Winter run

[BlackBrookPoultry]

This year I decided to make my chickens a little greenhouse to play in on those cold winter days that they don't want to venture into the snow. I took a 8 x 6 cage I had bought when I was having a predator problem and set it on gravel up against the pop door. I then ordered a remnant of 6 mil greenhouse poly and wrapped it in that. I put a bale of hay on the floor. I hate to see them sitting in a dark coop for the whole month of January. Hopefully this holds up all winter because I really think they'll enjoy it!

 

[ll]

good idea, good job

they will certainly like it, they look like they already do

 

[Sweetened]

What an awesome idea! I'm going to be keeping this in mind...

 

[P-Funk]

I really wish I'd seen that one yesterday

 

[Patricia Jane]

Like the idea and it's wrapped like a present. Very neat. Your babies seem to enjoying it now.

 

[frogdog]

Very nice! Unless you keep the greenhouse door open, you might find that it gets too warm on sunny days. You'll definitely want to keep an eye out to make sure you don't get too much snow on the "greenhouse" roof (not having a metal roof on the coop will help a LOT). Also, with the greenhouse plastic... use a broom to sweep the snow off - it's much easier to put a hole in greenhouse plastic when it's frozen. When summer comes back you could cover it with shade cloth

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

I'm only going to have the door closed when its really cold (like -10 or below). They are free range chickens and have never been confined during the day. Last winter they wouldn't even come out on super cold days and the ducks always seemed to have cold feet so I'd throw hay on the ground near their water dish. Hopefully this will hold up and provide a sunny, dry place for them. I'm going to try to be motivated enough to keep it broomed off so the snow doesn't accumulate too much. I am a little worried about snow and icicles falling off the coop roof and ruining my plastic though. I may put some boards in that spot to protect it.

 

[drumstick diva]

Looks cozy enough for them to have some poultry picnics during the winter - sure beats ice and snow.

 

[Strysa]

What a great idea. Thanks for sharing

 

[zoelovesmom]

Very nice. Where did you get the predator cage?