Winter-izing coops in the PNW??

[Gabtods]

Hi all, we have a great coop/ run that my husband built this past spring for our chickens! It’s been great in the summer but as we’ve had a few cooler evenings, I’m wondering about whether we need to do anything to winter-ize the coop for the winter? Will the chickens need a heat source or different bedding? We live in Seattle so the weather is cool and damp in the winter but nothing compared to other places in the winter. This summer we have kept the coop door open at night ( the run is fully secure), but wondering if that’s even an option come winter?

for context:
-We have 5 chickens ( buff Orpington, jersey giant, 2 barred rocks, and golden comet)
- their coop is made of plywood so no insulation ( see photo). The window does now have a wooden cover as well that we close at night.
- we use pine shaving inside the coop itself and clean them out every few days.
- Chickens are 16 weeks today.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Never gets cold enough here for cold to be a concern. At most, you need a plan for how you're handling frozen water (electricity, haul out water daily?) but that's about it.

Is that window the sole source of ventilation? Vents should never be fully closed up - if there's a draft and that's why you're closing the window, find a way to fix the draft instead of closing it fully. During the "snowmaggedon" couple years back I closed 2 of my windows, but the other 3 and all other vents remained open.

 

[chickawhat]

in my experience the biggest struggle during the winter around here isn’t the cold. it’s keeping the run dry. sideways rain, rain and wind combo or just so much rain that the ground is completely saturated and it seeps into the covered run. wet cold chickens are a very bad thing.
i put a heavy clear plastic around the lower 4ft of my run. it keeps the sideways rain & wind from pelting the birds and soaking the ground. the top Portion is left open to keep the ventilation flowing,

 

[Gabtods]

Never gets cold enough here for cold to be a concern. At most, you need a plan for how you're handling frozen water (electricity, haul out water daily?) but that's about it.

Is that window the sole source of ventilation? Vents should never be fully closed up - if there's a draft and that's why you're closing the window, find a way to fix the draft instead of closing it fully. During the "snowmaggedon" couple years back I closed 2 of my windows, but the other 3 and all other vents remained open.

We have vetalation under the roof too- so it’s never closed shut thank you! Also I can’t recall the last time water froze here

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also I can’t recall the last time water froze here

My area gets just cold enough so water freezes in the morning, but that also means it's fairly easy to thaw out.

 

[Gabtods]

in my experience the biggest struggle during the winter around here isn’t the cold. it’s keeping the run dry. sideways rain, rain and wind combo or just so much rain that the ground is completely saturated and it seeps into the covered run. wet cold chickens are a very bad thing.
i put a heavy clear plastic around the lower 4ft of my run. it keeps the sideways rain & wind from pelting the birds and soaking the ground. the top Portion is left open to keep the ventilation flowing,

Thank you! Super helpful idea with the plastic! We’re going to seal the edges of the coop to keep the rain from seeping in, but I really like the idea of the plastic base to keep the rain away from the chickens !

 

[Flockincrazy]

Hi all, we have a great coop/ run that my husband built this past spring for our chickens! It’s been great in the summer but as we’ve had a few cooler evenings, I’m wondering about whether we need to do anything to winter-ize the coop for the winter? Will the chickens need a heat source or different bedding? We live in Seattle so the weather is cool and damp in the winter but nothing compared to other places in the winter. This summer we have kept the coop door open at night ( the run is fully secure), but wondering if that’s even an option come winter?

for context:
-We have 5 chickens ( buff Orpington, jersey giant, 2 barred rocks, and golden comet)
- their coop is made of plywood so no insulation ( see photo). The window does now have a wooden cover as well that we close at night.
- we use pine shaving inside the coop itself and clean them out every few days.
- Chickens are 16 weeks today.

Any advice would be appreciated! Thank you!!View attachment 2315489

You should be good to leave the door open for fall and winter but I would definitely cover the window and I use straw in the winter for my coops it just seems to be warmer for my flock I'm in Northern Ohio so winter gets pretty cold here good luck your coop is very cute your husband did a good job i love your sign its very funny

 

[ShannonsChimkens]

I would have to agree that mud is more of a concern, at least up here in the north. Wood chips from a local tree company has pretty much fixed that dilemma. The temps dropped to maybe teens a few nights last winter, but everyone did just fine. The coops aren’t insulated. Water needed a change or two more when freezing temps were around.

Those feathered creatures really do have a bit of insulation.

 

[Gabtods]

I would have to agree that mud is more of a concern, at least up here in the north. Wood chips from a local tree company has pretty much fixed that dilemma. The temps dropped to maybe teens a few nights last winter, but everyone did just fine. The coops aren’t insulated. Water needed a change or two more when freezing temps were around.

Those feathered creatures really do have a bit of insulation.

Okay question about the wood chips - how do you keep the run clean with the wood chips? Right now our run is just dirt ( but they do free range half the day), so it’s super easy to rake up the poop to clean the run. We have pellets and chips ready to go in there but I can’t wrap my mind around how you keep a run clean if it’s covered in woodchps

 

[RojoMarz]

Okay question about the wood chips - how do you keep the run clean with the wood chips? Right now our run is just dirt ( but they do free range half the day), so it’s super easy to rake up the poop to clean the run. We have pellets and chips ready to go in there but I can’t wrap my mind around how you keep a run clean if it’s covered in woodchps

I don't 'clean' my run...I just add a new layer of chips/mulch/pine needles/etc.