Winter Roosting

[bumpertulip]

My birds roost on the outside of the hen house, winters get really cold with lots of snow here in Utah, I'm wondering if I should expand the hen house and add roosting bars inside. Or will they just sleep in the laying boxes when it's cold? This is my first winter with chickens and i want to keep them healthy and happy

 

[pinkrblu]

You will want a protected place for them to roost. Depending on how cold and harsh your winters are, you risk frostbite if they are roosting outside. You also don't want to spend all of your time cleaning poop out of their nest area.

 

[bumpertulip]

Do you think plastic sheeting would be good enough?

 

[Hokum Coco]

Diary of last winter cold snap check out the link:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/738994/chickens-arctic-conditions-prolonged-period

 

[aart]

You will want a protected place for them to roost. Depending on how cold and harsh your winters are, you risk frostbite if they are roosting outside. You also don't want to spend all of your time cleaning poop out of their nest area.

Frostbite is usually caused by insufficiently ventilated coops in cold climates.
It's the humidity, not just the cold, that caused frostbite.

Yes, you don't really want them roosting/pooping (they go together) in the nests.

I would say they probably need more than plastic sheeting to protect them from snow and wind.