Winter Ready? First timer

[Frosttekk5]

Hey yall, looking for feedback on this “run” I put together. 13x10 Metal frame, I attached chicken wire all around then wrapped a tarp around the whole thing and tied it down. The runner ducks kept going under the coop so I just cut out a hole and threw in a dog house I re used and attached a heat lamp to the back of it, there is also one inside the coop.
Question I have is, is that to much heat for the ducks because they seem not to go in when I turn on the lamp dunno if thier scared of it or to hot. Chickens don’t freak out with the one inside their coop but again is that too hot for them as well? Should I be mounting these lamps elsewhere? I just don’t want any of them to freeze. We live on AR/MO border and it gets pretty cold during winter and supposed to drop this week for first freeze. Anything helps, thanks!

 

[avjudge]

Where are you? How cold does it get? Do you get snow? Are your birds all full grown?

Most of us in the continental US find no need for additional heat for grown chickens. I don’t know about ducks. But I certainly would not trust that lightweight run structure to stand up to any sort of snow load on the tarp.

 

[Frosttekk5]

Arkansas, it can get down to negative temperatures for sure. It does snow, thanks I didn’t take that snow load into consideration. So I will definitely beef that up. Chickens are about 8 months old and ducks are about 6-7 months. I mean everyone looks full grown far as I can tell. But I’m a newbie so

 

[aimee750]

No reason to have a heat lamp in there unless they are young chicks or ducklings. At the age you mentioned, take out the heat lamps.

 

[Frosttekk5]

No reason to have a heat lamp in there unless they are young chicks or ducklings. At the age you mentioned, take out the heat lamps.

I also have 4 chicks in the house that are about 5 weeks old my wife got from her agri class. I read I could introduce them at 6 weeks? Should I leave the one in the actual coop for them when I do introduce them Until they get full grown? Or will that mess the other chickens up that go in there as well

 

[aimee750]

How much are they actively using it? Figure that out and then start to decrease their dependence on it so they can slowly acclimate to the outside air temperature.

 

[Ilovemychicks08]

I would double up the tarps. Mine always end up ripping in the winter winds here in WI.
But that coop is way to small for more than 3 chickens And wont keep them very warm.

Edit to add.
I have had chickens for almost 4 years and have never supplemented heat unless i had chicks under 10 weeks. Heat lamps will be knocked out and not be very safe if winds get in.
My run is dug into the ground and mounted on the building next to it. That prevents the winds from knocking it over. My coop is to heavy to move and is also in the ground some.
The plastic waterers will break in the winter from freezing. My girls wont drink out of the heated waterer i bought so i use it just to have water in so i can keep some water in the run. But i use rubber feed bowls for water. Stepping on them is enough to break ice out of.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I also have 4 chicks in the house that are about 5 weeks old my wife got from her agri class. I read I could introduce them at 6 weeks? Should I leave the one in the actual coop for them when I do introduce them Until they get full grown? Or will that mess the other chickens up that go in there as well

Assuming chicks are currently brooded inside a house warm enough for you to live in, they should already be off heat and exposed to some outside temperatures (crack a window, take them outside for an hour or two with some shelter) to prepare for moving out. First freeze implies around low 30s. 6 week old chicks in good health and with good standard feathering should be able to handle that if properly acclimated.

While you're mostly worried about heat I'm concerned that there doesn't seem to be an integration plan? Where are the chicks going to be housed while integrating, as you should count on 1-2 weeks of see but don't touch before they have contact with one another? How many older birds are there? Being frank integration is going to be hellish in that tiny coop, unless there's only one older bird.

With the caveat that I don't winterize my run (but I don't have your temperatures either, so take this with a grain of salt), but I think the run is far too closed up and you may end up with moisture and odor issues. Without knowing your primary wind direction(s) I would open up the opposite end of the run as well so you get cross ventilation.

 

[Sefirothe]

If you get any amount of snow you will need to diligently clean it off. Bracing the center pole of the roof will also be a good idea.

Not mine but saved from a local chicken group I'm in.

 

[avjudge]

If you get any amount of snow you will need to diligently clean it off. Bracing the center pole of the roof will also be a good idea.

Not mine but saved from a local chicken group I'm in.

View attachment 3991761

Thank you for finding that picture! As they say, a picture is worth 1000 words – and that really shows the issue.

There was a user here, earlier this year or maybe last year, with a long thread on a coop and run build, part of which was showing up this type of run for winter. I believe that involve not just a ridge beam and center posts, but diagonal braces. If anything it was overbuilt. But it showed the sort of reinforcement that is possible, if not always necessary.

Edit to add: found the thread!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-coop-design-and-build-blog.1612130/post-27576202
And I see @Sefirothe posted the same picture there!
Definitely looks like more support than you need for Arkansas; I don’t know if @Rancid Crbtree ever posted a location but later pictures of snow sure indicate a more northern clime.