Winter "automatic" run

[KranK]

Hey. Recently i was thinking about what if theres nobody home, im in work and there is winter. I couldnt let chickens out at 6 am but probably at 11am or 12pm, but i'd be at work. So i came up win the idea of a smaller but not too small caged run near the coop. There would be these small doors for chickens but with an additional curtain thingy so chickens could get out and in but the cold air couldnt. I'd just open the small doors hatch and go to work and chickens would get in and out when they like. Would it work? Or are there any better ideas?

 

[KranK]

Plus you could drop in a few ping pong balls in the warm water so when chickens drink they move the balls which will eventually break the ice layer. Also the water wessel could be black

 

[CluckerFamily]

I have a predator proof run attached to my coop. I always leave the door open even in the winter unless it is a week were we have -20F straight. Then I close it at night but open it before heading to work at 6am. They might be scared of the curtain thingy depending how you make it and introduce it. I use a heated waterer base that my waterer sits on. I'm not sure of the ping pong balls, in ponds we usually put inner tube like objects in the water.

 

[KranK]

I have a predator proof run attached to my coop. I always leave the door open even in the winter unless it is a week were we have -20F straight. Then I close it at night but open it before heading to work at 6am. They might be scared of the curtain thingy depending how you make it and introduce it. I use a heated waterer base that my waterer sits on. I'm not sure of the ping pong balls, in ponds we usually put inner tube like objects in the water.

Pretty similiar solution

 

[aart]

I'm not sure of the ping pong balls, in ponds we usually put inner tube like objects in the water.

Does that work?

 

[TLCMidMichigan]

I usually let my birds out in the am, around 8:00am. They stay out part time. Sometimes their back inside then out. By evening as its getting dark out, in they go to roost. I will go out and shut their door. Now their safe from night prowlers.
I have a smaller run that was used earlier when they were young. I might just leave them in there for the winter time. When spring comes around open my larger range. Like they have now. They don't go out far anyway.

We'll see what transpires.

 

[CluckerFamily]

Does that work?

It works for us. I have seen some neat inventions out there but my parents just use a small inner tube for their pond so that the freezing doesn't cause any cracks.

 

[aart]

It works for us. I have seen some neat inventions out there but my parents just use a small inner tube for their pond so that the freezing doesn't cause any cracks.

Is this used to keep the ice smoother for skating?
Some use a device like this to keep some open water for wildlife

 

[CluckerFamily]

Is this used to keep the ice smoother for skating?
Some use a device like this to keep some open water for wildlife

For wildlife. I haven’t noticed if it stays smooth for skating. But now I’m curious.