Preparing Your Flock & Coop for WINTER

[Blooie]

Mine was too, Bee, and warmer than the outside air as well. Bonus - with the way our ventilation in the coop was set up, and the pop door being open between the coop and run all the time, at night some of that trapped warmer air made it's way into the coop. I'm looking forward to working with the stuff you have on yours this year!

 

[henless]

Mine was from another site but is basically the same thing and similar price...looks like this...is 14 mil, whereas the highest mil plastic sheeting I can find at a decent price was 4 mil.

Just took a look at the website Blooie posted. I really like the 14 mil tarps like you posted Beekissed. Looking at the 10x10, I need 3 so will be around $80 for all. Don't know if I'll be able to swing that. I've got some blue ones up now which work fine, but make it darker. These are on the North end of the barn. I have clear shower curtains along the West side, so lets in light there.

I may save up and get these next year.

 

[Blooie]

Just took a look at the website Blooie posted. I really like the 14 mil tarps like you posted Beekissed. Looking at the 10x10, I need 3 so will be around $80 for all. Don't know if I'll be able to swing that. I've got some blue ones up now which work fine, but make it darker. These are on the North end of the barn. I have clear shower curtains along the West side, so lets in light there.

I may save up and get these next year.

I think you'll be glad you did, henless. Although I was very happy with the 6ml plastic we got at Lowes, I'm excited to give this new clear, heavier tarp a try. It looks great in Bee's setup - when she first put it up she was like a little kid with brand new shoes......."It's so bright! It's so sunny! It seems so happy in there!" Her enthusiasm and total satisfaction with its performance is what made me decide to buy this instead of going back to Lowes for another larger plastic sheet. I bought a 20x20.

 

[Beekissed]

I used regular tarps for three years here and finally got my clear tarp last year...there's really no comparison in the quality of the clear tarp and the regular, cheaper tarps I was getting before. It's like the difference between regular trash bags and contractor bags....no comparison, really. And the difference it made in the coop is simply amazing.....best winter coop I've ever had, bar none.

I'd look on it as an investment, as this clear tarp is WAY more durable than any other tarp I've ever owned and it allows the sun to warm up the coop better than plastic sheeting even...I've used plastic sheeting before and it lets in light and is cheap, but that's about all I could say about it. And I'm the queen of cheap!

I have added a hoop onto the coop, so next year I'm investing in another clear tarp to span the entire coop~currently have the back hoop covered with regular tarp and am not satisfied with it in comparison to the clear tarp portion~ and will use my current one to cover my cattle panel wood shed instead.

 

[Blooie]

Now that the lattice is attached to the bottom of the run, the waterer is set up for cold temps, the new tarp is here and ready to go on, and the vent on the north side is blocked, we just have a couple more hours of work to do and Oleo Acres is prepped for whatever Wyoming throws us - weatherwise, anyway! Easy.

 

[Beekissed]

Feels good, doesn't it? I just need to place a piece of plastic sheeting up under the blue tarp that's over my roost portion of the coop...new, woven tarp and it leaks.

All over the birds as they are roosting. That's why next year's investment is a clear tarp that covers that portion of the coop also.

 

[cicknmama]

Mine was from another site but is basically the same thing and similar price...looks like this...is 14 mil, whereas the highest mil plastic sheeting I can find at a decent price was 4 mil. Makes my coop all sunny inside in the winter time....

Wow!!! That looks great. I have the 6 ml clear plastic and what a difference in the temperature in the run! 14 ml would be even better! How do you attach these?

 

[Beekissed]

They have grommets, so I just use zip ties. Makes a tight fit that never budges in the wind.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Dumb question here I'm sure but so do you just attach it to the panel or something else? I know you said you use zip ties but I guess I'm just nit getting what the zip ties attach to.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Been reading everyone's winter preparations and I think I should feel guilty but I don't, my large fowl are kept in a large tin pole shed with my donkeys and goats, it's not insulated, I have a east facing door that stays open year round for the donkeys to come and go, my chickens have the run of all parts but where the hay is stored, they all find the best spots to roost, we did add a few clear panels to let more light in, but I never light my birds, most of my poultry is out and about all winter, I don't even use any water heaters, I use rubber buckets that the ice gets knocked out twice a day and refilled with warm water.

It can get brutal here some winters in Wisconsin, but my birds do fine, so I do drool over everyone's greenhouse runs but my larger chickens don't even have one. I know my birds all acclimate to the weather and do fine, even my frizzle Cochin bantams. I do throw out corn and black oil sunflower seeds twice a day to get them moving around, and some hay to pick through and stand on. I also will use some hay bales as wind blocks and my chickens love sitting on them and pecking them.

Some really interesting information, and I enjoy how everyone has a different opinion on what is considered cold for poultry. A day of 30 degrees is a warm balmy day here in the middle of winter.