What are you doing to get your coop/run ready for winter?

[Rosaleen]

I bought two 10 x 25 foot rolls of clear plastic and with trusty staple gun, put it all around my girls' run....and a separate piece for the door. This will keep the wind and snow out...there's still some gaps high up by the rafters so ventilation needs won't be a problem.I also bought some extra rubber bowls for water (when it freezes). Next things on my to do list .... Dump leaves in the run and freshen up the dust bath boxes ... Next week...

 

[Nicole01]

We are using plastic and covering the run as well. My in laws gave us a really nice radiator heater for our coop. We are going to put that inside the coop next to the waterer under the roosts. Our roosts are 12 in wide shelves. It should work out perfectly.

We might put hay on the run floor to insulate it a bit. Not quite sure yet.

 

[Rosaleen]

My coop is inside the barn with the nesting boxes on the outside wall of the coop...I just go into the barn, lift the lid and collect the eggs. I was thinking about putting a heater under the nesting boxes and running it during the day so the eggs won't freeze...the girls tend to lay throughout the day. Has anyone ever tried anything like this before? In the past I've been able to get the eggs before they freeze, but I do remember a few frozen eggs over the years.

 

[Fred's Hens]

Quote:
The cost of doing heating is prohibitive for us. Yes, a few eggs freeze, but that's the result of saving the heating costs. We just thaw those few, and feed them back to the birds, mixed into their feed.

 

[remuda1]

Fred's Hens :

Quote:
The cost of doing heating is prohibitive for us. Yes, a few eggs freeze, but that's the result of saving the heating costs. We just thaw those few, and feed them back to the birds, mixed into their feed.

Excellent use of the frozen eggs.​

 

[Rosaleen]

Sounds like a good plan for frozen eggs... a lot cheaper than running a heater.

 

[Thomas423]

What are you doing to get your coop/run ready for winter?

I'm supposed to be rehoming all the youngsters.
It's not working.
I went to take pics of the last 4 white silkies hatched in June to sell. Decided to keep them. Just too nice not to.
I did sort through my splash youngsters. Keeping 7 pullets and taking the cockerals to auction on Tues. Well, maybe not all

 

[Rosaleen]

It's hard to let go.

 

[kittycooks]

I buttoned up my run with 4ml plastic today. I have a few more days before the hard frost and then I will run an extension cord out for the heated dog dish. Oh joy, winter's coming!

 

[nuchickontheblock]

Plastic around the end of the run that is open. Then put the old pine shavings from the coop into the run when we clean the coop and put in the new shavings for the winter. That way they won't have frozen ground under their feet all winter. We already have the water heater base from last winter and the lighting set. Just need to get the shovel out.