Hi, We haven't had any frosty nights yet where I live. However, I am trying to think ahead to when we do. I understand that supplemental heating can cause more problems than it solves, also our lows are usually in the 30s, so I do not plan to try that. However, would it be a good idea to put something warm in with them when I put them to bed at night and is that something that other people do?
An extra couple of inches of shavings in the coop will provide some insulation from the cold nights and a handful or so of cracked corn or scratch will fill their crops. (Digestion creates internal heat.) With temperatures that drop no lower than yours that and good ventilation is all you need.
If your lows are only in the 30's, it's probably rare that you get an actual frost. And you probably don't have to worry about frozen water.....or snow loads. I'd say you don't have to do anything at all to prepare for winter. Oregon always makes me think of copious rainfall, but know part of the state is high desert, if you get heavy winter rain, you might want to look at any water runoff problems around coop and run, and make sure the coop cannot get wet inside.
Thanks. I will definitely try the extra shavings (we have a metal tray for flooring, so I imagine that could get cold on their feet) and the scratch and see how it goes. Aart, to answer your question, yes I do live in the rainy part of Oregon. We get most of the rain that we are know for between late fall and early spring, so we are due for it to start.
