Winter is Coming! Checklists, tips, advice for a newbie

[MelissaZeno]

Great idea with the hay. Would that work around or in any type of coop to help with warmth?

 

[hennible]

Great idea with the hay.  Would that work around or in any type of coop to help with warmth?

I'd think so.

 

[bigmrg74]

Great idea with the hay. Would that work around or in any type of coop to help with warmth?

It really doesn't do much for warmth, just blocks the wind from blowing directly on them.

 

[bigmrg74]

nice ! that is very similar to what i am thinking of building for my hens in the spring--thanks so much for sharing--getting some good ideas!

Just a piece of advice for you. I'm a pretty big strong guy, and its pretty close to my limit of being able to slide it along. You might want to try to make it lighter, perhaps go with 2x2's instead of 2x4's like how I did most of it.

 

[morrison7368]

Are they protected from predators there?

Are they actually on the roof?

Sometimes, when I just can't figure out how to get the chickens to perch where I want them to, I just turn the spot where they are perching into a 4 inch wide perch.



But then, just how cold is it where you are.....  I only had about one week of "intro to winter" it has been warm here...

This is them on their coop inside their run which is enclosed and wrapped up. So mostly predator protected, wind and rain protected, and its not currently freezing but it was and sure will be again soon. I dont really want to put a perch up there though :/ the poop build up on the roof and the run off into their run is what concerns me the most I guess...

 

[Alaskan]

Well, that does look like a nice wide perching surface, so I don't think that they will get frostbite on their feet.

However, their run is, I am sure, not quite as safe as if they are locked up at night INSIDE the coop.

silly birds.

I am sure that they see that perch as a very nice perch, since it is the highest perch, and since you now have it protected from rain and snow.

So.... to get them inside the coop, you might have to be tricky,

- try a nightlight inside the coop (IF they would not cause a fire issue), that might lure them inside
- do they find the coop too stuffy, maybe open more vents
-before they start settling down for the night, toss some scratch in the coop to make them go in, then lock them in
-actually fence off or net off the top of the coop. You might be able to just put a wall of net from the run top to the peak of the coop roof. That would cut the peak in two, and make it more difficult to perch on.

tricky silly chickens, good luck!


(of course, if you do not actually lock them up inside the coop, then sleeping on top of the coop, is just as safe as inside it, but then you still have the poop problem)

 

[bigmrg74]

This is them on their coop inside their run which is enclosed and wrapped up. So mostly predator protected, wind and rain protected, and its not currently freezing but it was and sure will be again soon. I dont really want to put a perch up there though

the poop build up on the roof and the run off into their run is what concerns me the most I guess...

That's just some plain OSB for the roof of the coop right? Maybe you should get some tin siding to cover the roof. That would make it pretty hard for them to get a perch up there if they're always sliding around on the tin. and then maybe some spikes at the peak perhaps? Nothing really sharp, just long and pointy enough to be uncomfortable for them to want to stay there.

 

[aart]

This is them on their coop inside their run which is enclosed and wrapped up. So mostly predator protected, wind and rain protected, and its not currently freezing but it was and sure will be again soon. I dont really want to put a perch up there though

the poop build up on the roof and the run off into their run is what concerns me the most I guess...

So what is inside the coop?
Is there room on a nice wide roost for them in there?

My daughter is homestead sitting and had the exact same issue, she added a larger, longer roost inside and that helped tho still in training.

Bigmrg74 had a good suggestion to dissuade them from using the coop roof.

 

[LadyCluck77]

[quote name="bigmrg74" .  That would make it pretty hard for them to get a perch up there if they're always sliding around on the tin.  and then maybe some spikes at the peak perhaps?  Nothing really sharp, just long and pointy enough to be uncomfortable for them to want to stay there.  
[/quote]

Eureka! Is that why older farm houses and barns always have these? I always wondered what the purpose was....

 

[bigmrg74]

Quote: That would be a pretty good guess I would think.