Thinking about winter....ideas please?

[ButtersMama]

I'd like to cover the walls of the run (4' x 5' x 2 plus ends and sides under coop) to keep out snow and wind and hopefully the chickens will come out of their coop in the winter.

I'm thinking plexiglass...but how would I hold it on to the chicken wire???

Or, 3M makes outdoor window insulating kits.

Any input or ideas???

 

[Chad the Chicken Man]

I think plexiglass would cost a small fortune, i would use some thick plastic sheets. you can buy it at any hardware store. comes in huge sheets that they use to divide work areas in the winder.(they will block off one area and heat it) kind of like a tarp but its clear. i think they use it on green houses as well

 

[gavinandallison]

I use tarps and just attach where the grommet holes are, worked well for melat winter........

 

[Nicole01]

We used the roll out fiberglass insulation for our coop inside all the walls. We are planning on buying a ceramic heat bulb for the coop as well. We have an outlet on the ceiling to hang the lamp. I'm not quite sure how the pexiglass will work. Our ventilation is at the top of the coop and we built a 12x4x8 rectangle room. It's completely draft free and 100% insulated.

 

[Judy]

No snow here, but just from reading, I think most people use either wood scraps (plywood) or tarps. Think about snow load on top. And probably keep one end open air, maybe the east end, for fresh air. Heavy weight rolls of plastic are huge; store away from sunlight and they will last a long time. I like the idea of clear, to let in light and to see through.

 

[sixty7x]

you really only need something to break the heavy winds. there are alternative materials like tarps, plywood, hay bails. I guess it would depend what you want it to look like and how your coop is setup. If you were dead set on plexiglass you could drill some holes and use plastic zip ties. Also, if your run isn't covered that makes a big difference. I have a covered run and the snow still drifts into it. I just shovel out the 6"+ snow and they don't mind the rest. Keep in mind regular (acrylic) plexiglass can be brittle in the cold. A polycarbonate would be better, but much more $$$. I usually just find some wood hanging around and prop it against the sides on really cold and windy days. Burn it in the spring and figure it out next year

 

[ll]

I use plexiglass panels cut to fit my rabbit hutch - but I can't imagine buying pieces big enough for our 8ft run.
The plexiglass I will buy for the coop windows though. To attach, you can drill very slowly into it to make holes for ties.
On my hutch I use bent nails and then turn them inwards as fingers to keep the panel in place. My plexiglass has never cracked, been using the same pieces for many winters.
I think for my run I might use the clear plastic sheets mentioned above.
You can also stack hay bales around the run.
Good luck!

 

[ButtersMama]

II, thanks for the info on the plexiglass. I'll use it for the windows. I think I'll probably go with the plastic for the run walls and ends. If we decide to go with the plexiglass Lowes will cut it to size but we'll have to put the holes it in plus it is not cheap still. We have a roof with shingles so thats ok.


Thanks all for your input and ideas.

 

[duckinnut]

I would go to your nearest fence installer(the bigger the better) and see if they have any wind screen hanging around. Its comes in different widths and has grommets in it.It will keep out the snow and knock the wind down but still let air through. Often times they have it left over from a job and might even give it to you. Most times its used on temp fencing around const sites. A buddy of mine is in the business and gave me fifty ft. for zero and it works great.

 

[stubbornhill]

The lady that we got our original hens from put the clear roofing as a partial wall in her run. Cut the wind and let the light in still. It looked like metal roofing only clear.