probably less time than it would take to even prep pallets!

We pounded steel fence posts into the ground, arched cattle panels between them, wired them into place, covered it with chicken wire, ran hardware cloth about 2 feet up and two feet out for an apron. A pressure treated frame for the homemade people door on the North side, a piece of fencing for the end panel. Done and done. Oh, well, we did add a little lattice fence in front to make it look purty, though.













No problem with winds in excess of 60+ and snow loads, either. I can't answer the question about how many to build or how big it needs to be for that many chickens, though. But a few of these with shelters build in could do very nicely.

That looks awesome! The design we are building will use Sch 40 PVC bent over and 6 mil plastic spread across. We will have big 12 inch boards at the base perimeter for securing the PVC. Just curiously, how many chickens do you have in your design and what are your dimensions?

 

[Blooie]

Yes, I have a bucket warmer and n there now. And I have my run covered in plastic also...should help with the water situation also. Thanks for the advice. Happy winter to you! We will probably be getting all the same storms since we are just a hour from the Wyoming line.

Actually we are much milder than you are in Hardin. The storms usually seem to get hung up on the Pryors, the Big Horns and the Absaroka/Beartooths and most of the moisture gets wrung out of them. They call the Big Horn Basin the 'banana belt" of the state. We do get the cold though, and the wind - mercy, oh the wind! Cowley is so close to the state line that Montana is right outside my kitchen window..


This was taken from the window at my kitchen sink, and those mountains are actually yours, I guess, since they are in Montana. 6 miles away as the raven flies.

 

[mainechicklet]

What a gorgeous view! My sister used to live in and really misses Missoula.

 

[Skeeter10]

what do you guys do for spring/summer prep

 

[TalkALittle]

what do you guys do for spring/summer prep

Probably a great topic for a new thread.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

what do you guys do for spring/summer prep

*shrug* I don't do anything to prep for any season. ....beyond leaving the solid people door open or closed (secure screened door is always closed). Changing of the deep litter is as needed rather than a seasonal thing.

 

[Skeeter10]

Probably a great topic for a new thread.

i did a new thread and no one replied