Winter Exercise

[talliejo]

I live in Alaska, zone 3. Temps get down to -30°F. We can get up to 7’ of snow that sticks around until April. I have an 8’x10’ walk in coop and 10 hens. It is well ventilated at the top. However, it is super difficult to get behind the coop for snow removal where their run is. This means they are stuck inside the coop for nearly 6 months with little to no sunlight. I do have lights in the coop however. Last winter I ended up moving them into the green house just so they could move around more with extra daylight. But I’m wondering what your thoughts are on keeping them in the coop that long or should I consider building a covered run?

 

[aart]

should I consider building a covered run?

Yes...where it can be accessed easily by you and the birds during your long winters.

 

[RojoMarz]

agree with covered run...we have two runs. The one attached to the coop is covered. It then has access to an uncovered run.

 

[Iluveggers]

I have a covered run, and then I tarped the sides and left the top of the wire uncovered for ventilation. My flock refused to walk on snow, but they would come out and relax in the covered run daily. The tarp would help with wind, and kept snow from blowing in. I just stapled the clear plastic along the outside and it stayed on just fine.

 

[frostmoss]

I'm in the Anchorage area. My husband built our girls a covered run, with greenhouse panels for the roof. They'll have a nice dry place out of the snow, while maximizing our limited sun. It's been really great this summer, too, since it's been so rainy. I leave the door to the yard open most of the day, and they're still content to hang out in their run when the weather's crummy.