SNOW IS COMING.. HELP

[Minnie417]

First winter with chickens in PA. We are close to the lake so get a good amount of snow and really cold temps. Want to know the do's and don'ts of winterizing! What is best to do for our coop and to keep our 4 hens happy and healthy. (So far, we plan to put a roof over part of the run that is 12x12, some type of material over the sides? of coop/run). Attached are some photos of how our coop is set up (the second picture is the back of the actual coop that we open up to clean out the roosting area where they sleep).

 

[Skippersnh]

You just gotta keep the snow on on the run and make sure you coop has ventilation

 

[sorce]

I wouldn't try to put anything over the open area unless it is a fully engineered roof structure.

Open should be fine.

I'd be a bit concerned with the center wedge, where the 2 structures meet, as the original small building wasn't engineered to be butted against something that may put excess load on the original roof design.
It looks open so that's good, but still a minor concern, that could get worse with a different roof structure over the open pen.

Sorce

 

[Minnie417]

I wouldn't try to put anything over the open area unless it is a fully engineered roof structure.

Open should be fine.

I'd be a bit concerned with the center wedge, where the 2 structures meet, as the original small building wasn't engineered to be butted against something that may put excess load on the original roof design.
It looks open so that's good, but still a minor concern, that could get worse with a different roof structure over the open pen.

Sorce

The two structures are not actually touching at all. The white wedge/pole seen is a feeder we were trying but taking out. Thank you for you response!

 

[Duck_life]

The two structures are not actually touching at all. The white wedge/pole seen is a feeder we were trying but taking out. Thank you for you response!

Better watch, I already am getting snow, I don't know what part of PA you're in but i'm in Luzerne and it just started snowing

 

[blackandtan]

You can tarp the sides of the run though to block wind and snow

 

[Alaskan]

I would, right now, run out and cut the door into the run in half...make it a Dutch door. If you don't cut it, you will have to be very careful to always perfectly shovel up to that door, or snow and ice will block it closed until spring.

If you get several feet of snow, you will need to put up something along the base of the roofed run area to keep the snow from rolling in.

Wet snow will stick to the wire you have on the top of the attached run... be very careful to keep it knocked off.

If you don't want to rush out and build a snow worthy roof over the entire complex, I think just give up on that run addition for snow season.... no idea how you will keep it shoveled all winter if you have lots of snow.

I agree with the previous poster... the crack between the coop and run add-on is not large enough for the snow shedding from the roof... might have problems there... I would keep an eye on it, and maybe try to shovel that area out as it fills up.

How much "whatever" you put on the run sides depends on how much snow will blow in. You want to block wind and blowing snow, but it would be best to have at least one run wall half open for good ventilation.