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snow in coop and roosting box ok?

Discussion in 'Coop & Run - Design, Construction, & Maintenance' started by PDXChickGirl, Dec 20, 2008.

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  1. Dec 20, 2008 #1
    PDXChickGirl

    PDXChickGirl Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Sep 12, 2007
    Portland, Oregon
    We're getting a crazy blizzard in Portland, OR today. I have snow blowing into the coop and actually through the eaves of the coop into the roost box. Will my chickens be ok with snow getting on them while roosting?
     
  3. Dec 20, 2008 #2
    Chicken Woman

    Chicken Woman Incredible Egg

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    I would get a large tarp and cover it tight. It needs to be draft free and dry. those are the 2 biggies
     
  5. Dec 20, 2008 #3
    CHICKEN little 1

    CHICKEN little 1 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    At least get a big bunch of rags,and stuff them up into the eves until you can get them better insulated. Got to stop the snow from coming in! Good luck![​IMG]
     
  7. Dec 20, 2008 #4
    Anny

    Anny Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Stuff what ever you can in them to keep the snow out.

    Snow=wet
    wet=cold :)
     
  9. Dec 20, 2008 #5
    PDXChickGirl

    PDXChickGirl Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Sep 12, 2007
    Portland, Oregon
    Thanks so much for your advice. We NEVER have this kind of snow in Portland. Maybe one day, one inch tops, a year, and it comes straight down. We are having crazy strong cold winds and lots of snow blowing sideways and in circles. I have drifts up to a foot in my yard. The coop has tons of snow in it, too.

    My husband and I just got out there and just dealt with the roosting box this evening. We'll do the rest of the coop tomorrow - when we're supposed to get a ton of freezing rain!! Not even sure how to begin with that!! I live on a hill, and there is no leaving it for a while. Hopefully everything I'll need is on hand!

    We stuffed rags in all the eaves and cleaned out as much snow as we could. There is still a little in the litter, but I hope that is ok since the girls are on the roost bar.

    I don't have a heating source in there, and it's about 18 degrees. The girls seem to be ok, just cranky. Hoping they will be ok in the morning.

    Thanks again.
     
  11. Dec 21, 2008 #6
    melalthia

    melalthia Out Of The Brooder

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    Ooo good luck!
    My family just got out of Portland in the nick of time. We were up there over the weekend visiting my sister (we drove. From Cali...) and we got out of dodge before the 2nd storm hit on Wednesday. Everybody was talking about how it never snows like this and that Portlanders don't "do" snow very well.

    Good luck with your chickies!
     
  13. Dec 21, 2008 #7
    arlosmine

    arlosmine Out Of The Brooder

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    Dec 18, 2008
    Hello fellow Portlander!
    I to am having sideways snow blowing in any crack it can. I fianally pulled a huge (and ever so attractive) tarp over the entire coop except for about a foot at one end and weighed it all down with timber and cement blocks. I suppose I will have to re-do the whole thing in the freezing rain, but at least there is no chance of drifting snow in my coop anymore!

    Good luck and you can always bring them inside in a box for the night- I now have two bantams who have been coming in to hang in a rabbit cage at four pm for the last week. They go in their regular place during the day and seem to be okay with the abrupt temp. change to inside at night.
     
  15. Dec 21, 2008 #8
    ams3651

    ams3651 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    i have one wall in my coop that is an old garage door, its very drafty there i found. I bought a roll of clear heavy plastic and stapled it on the wall and nailed a board to the floor to keep it from blowing up. I also nailed a board across the open eves all but about an inch or two to keep some ventilation. It seems to be working well. I just got hime (1am here) and my roo was crowing, went to check it out and I think they are just a little chilly its about 28* in there but 20* outside and they are dry and draft free.
     
  17. Dec 21, 2008 #9
    PDXChickGirl

    PDXChickGirl Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Sep 12, 2007
    Portland, Oregon
    Chickens seem to be fine this morning. One is pecking on the others more than usual - I'm sure because of the tighter quarters. This snow was unbelievable. It even went through our storm windows of our house and drifted against our windows. We didn't even know there were such microscopic openings in our storm windows, so you can just imagine the coop!!

    I shoveled snow out of there this morning. I already have plastic stapled on the sides with a board for security, but I still had a good 8-10" of snow in the coop. Fortunately, the rags really helped in the roost box. There was still a light dusting of snow in there, but not too much on the girls. I checked on them every couple of hours until 1 am last night! [​IMG]

    Thanks again for everyone's advice. If it's super bad again tonight, I may bring them in just for that peace of mind. I don't have a tarp and there is no way to get out of my neighborhood to buy one.

    Fellow Portlander Arlosmine - can you believe this weather?? Is this climate change?? I'm wondering if I need to rethink how my coop has been built!!
     
  19. Dec 21, 2008 #10
    ams3651

    ams3651 Chillin' With My Peeps

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    Jan 23, 2008
    NE PA
    ive heard several people say if you put them in the box after they are already roosting they dont seem to mine. If I had to do it, it would make for a messy garage but would be necessary. Dont worry about it and just do what you have to do. THey will be fine.
     
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