During much of the winter, no covers used where they are otherwise protected from elements like provided by the bamboo. Wind breaks more important. Exception comes with freezing rain events like expected for next couple days. Feathers are very well suited for the exposure. No problems when birds in good feather and nutrition. They may eat more but all do when not under milder thermal conditions. Covers put back on once temperatures consistently back in the 60;s or expected to get into 80's F. Heat is the bugger, especially before birds acclimate to it in the spring.
Penned birds in more exposed locations have shade cloth like used on greenhouses placed on them. Some of those pens proved problematic with wind as reported a couple days back. Normally those pens shed covers when wind really strong. Normally.
Next year I will push pens in closer to bamboo but need to be able to keep raccoon out of it first.
Free-range birds sometimes roost in locations far more exposed than shown, Getting 30 feet up into an oak tree makes for some serious weather exposure and they seem very keen on being in the sun when it is below 50 F in the morning.
