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

[Rosaleen]

I put shavings out in the run with loads of leaves. Lots of scratching over the winter and I have great stuff for the compost pile next spring.

 

[bobbi-j]

Clean the coop, put down fresh straw, close the windows. Oh, and plug in the heated water bowl when it starts freezing.

 

[carladababe]

This is my first winter with the girls, we're mid-Missouri and it will get cold. The coop is made of metal, and the girls roost along the north wall. I stacked hay bales against that north wall for added insulation against the prevelant NW winds and snow. For inside the coop I am using the deep litter method, and plan on using a heated waterer. From what I've read, chickens need very little in the winter and I'm probably over killing with the hay but I will sleep better knowing I did too much than too little.

 

[gale65]

hmm we'll close up the windows and use a heater for the water. I guess that's about it.

 

[debid]

I've been shopping for a bucket heater and putting piles of leaves in the run as they fall. I've closed and reopened the windows a number of times with the wildly swinging fall temps but I have some bubble wrap set aside to cover them once the weather gets serious about being cold (they aren't the most draft-proof windows). That's about it for us.

 

[dwegg]

we just did our this weekend...

I put foam board insulation on the outside of the fence and then put another row of fencing boards over it so you can't tell the difference along the outside...our coop uses the corner of the property fence for two sides...

I also put all the glass windows back in to cover the wire windows and I have put heat lamps out in the coops that are on remote controls from the house.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Where do you buy 10' by 25' clear plastic? I need it to cover my coop and run.

 

[OkieCluck]

Quote:
Try looking at some greenhouse suppliers on the web. We have a commercial greenhouse business so we always have some left over from repairing one of the houses.

 

[flockof4]

You can buy plastic at any hardware store. It's often in the painting supplies section.
As far as winterizing the coop, I'm going to close the windows and add some extra straw on the floor for insulation. Also, I'm adding lots of leaves around the coop for the girls to dig in.

 

[4 Love of Baby Chickens]

Okay. Maybe I had better go to Walmart for my plastic, buy trash bags, & rake all the maple leaves to use this winter along with a few hay bales.

Thanks!